Bring the Future Back North: The pros, cons and costs of returning to a defined benefit retirement system for Alaska’s public employees
Alaska is losing its population aged 18-64 and a third of our youth leave the state and never return. Our skilled public sector workforce is being educated and trained here in Alaska, but too frequently now moving for jobs with better benefits in Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, and elsewhere.
Meanwhile, public assistance, snow removal and other vital services are being negatively impacted and many government phones are going to voicemail rather than to a person. If we want a prosperous future, we have to turn this around.
Senator Cathy Giessel and Fate Putman will outline a plan, more than 10 years in the making, that they believe will stop the bleed of Alaska’s youth and skilled public sector workforce out of state – a return to a defined benefit retirement system for Alaska’s public employees. They will discuss the pros, cons and costs with time for questions and answers.
