The City of Pensacola pays nearly $13 million annually for its general, fire and police pensions. Imagine what the City could do with that money. Mayor Ashton Hayward has a panel reviewing the pensions and it should be releasing its recommendations soon.
The City of Hollywood, Florida took the issue of city pensions to the voters with a referendum. With about 13 percent of the city’s 84,521 registered voters going to the polls, residents voted to strip police, firefighters and the city’s general employee’s of their current pension plans, allowing the city to save $8.5 million.
If the pension issue came to referendum in Pensacola, how would the citizens vote? Hollywood has 140, 768. It’s upset over $8.5 million in pensions. Pensacola has 51,923, according to 2010 Census, and $13 million in pensions.
The Pensacola City Council is upset over a few dollars added to ESP bills that are paid primarily by commercial customers and those living outside the city limits. Pension costs are what are eating up the city’s budget and have been for the past four to five years.
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