TOPEKA — Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly is trying to sell wary retired teachers and government workers on her plan to reduce the state’s annual payments to its public pension system.
Kelly made her pitch Monday during a retirees’ rally at the Statehouse amid widespread opposition to her pension plan among Republicans in the GOP-controlled Legislature.
The governor contends her plan would make the state’s annual pension payments more manageable as it closes a long-term funding gap. Her plan would give the state lower payments for 17 years and save $145 million during the budget year that begins in July.
But Kansas would wait 15 years longer to close its pension funding gap and that has Republicans opposing the plan.
The retirees at the Statehouse rally appeared split over the idea.
