Council members lose pension credit under bill

PROVIDENCE – The General Assembly approved legislation to repeal a section of state law granting pension credits for each year a city or town council member serves.
According to a news release, the legislation expressly prohibits any council members elected after November 2012 from participating in a municipal retirement plan.
Approved and headed to the governor’s desk are companion House and Senate bills – H-5416 by Rep. Michael J. Marcello, D-Scituate, and S-1083 by Sen. Beatrice A. Lanzi, D-Cranston.
In the release, the sponsors called the legislation a matter of “fairness” to public employees paying into the pension system that help fund the council-member pensions. Additionally, the legislation will help prevent further burdening cities and towns with more pension costs for individuals whose only service is on a part-time basis in an elected capacity. &#8226