Legislation under consideration by the St. Louis Board of Aldermen would allow some long-serving firefighters to retire before reaching the current minimum age.
In 2012, aldermen changed the firefighters pension system in an effort to reduce the cost to the city. They made cuts to benefits, raised the yearly contribution and prevented firefighters from receiving full retirement benefits until age 55, regardless of how long they were with the department. They took effect after a long political and legal battle.
The changes cut the city’s contribution substantially. At the time, officials projected the city might have to chip in $31 million in the budget that began July 1, 2013. Budget projections for fiscal 2024 show that is down to about $13 million.
But the retirement age of 55 penalized firefighters who were hired young and therefore hit 30 years of service before then, said Dan Clark, president of the International Association of Firefighters Local 73. The first firefighter affected has two more years to reach full retirement age.
“While he’s in those two years waiting to hit age 55, he’s now paying 9 percent into the system where he will receive no extra benefits,” Clark said.
A bill from Alderman Bret Narayan of the 4th Ward would allow firefighters who reach 30 years of service to retire with full benefits, even before they are 55. A 2020 financial estimate said it would boost the city’s pension contribution by $83,000 that year.
Third Ward Alderman Shane Cohn is one of two board members who were around when the initial pension changes were made. He supported them; his colleague from the 5th Ward, Joe Vollmer, was opposed.
Cohn said he’s keeping an open mind about loosening the retirement requirements.
“It’s often easy to give out additional benefits to employees when times are good, but we need to, especially with pension plans, look at the long-term impacts to the city’s fiscal health,” he said.
Cohn added he welcomes the chance to provide the historical view to his less senior colleagues.
“Certainly I’ll play my part in speaking about the changes that happened, and having conversations where they’ll allow, and as necessary in committees and on the floor,” he said.
The fight over those 2012 pension changes was bitter and permanently affected the relationship between the union and then-Mayor Francis Slay. Clark said he doesn’t expect the tweak to be anything like that.
“Pensions are always a tough one with a lot of people, but at least this particular bill we see as more of just a fix,” he said. “It’s not a big change.”
Narayan’s bill has been assigned to the Public Safety Committee. It’s not yet scheduled for a hearing.
