Lawmakers Push Against O'Malley's Pension Plan

WASHINGTON - Montgomery County lawmakers say they understand times are tough, but Gov. Martin O'Malley's making it tougher on their constituents with a plan to shift half the cost of teacher pensions to the counties.

Teachers are technically state employees and for decades, the state has picked up the cost of their pensions. In Montgomery County, the cost of teacher pensions for fiscal 2013 has been calculated to be about $168 million.

Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett has called the move to pass half the cost of pensions on to cash-strapped counties a "non-starter," and has likened it to telling counties to pick their poison.

Former Maryland Delegate Craig Rice, who served on the House Ways and Means Committee and is now a member of the Montgomery County Council, agrees.

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