Tag Archives: HFRRF

Pension reform had the desired effect

Posted on February 3, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a good thing Houston got this done when it did. We couldn’t get it done earlier, and I don’t think we could get it done now. Now, nearly six years after Mayor Sylvester Turner shepherded a package of reforms through the … Continue reading →

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Pension reform law reinstated by appeals court

Posted on September 1, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

A win for the city. A state appeals court on Tuesday tossed out a ruling that jeopardized part of Houston’s pension reform plan, reversing a victory the firefighters’ pension board had scored in late 2020. The Houston Firefighters’ Relief and … Continue reading →

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Bitcoin and the firefighters’ pension fund

Posted on July 17, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Okay. When the Houston Firefighters Relief and Retirement Fund bought $25 million in cryptocurrencies, with the fund’s chief investment officer touting their potential, retired fire Capt. Russell Harris was concerned. Harris, 62, has attended the funerals of 34 firefighters killed … Continue reading →

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Pension reform law partially blocked

Posted on October 12, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

I have to admit, I have no idea what this may mean. A state district judge on Wednesday struck down a key portion of Houston’s landmark pension reform package that applies to firefighters, a move that likely would upend the … Continue reading →

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Appeals court rejects firefighters pension reform lawsuit

Posted on June 23, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

This is not related to Prop B. I know, it’s hard to keep all of this straight. Texas’ 14th Court of Appeals on Thursday sided with the city of Houston in a lawsuit over Mayor Sylvester Turner’s pension reform plan, … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: The bonds

Posted on October 11, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Endorsement season has officially begun. The key referendum, Proposition A, is a solution to Houston’s potentially disastrous pension problem. A complex deal ushered through the Texas Legislature by Mayor Sylvester Turner would reduce the $8.2 billion unfunded pension burden now … Continue reading →

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Firefighters sue over pension reform law

Posted on June 2, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

I suppose this was inevitable. Houston’s firefighters pension fund has sued Mayor Sylvester Turner and numerous city officials over the pension reform plan Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law Wednesday, putting up another potential hurdle in Houston’s efforts to solve … Continue reading →

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Houston pension reform bill passes

Posted on May 25, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

It’s done. The Texas House on Wednesday approved the controversial Senate version of a bill that aims to overhaul Houston’s failing pension funds — over the passionate objections of current and former firefighters. Senate Bill 2190, which passed in a … Continue reading →

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House and Senate concur on pension bill

Posted on May 23, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

One more vote in each chamber, then it’s on to get a signature. The Legislature is expected to take its final votes on Houston’s pension reform legislation within days after a group of House and Senate lawmakers Sunday night hashed … Continue reading →

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House passes pension reform bill

Posted on May 9, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

One step closer, though there are still issues to be worked out. The Texas House gave early approval Monday to a bill that would reform Houston’s three problematic pension funds, which have caused financial woes and spurred political battles for … Continue reading →

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Pension reform bill passes House committee

Posted on April 7, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Two for two. Houston’s pension reform bill will now move to the floor of each legislative chamber after a Texas House committee joined its Senate counterparts in passing the measure 6-1 Wednesday. With Rep. Roberto Alonzo, D-Dallas, opposed, the pensions … Continue reading →

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Firefighters will oppose pension reform bill

Posted on April 2, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

So it goes. Hopes that Houston’s firefighter pension board might agree to a compromise set of benefit reforms and end their opposition to Mayor Sylvester Turner’s landmark reform package proved too optimistic, after the two sides passed a Thursday deadline … Continue reading →

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House hearing for pension bill

Posted on March 29, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Another step in the process. Houston’s pension reform plan got its first hearing Monday in the state House, where rows and rows of current and retired firefighters appeared to voice opposition to the plan. Municipal and police leaders testified in … Continue reading →

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Pension reform bill passes Senate committee

Posted on March 21, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

A major step forward. Houston’s pension reform plan cleared a state Senate committee in its initial hearing at the Capitol on Monday, despite the fact that all those who testified – including Mayor Sylvester Turner – opposed at least some … Continue reading →

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No one ever said pension reform was going to be easy

Posted on March 3, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

The firefighters’ pension fund isn’t happy with the way things are going. The plan to reform the City of Houston’s pension system is running into opposition from the Houston Firefighters’ Relief and Retirement Fund (HFRRF). In a recent letter sent … Continue reading →

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Year Two for Mayor Turner

Posted on December 27, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Year One was busy, but a lot of what was done this year depends on what happens next year. Tasked last year with distinguishing himself from a crowded field of mayoral candidates, Sylvester Turner styled himself as a progressive with … Continue reading →

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Council ratifies Turner’s pension plan

Posted on October 28, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: On a 16-1 vote, Houston City Council has endorsed Mayor Sylvester Turner’s historic package of pension reforms. The vote clears the way for the City to move forward in partnership with the pension systems to seek legislative … Continue reading →

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Pension deal approved by firefighters

Posted on October 26, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a big deal, though it’s hardly a done deal yet. For the first time ever, the Houston firefighters’ pension board agreed Monday to accept benefit cuts for current workers and retirees, potentially paving the way for a solution to … Continue reading →

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Pension deal takes a step forward

Posted on October 23, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Not quite there yet, but getting close. Houston’s police and municipal pension boards have agreed to a landmark reform package produced over months of intensive negotiations at City Hall, and Mayor Sylvester Turner hopes the firefighters fund will follow suit … Continue reading →

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Kinder Institute analyzes Mayor Turner’s pension reform plan

Posted on September 25, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Rice University’s Kinder Institute has done the preliminary math on Mayor Sylvester Turner’s historic pension reform plan and determined the numbers appear to add up if all of the components are implemented as envisioned. The institute is … Continue reading →

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More on the pension deal

Posted on September 16, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

The full version of the Chron story adds a lot of detail. Under the tentative deal, the funds would assume more realistic investment returns – 7 percent rather than 8 percent to 8.5 percent – and would recognize all recent … Continue reading →

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Mayor Turner announces pension fund deal

Posted on September 15, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Negotiators for the City, the Houston Police Officers’ Pension System, the Houston Firefighters’ Relief and Retirement Fund and the Houston Municipal Employees Pension System have developed Preliminary Points of Understanding on a structural approach to long term, … Continue reading →

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City loses in appeal against firefighters’ pension statute

Posted on September 14, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s a pension fund-related litigation update for you. Houston can’t overhaul a state-governed firefighter pension system that the mayor claims is pushing the city towards insolvency, a Texas appeals court ruled. Houston sued the Houston Firefighters’ Relief and Retirement Fund … Continue reading →

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Pension reform update

Posted on August 18, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Things are happening. Longtime firefighters pension fund chairman Todd Clark has retired from the department and resigned his post, a move City Hall observers interpret as perhaps the clearest sign yet that Mayor Sylvester Turner’s push for pension reform may … Continue reading →

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Pension progress report

Posted on June 15, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Our favorite subject, back in the news. Mayor Sylvester Turner and the leaders of the city’s three pension boards made clear to a visiting group of state lawmakers on Monday that they agree a fix to the city’s growing pension … Continue reading →

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Yet another report on pensions

Posted on September 9, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Yippie. Some city leaders have spent years standing in the town square, hollering themselves hoarse that Houston’s financial footing is unstable, that huge pension costs threaten the city’s future ability to police the streets, pick up trash and maintain parks. … Continue reading →

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The Memphis pension cutting experience

Posted on March 23, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

In discussions about Houston’s pension liabilities, the city of Detroit is often trotted out as an analogy and cautionary tale. There’s another city that may be a more accurate comparison, and it’s offering an illustration right now of what might … Continue reading →

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Police officers’ pension fund speaks up

Posted on March 22, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

The firefighters’ pension fund is the one that gets all the attention, but it’s not the only one the city is responsible for. The Houston Police Officers Pension System (HPOPS) has sent a letter to the city reminding it that … Continue reading →

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Council’s pension meeting

Posted on March 15, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

It was about what you’d expect. Many City Council members who attended a special meeting Friday to discuss Mayor Annise Parker’s controversial deal with the city’s firefighters pension called the gathering a success, despite two members walking out and breaking … Continue reading →

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Council meeting called to discuss firefighter pension deal

Posted on March 11, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Some Council members are determined to discuss the deal Mayor Parker made with the firefighters’ pension fund. Four City Council members have taken advantage of a rarely used provision in city law to call a special meeting Friday to discuss … Continue reading →

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The pension deal

Posted on March 7, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Not sure yet how I feel about this. Mayor Annise Parker and Houston’s firefighter pension trustees have reached a deal that would lower the city’s payments for three years, a move that would mark an abrupt reversal for the mayor. … Continue reading →

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Appeals court reverses ruling about pension retiree information

Posted on January 30, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

So much for that. A state district court’s 2013 ruling that Houston’s fire pension board must turn over detailed information on its retirees to help city officials better project future pension bills has been overturned on appeal. Justices with the … Continue reading →

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Don’t look for a meet-and-confer bill in the Lege this year

Posted on January 26, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Buried in this story about the city and the county preparing to play defense during the legislative session is this update on the state of relations between the city and the firefighters. In her first two sessions, Houston Mayor Annise … Continue reading →

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Firefighter pension board makes an offer to the city

Posted on September 26, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

This was unexpected. The trustees of Houston’s firefighter pension, who for years have fought the mere mention of changes to benefits as Houston’s enormous pension burden has continued to grow, now are shopping a compromise proposal. Fire pension leaders say … Continue reading →

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