Philadelphia City Council Still Not Ready to Probe DROP
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Supporters of Mayor Michael Nutter's call to abolish the DROP pension perk for city workers have been wondering when City Council will schedule a hearing on the matter.
Apparently it won't be this month.
City Council president Anna Verna (above) this week received from the city solicitor answers to her questions about the legality of having Council abolish DROP (see previous story). But even with that opinion in hand, Verna says, she isn't yet ready to schedule a hearing on the mayor's plan to eliminate the program.
Verna says she is also waiting for a review that Council commissioned by some Baltimore-based pension experts:
"There is no question that the bill will be listed (for a hearing). We're very anxious, believe me, to get this behind us, too. And as soon as we get the report we will review the report and list it for a hearing."
Council members have been privately looking at options that fall short of abolishing the program -- including modifying it so the rate of return -- and therefore the cost to the city -- is lowered.
Reported by KYW City Hall Bureau Chief Mike Dunn.
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