Whitmire expects pension fix to be costly

An Oconee state lawmaker predicts the cost to meet the constitutionally-required obligations of the state’s retirees will be painful to those who will foot the bill—current employees and employers.  Rep. Bill Whitmire, Walhalla Republican, gave the Rotary Club this week a preview of how it’s going to take the state 10 years to remedy what took 20 years to get into.  And yesterday the budget-writing committee of the House agreed on a bill that would raise both employees and employers contributions.