Officers, firefighters could pay more for pensions

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina’s law enforcement officers and firefighters will likely be required next year to put more of their salaries toward retirement benefits than other public workers.

The State newspaper reports Thursday (http://bit.ly/Q260Tm) that the Public Employee Benefit Authority recommends that officers and firefighters put 7.84 percent of their paychecks toward their pensions starting next July. That’s compared to 7.5 percent that teachers and workers in state and local governments will pay.

The difference for about 27,000 officers and firefighters statewide is about $126 more next year on average.

A law signed in June reforming the pension system requires all workers to pay more. But state consultants say the 7.5 percent is not enough to keep the Police Officers Retirement System solvent. That system is separate from the main retirement system.

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Information from: The State, http://www.thestate.com