New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-03-06
FNDsCRISIS NEAR
IN PENSION FUNDS
Bruere Urges Reorgani,a.
ton to Remedy Seri.
GUS Defects.
SYSTEM AFFECTS
10000 EMPLOYEES
Believes Centralized Adminisrr,.
ton Best Plan to Guar.
antee Solyeucy.

Henry Bruere. City Chsmb.,,..
submitted yesterday 10 Tho Comm',.'..'
on Pensions. Of which he Is y,ee.eh,.
mau and secretary, slumary -.
or The n'nc city pension Aunds 80.
ing $4,000 municipal employees To-.
port analyses the defects in the ~
ent system OF pensions ard sugss''.
comprehensive reorganization p.ans
Unless the present system : S..
lily placed on "a sound foundation. u.
report says, zone Of two thine.
bound TO happen. Either H., sity -
face pension outlay so great 80.
other urgent expenses Of the ci,y o..
crnmen. will be cUrtailed, or. WI.
more likely. the city will seek 20 &c.
from the payment of pensions - =
city employees and their depend.,,.
The present crisi, - duc 10 o..
fccts IN the financing OF the funds,
Elgh, OF the funds considered -.
departmental, applying to polic,n,.
fremcu. teachers. street cleaner. y.
lege professors and The einploye, az n.
Health Department and ;he Suon,'
Court. first ana second dopsrtn,r,'
The ninth is general" fund. Cow,
ing all other municipal employe, -.
eligible TO retirement from the DEM
mental funds, and Is known a, a.
"Grady law" fund.
Defects Outlined.
In the summary Of conclusion, "a.
the present system is expensive ana n.
effective the veport states thar M,
the viewpoint OF equity 10 emplo,,
and efficiency Of service the follow,
defects are found:
THAT the system discriminate.
between employees IN different brarckr
OF the service. .. That IL discrlmin,,,.
between individual employees Of e,,
fund. 3 That thirty-seyen per e,,
Of the city's employees are offered Il.
qucement 10 retire IN the prime OF N,
4. That forty-thIee per cent OF The ,ef
vice is burdened with supeannga,e.
employees. .. That excess persio,,
are expensive and demoralizins 70 "A,
service. 8. That the reemplo,me,, },
the city Of its own pensioners is A,
absurd practice. 7. That empioye, A.,
inadequately and insecurity provide
for in case OF injury or death resi-.
ing from the performance Of hsur
Gus duties. :. That vague and lieen
provisions for disability not caused b
performance OF duty encourage err
rctirements. 9.-Ihat pensioBiLy q
dependents Of employees whose death
not due 10 the performance OF dgy
undertaken with realization OF Il,
financial obligations. 10. That the en-
ploye's participation IN the perGg
cost is not general nor uniform o..
* not based on the consideration G.
the principles involved"
From The financial viewpoint The
port states that the present plans su
launched without knowledge Of the Vi
mats cost, that the city's supper, &
the funds is disguised by means Of .
direct sources of revenue, that four q
the present funds are backed by q,
appropriation pow ers Of the city g.
10 continue appropriations for thee
funds would impose pr0hibl,iye s'Si
upon the taxpayers.
Teachers Fund Exhausted.
Five Of the funds are limited IN if,f
incomes 20 receipts from dehtr
sources fixed by statute, but the nr'
points out that such funds ultins,t
are exhausted and become bannsf
The teachers fund is now IN sua
position, according 20 the report q
the Health Department Is on the 'Gf
Of bankruptcy
To place the system on 4 bass
permanent solvency the report suesr
that the full extent Of obligation a
be calculated only By the use Of q.
airy methods such as employed By
life insurance companies. The 'e
structive plan" offered by the cones
sion includes the following requias
THE city's responsibility for az
dents In the performance Of duty ~
considered apart from the genera =
sion problem; equality IN the sppo
lon Of retirement principles 20 zee
tire eystom: superannuated pen'ion
employees who grow old m the serr
eligibility ~ retirement based 0,
which should be lower FOR 'irenN
policeman than for clerk or Nk
or. the amount Of pension varying
length OF service: disability pttt@
10 those whose incapacity Is not t''
suit Of service accident, ne feisn
the employees contributions u cav
death. resignation or dismissal s;a
division of the cost Of the furc'
tween the city and tnc employees M'
pensions 70 dependents ana aa'"'
protection az cost.
The report recommends q cehu,
administration 81 the funds, wa
adequate representation OF W
employees In the membership ois K
trai pension board VT. BrleFs
nounced that this was Part o.,
final report oil tae Commission OF"
sions. Three more parts are
issued later dealing with other ~"
So 81. ropsfor zvzfpul