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Federal retirement benefits bill proposal criticized
U.S. Rep. Mike Turner is criticizing new legislation that could alter retirement benefits for federal employees.
• Employee contributions: Among the package’s provisions, the bill would raise FERS (Federal Employees Retirement System) employee contribution requirements, up to a higher, new rate of 4.4% of an employee’s salary.
• Benefit calculations: A particular objection for Turner is a provision that would alter the calculation for an employee’s pension payout from three years of that employee’s highest annual salary to five years.
• What Turner is saying: “I oppose any and all efforts to reduce federal spending by taking money from the hard-earned pensions of federal workers. These pensions are not giveaways — they are promises to federal workers in exchange for their dedicated service."
• Praise for the bill: “There is no reason federal employees hired before 2014 should pay less into the retirement plan than the 4.4% newer employees must pay,” said Robert Romano, executive director of Americans for Limited Government.
• The numbers: About 83,500 workers in Ohio were employed by the federal government and about one in 20 workers in the Dayton region were employed by the federal government at the end of 2024.
• The process: The House Oversight Committee moved the bill along by passing it 22-21 on Wednesday.
Base missions spent some $2.5 billion with Ohio businesses in Fiscal Year 2024
Two of the biggest Air Force missions at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base spent some $2.5 billion with Ohio businesses in the last fiscal year.
• Air Force Life Cycle Management Center: Responsible for keeping a fleet of planes flying (among other jobs), it spent $803 million with small Ohio businesses and $895 million with larger companies in fiscal year 2024.
• Air Force Research Laboratory: The hub for scientific and technological innovation within the U.S. Air Force spent $412 million with small Ohio businesses and $291 million with larger Ohio businesses last year.
• Ranking: Among obligations to businesses by state, Ohio is second only to Virginia as a beneficiary of AFRL spending.
• Percent of budget: It is estimated that Air Force Materiel Command — under which both the Life Cycle Management Center and AFRL operate — controls 40% or more of the overall Air Force budget.
• A powerful economic engine: Wright-Patterson is the largest employer in one location in the state of Ohio, with 38,000 military and civilian employees. Last year, the base put its overall annual economic impact at $4.2 billion.
What to know today
• One big takeaway: The Montgomery County Commission this week approved $9.1 million in emergency funds to the Montgomery County Board of Developmental Disabilities Services, which will help the county agency meet estimated expenditures next year.
• Best of Dayton 2025: Vote for your favorites here.
• Big move of the day: Dorothy Lane Market is expected to open its Mason location this summer. The store will hold a job fair May 16-17 and is expected to hire 300 people for the store.
• Dayton Food & Dining: Tandoori Crust Pizza is opening today in the former location of Rapid Fired Pizza in Fairborn, across the street from Wright State University.
• Stat of the day: About 7.2 million Americans, up 300,000 from the previous year, are living with Alzheimer’s this year.
• Cincinnati Bengals: More than $184 million in upgrades could be coming to Paycor Stadium by 2026.
• Thing to do: A World A’Fair, a three-day international festival featuring food, drinks, entertainment and merch from more than 25 countries around the world, is returning to the Greene County Expo Center this weekend.
• Photo of the day: The 45th annual Bellbrook Sugar Maple Festival took place last weekend. Here are some photo highlights from Saturday’s festivities including Stranger’s ’80s rock party set.
