Smart Talk: PEW Trusts on public pensions; DUI costs

What to look for on Smart Talk Thursday, March 17, 2016:

Public pension debt may not be an issue that many Pennsylvanians discuss socially or even with candidates for office, but it is one of the most important money issues facing the state, municipalities, and school districts.

Pennsylvania’s $53 billion unfunded debt for retired state workers and educators, including teachers, is the third largest in the country. 

When Gov. Tom Wolf proposed his 2015-16 fiscal year state budget over a year ago, Republicans said fixing the pension problem was their priority.  Even though both parties agree the pension issue has to be dealt with, they have different strategies on how to do it.  Since the state still doesn’t have a spending plan in place and there’s disagreement on solving the pension dilemma, not much has changed.

The PEW Charitable Trusts –  one of the nation’s most respected public policy organizations — has been studying underfunded pension obligations across the country.  PEW’s director of that project Greg Mennis discusses their findings on Thursday’s Smart Talk.

Also, Thursday is St. Patrick’s Day and there will be a lot of celebrating and often that takes the form of drinking.  it also means there could be more drunk drivers on the road than normal.  Police will be on the lookout for drivers who pose a risk to themselves and others on the road.

Those drivers not only face criminal charges but a hefty bill to go along with it — one that may surprise you.

George Geisler of the Pennsylvania DUI Association joins us on Smart Talk to address several drunk-driving topics.