Hillsboro cops get big boost in pension
Staff writ
Five Hillsboro Police officers will receive a lot more in retirement effective Jan. 1 because of Hillsboro City Council action Tuesday.
Hillsboro police officers do not contribute to Social Security because they are in the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System.
Under the change they will switch to the KPERS affiliated Kansas Police and Fire retirement.
The city will pay 24.69%, the equivalent of each officer’s pay toward KP&F retirement benefit. It pays only 9.71% for KPERS benefits.
The change from KPERS to KP&F means employers would pay 9.71% of the employer’s salary for KPERS to 24.69% for KP&F.
Employees pay 6% of their salary for KPERS, and pay 7.1% is deducted under KP&F.
Hillsboro does not have a full-time firefighter, so only the five police officers will see the change.
Council member Ronald Wilkins said the change could only be a benefit.
“It would be a good way to make the job more desirable,” Wilkins said.
Retention of the officers is also something that needs to be considered, he said.
Mayor LouThurston said the switch was already reflected in the city’s budget for next year.
“We know it’s substantially more, but it’s in our budget.” he said. “We planned for it.”
He did not know how much it would cost the city.
“It’s a more advantageous benefit plan for the dangerous work they do,” he said.
The resolution council members passed states that all police officers will be able to transfer contributions from KPERS to KP&F.