Flap’s Links for February 24th from 20:31 to 20:41

These are my links for February 24th from 20:31 to 20:41:

• California Little Hoover Commission’s plan rolls back California Public-Employee pensions for current workers – The bipartisan Little Hoover Commission recommended today that California state and local governments roll back pensions for existing employees, dump guaranteed retirement payouts and put more of the pension burden on workers.

  Although any attempt to reduce pensions for current workers would prompt a legal battle, the commission says that public pension funds are in such dire financial straits that they'll never right themselves by reducing benefits for new hires. The recommendation would not affect current retirees. Click here to read the commission's 106-page report.

  The most controversial Hoover proposal would allow state and local governments to freeze existing employee pension benefits and then lower them for future years worked.

  Courts have ruled that pensions are legally protected property and that government has a contractual obligation to follow through with them.

  The Hoover idea echoes a similar plan that the California Foundation for Fiscal Responsibility has said it hopes to put to a public statewide vote next year.

  Such a measure, if approved by voters, would undoubtedly trigger lawsuits that would test government's ability to alter pension promises prospectively. The foundation believes that its ballot measure would hold up in court.

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  Will be tied up in the courts for years.

  Reform has to begin with current new workers and quickly implemented.

• Groups officially begin recall process for seven Wisconsin lawmakers – The clock is now running for groups trying to collect enough signatures to trigger recall elections against seven Democratic senators, state officials said today.

  Reid Magney, spokesman for the Government Accountability Board, said local groups have officially registered recall committees with his agency to try to recall Sen. Bob Wirch of Kenosha and Jim Holperin of Eagle River.

  In addition, a Utah group, American Recall Coalition, has registered electronically to set up recall committees against Wirch and five other Senate Democrats – Lena Taylor of Milwaukee, Mark Miller of Monona, Julie Lassa of Stevens Point, Fred Risser of Madison and Dave Hansen of Green Bay.

  Magney said his office is still waiting to receive paper registrations from American Recall Coalition but that the out-of-state group may begin collecting signatures for the recall elections in those districts.

  "We thought we were going to have a quiet time after the election," Magney said. "Apparently not."

  The only Democratic senator who is not currently the subject of a recall bid is Spencer Coggs of Milwaukee.

  The groups need about 16,000 signatures to force a recall election for a senator, Magney said. The exact number will vary from 11,000 to 21,000 signatures, he said, depending on how many votes were cast in the 2010 governor's race in the targeted district.

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  Recall all of the Fleebaggers