Nothing From Nothing?

This headline was definitely an eye catcher

The Wisconsin Lie Exposed – Taxpayers Actually Contribute Nothing To Public Employee Pensions

It's trying to make the case that the pension plan is the direct result of deferred compensation- money that employees would have been paid as cash salary but choose instead, to have placed in the state operated pension fun.

The taxpayers would still be paying the salary, deferred or not, and the scientific community is united in that fact.

The writer uses a sports analogy to try and further his case regarding deferred compensation...

Many of us are familiar with the concept of deferred compensation from reading about the latest multi-million dollar deal with some professional athlete...ball players often defer payment of money they are to be paid to a later date.

Does anyone believe that, in the case of the ball player, the deferred money belongs to the club owner rather than the ball player?

The last sentence is where his argument loses credibility, because deferred compensation or not someone still has to pay for it.

The ballplayer isn't paying himself.

The writer further devolves his argument with this paragraph...

Check out section 13 of the Wisconsin Association of State Prosecutors collective bargaining agreement – “For the duration of this Agreement, the Employer will contribute on behalf of the employee five percent (5%) of the employee’s earnings paid by the State. ”

Where does this Einstein think the employer, or the state, gets its money?

Here's a clue -- Taxes and Fees.

In 2009, Wisconsin's Democratic governor and Democratic Legislature passed legislation that raised taxes and fees by about $1.2 billion over three years.

State lawmakers approved the bill on the very day it was introduced, with no public hearing.

Taxpayers in Wisconsin currently cover virtually all pension plan contributions for employees, a benefit gained through contract negotiations that workers say makes up for lower pay in the public sector.

All told, taxpayers across 1,469 units of government paid an estimated $700 million in 2009 to meet required retirement contributions for their public workers.