Neuman's Retiree Health Care Bill is Out, Benoit's is In

The Anne Arundel County Executive withdrew her plan before a duel could begin between two proposed plans to change county retiree health care benefits.

The problem the legislation hopes to solve was described by County Council Chairman Jerry Walker as, "the most serious long-term financial issue facing the county."

Executive Laura Neuman requested the withdrawal of her plan shortly after it was introduced at Monday's County Council meeting. Another bill from Councilman Jamie Benoit (D-4th District), of Crownsville, was set to be introduced that night.

Neuman said she removed the bill to make way for Benoit's bill. Neuman said two bills would have been confusing.

"[My] focus is on solving the problem, not who gets credit for introducing a bill," she said.

On Oct. 1, Neuman issued a letter to county employees calling for change to retiree health care benefits, saying they were currently "unsustainable," and that the county faced a crisis in underfunding them.

Benoit's bill calls for many of the same things Neuman outlined as priorities in her own call for change, including requiring employees to serve longer before qualifying for retiree benefits and also trimming the county's contributions to the plan.

At Monday's meeting, Benoit said his bill stood to save county taxpayers between $22 million to $30 million annually.

The next question is whether it will be supported from the county's employee unions.

A public hearing for the bill will be held at the council's Nov. 4 meeting.