Coverage for the long-term unemployed is cut from the current maximum of 99 weeks to a ceiling of 73 weeks by this fall in states with the worst job markets, with most topping out at 63 weeks - a 33% decrease.
The $30 billion cost of the extended benefits would be paid for.in part by requiring federal workers hired after this year to contribute an additional 2.3 percent of their pay for their pensions, up from the current 0.8 percent.
Note that the pension increase applies to members of Congress, but only those who begin service as of next January -- exempting every current lawmaker!
- Bill
On 2/17/2012 1:58 PM, Jordan Hayes wrote:
> It looks like this has gone through. I think the longer this goes on (extensions,
> etc.), the more likely it is that either the tax will go away completely -- and
> Social Security can finally be put onto the general budget -- or that the cap gets
> raised; either one of these options is a good step forward for reversing the
> trend of the total tax burden in the US toward regressiveness.
>
> /jordan ___________________________________
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