Future Payments for Retirees Are Big Issue Now for US States

This is the VOA Special English Economics Report.

这里是美国之音慢速英语经济报道。

State and local governments across the United States are facing big budget deficits 1. Many of these shortfalls include promises of future retirement 2 payments for public employees.

美国各州和地方政府都面临着巨大的预算赤字。这许多的亏空就包括对政府雇员未来退休金的承诺。

Several states have had to borrow money for pension plans that have fallen below required funding levels. Pay and benefits for public workers have been a target as state and local governments try to cut spending. At the same time, there are efforts in several states to reduce the negotiating rights of public employees.

若干州已不得不为已经低于所需资金水平的退休金方案提供贷款。政府雇员的薪酬和福利成为各州和地方政府削减开支的目标。同时，数州已经推出旨在降低政府雇员谈判权力的措施。

In many cases, public employee unions have agreed to accept lower pay. But they oppose efforts to limit collective bargaining. An effort by Republicans to do that in Wisconsin has led protesters to occupy the state capitol building.

在很多情况下，政府雇员工会都已同意接受降薪。但他们反对限制集体谈判的措施。威斯康辛州共和党人推出的该项措施已经导致了示威者占领了州议会大厦。

Almost every state requires a balanced budget. Yet worries that state and local governments might not be able to repay their debts are now adding to the costs of borrowing. Illinois had to offer a high return of nearly six percent on bonds to be repaid by twenty nineteen.

几乎所有州都需要平衡预算。然而，由于担心各州和地方政府可能无力偿付其债务，借贷成本已经提高。伊利诺伊州不得不为2019年到期的债券提供近6%的高额回报。

Experts say, on average, public employees are paid less but have better benefits than workers with similar skills in private jobs. However, they say these differences in labor 3 costs are a lot less than some people think.

专家们表示，就平均而言，和同等能力的私营雇员相比，政府雇员薪水更少，但福利更高。然而，专家们表示，劳动力成本差异比一些人想象的小得多。

Still, traditional pension plans pay a set amount for as long as a retiree lives. States like Georgia, Michigan, Colorado and Ohio are considering a change for future employees. They might offer retirement plans similar to what are called 401(k) plans.

然而，只要退休人员在世，传统退休金方案就支付固定金额的退休金。像佐治亚州，密歇根州，科罗拉多州和俄亥俄州正考试对未来的政府雇员的退休金方案做出改变。他们可能提供类似401（k）计划的退休金方案。

These are a common form of plan offered by private employers. Employers and workers both put money into the plan. Workers can invest the money in areas like stocks or bonds. Their retirement savings 4 are defined by the return on their investments in the plan.

401（k）计划是私营雇主通常提供的一种退休金方案。雇主和员工都向401（k）计划注资。员工可以将这些钱投向股票或债券。他们的退休金存款来自该计划的投资回报。

Federal workers already have a savings plan similar to a 401(k).

联邦政府工作人员已经有了类似401（k）计划的储蓄方案。

John McGlennon heads the Government Department at the College of William & Mary in Virginia. He says the economic crisis of two thousand eight continues to affect state and local tax collections. Also, many pension funds have less money because their investments have yet to fully 5 recover from the recession. But Professor McGlennon says things could change.

John McGlennon是弗吉尼亚州威廉与玛丽学院行政管理系的系主任。他表示，2008年经济危机继续影响各州和地方税收。此外，许多养老基金尚未从衰退中完全恢复，手头紧张。但McGlennon教授表示，一切都会改观。

JOHN McGLENNON: "In terms of the future, states are not necessarily going to be in a rosy 6 condition in the next couple of years. But they do tend to recover much more rapidly than we tend to anticipate."

JOHN McGLENNON：“就未来而言，各州在未来数年不见得会进入一个美好状况。但他们确实趋向于比我们预期的恢复更快。”