The State
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Retired Columbia employees will pay $33 per month for their health insurance to create a $970,000 windfall for a city that is desperately searching for ways to rebuild its budget.
City Council members approved the plan Wednesday despite strong opposition from retired city firefighters who said they feel betrayed by their former employers.
But council members said they had no choice after contemplating a city budget that has been devastated by gross overspending created by years of inaccurate bookkeeping.