State worker COLA push could hit dead end

The House Appropriations Committee unanimously approved a bill (HB 151) that would bring back a 3% cost-of-living adjustment for members of the Florida Retirement System enrolled before July 2011, but it could ultimately falter.

House Budget Chief Tom Leek pushed for the COLA addition last year, but it didn’t make it into the final agreement despite other pension boosters making the cut. Comments from Senate President Kathleen Passidomo indicate it will meet a similar fate in 2024: “At this point, I don’t see it making it to the finish line. We have so many other issues we need to address.”

– Peter Schorsch, Extensive Enterprises