WPRO News and the Associated Press
NEWPORT, R.I. (AP) – Lawyers have met privately with the judge on scheduling matters in the lawsuit by unions and retirees challenging Rhode Island’s landmark 2011 pension overhaul.
One of the state’s lawyers who attended, John Tarantino, tells WPRI-TV (http://bit.ly/1u3Y5Ho) that a jury trial is still on track for April 20. He said Superior Court Judge Sarah Taft-Carter scheduled four more pretrial hearings, with the next one on Feb. 6.
The 40-minute conference was first since a new administration took power in Rhode Island. Jeff Padwa, the deputy and legal counsel to new state Treasurer Seth Magaziner was among the new lawyers attending.
The lawsuit is challenging higher retirement ages and cuts to cost-of-living increases that were designed to save Rhode Island $4 billion over 20 years. A tentative settlement last year was rejected after police union members voted it down.
