Public officials react to PERS changes
LOUISVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) “It is really a slap in the face to first responders,” said Mike Perkins, Winston County Sheriff. “After 30 years in this job, it wears on you, and having to do this job at one percent, it is just really a slap in the face.”
“It is going to hurt the fire service,” said Robert Hutto, Louisville Fire Chief.
Winston County Sheriff Mike Perkins and Louisville Fire Chief Robert Hutto are disappointed about some of the changes in House Bill 1.
House Bill 1 was passed by the legislature in March of 2025, and Tier 5 has pushed the retirement requirement from 30 years of service to 35 years for public employees hired on or after March 1, 2026.
“It is going to hurt us because we will not be able to get the firefighters that we need because they will have to do it for 35 years,” said Hutto. “Knowing that people will have to put their bodies through that, it is hurting us.”
Perkins said the change may leave a long-term impact on his department and others.
“Recruitment is hard now,” said Perkins. “The younger generation does not really want to work anymore, and we need dedicated people who want to serve the public. It is hard now, and with the way that the retirement system is going to be, is going to make a person look at a better job, a better-paying job with better retirement than coming to law enforcement.”
When it comes to saving lives, every second matters.
Hutto said the longer someone has to work, the greater the toll on that person’s mental and physical ability, and that affects response and reaction time.
“It is hard. You already have firefighters that are going out with back injuries,” said Hutto. “You are having increased cancer rates among firefighters, and the longer you expose them to those, the worse off they are going to be. You are going to be working 35 years to retire, and your body is going to be so broken down, that you will not be able to enjoy your retirement.”
The changes are also eliminating the cost-of-living adjustments for future retirees.
