The end is near- at least that's what the members of Springfield's Police and Fire Pension Task Force are hoping.

They held their second and final public hearing on their proposed recommendations to get the ailing pension fully funded.

Maybe not surprisingly, but the majority of the citizens in attendance were police officers and firefighters, past and present.

What may have brought them out in droves Thursday was a new recommendation voted on by the task force just Wednesday night.

"It's a hot button."

That about sums up the problem that's been plaguing the city of Springfield for years; the police and fire pension is more than $200 million under-funded and counting.

But pension task force chairman Jerry Fenstermaker wasn't referring to that.

“The theory is an increase in contribution from everyone- the taxpayers, the city will be paying more, and they will too,” explains Fenstermaker.

“They” are the very people impacted most by the shortfall; Wednesday the task force voted to recommend a jump in the employee contribution to the fund.

“In one alternative, they get their return from contribution back and in the other one they do not."

In the first proposal employees put in an additional 2%; in the second they put in about 4% less.

Neither sits well with their attorney.

“It is not legal to take away benefits,” he tells KSPR.

Dan Tobben says he'd take the city to court over it; he’s threatened to do the same if the problem isn't fixed.

These are some of the task force's other recommendations:
- Implement a 5/8 or 3/4 cent sales tax
- Allow employees to work beyond retirement age for fewer pension dollars
- Put new police officers and firefighters in a different retirement system

Tobben is taking the list with a grain of salt.

“They are an advisory committee so what they recommend or say doesn't have any force of law."

Very few citizens spoke at Thursday’s meeting; still, the task force will consider all suggestions made and then make a pitch concerning the fund's future to city council on Wednesday.

Ultimately, as Tobben implied, council has the final say.

If the task force has it their way another sales tax will be on the ballot in November.