ALBANY, N.Y., March 15 (UPI) -- New York lawmakers Thursday voted to cut retirement benefits for future public employees in New York City and throughout the state.
The pension changes were less than those sought by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, applied to fewer employees and saved less money than he wanted, The New York Times reported, but dealt a defeat to labor unions at the end of an all-night session.
Cuomo said in a statement, "This bold and transformational pension reform plan is a historic win for New York taxpayers and municipalities. Without this critical reform, New Yorkers would have seen significant tax increases, as well as layoffs to teachers, firefighters and police."
The Times said the pension changes were part of a policy package approved overnight.
The Legislature approved a reconfiguration of the state's Assembly and Senate districts, a proposed constitutional amendment to legalize casino gambling and the creation of criminal DNA databases.
The Republican-controlled Senate approved the measure very early Thursday, though most of the chamber's Democrats had walked out over redistricting. The Democratic-controlled Assembly approved the pension changes shortly after 7 a.m.
The measure did not make significant changes to retirement benefits for New York City police and firefighters.
State and city officials said the measure would save more than $80 billion for the state and local governments in the next 30 years -- including $21 billion for New York City -- by reducing benefits for new workers, the Times said.
