PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Nearly half of the members of the state Retirement Board must recuse themselves from participating in any of matters related to the public employees unions' lawsuits against the state over the pension-overhaul, according to an advisory opinion issued Tuesday by the Rhode Island Ethics Commission.
Of the board's 15 members, 7 hold leadership positions in one of more of the unions that are suing the state alleging that Rhode Island's pension overhaul -- designed to save $274 million in taxpayer dollars next year and billions over the next 25 years -- violated the state Constitution.
The state Code of Ethics prohibits members of the Retirement Board from participating in any matter in which they have an interest, financial or otherwise, which is in "substantial conflict" with their duties to the public.
The 7 board members identified with union affiliations that would require them to recuse themselves are: Roger Boudreau; Michael Boyce; William Finelli; John Maguire; John Meehan; Claire Newell and Louis Prata.