In Philadelphia, pension costs doubled in a single decade. Cities in Rhode Island dimmed streetlights, raised taxes and put off road repairs. Stockton, Calif., fell into bankruptcy.

Opposition grows to Gov. Lincoln Chafee's call for negotiations with labor unions seeking to overturn sweeping changes to the state's retirement system.

Retired workers across the country counting on cost-of-living increases to their pensions are finding that political fights are putting their benefits at risk.

The university has volunteered to up its payments to help offset problems in Providence, where the city has also frozen its pensioners' cost-of-living increases.

Public health groups in Rhode Island urged lawmakers Tuesday to levy a tax on sugary drinks, but the idea fell flat with beverage industry leaders who said their products shouldn't be singled out in the fight against obesity.

Just weeks after overhauling the state's public pension system, Rhode Island lawmakers plan to consider giving cities and towns the power to revamp municipal pension plans.

Rhode Island is taking dramatic steps toward fixing one of the nation's most underfunded public pension systems, but the true battle with public-sector unions may be just beginning.

The Rhode Island Senate has passed a comprehensive overhaul of the state's drastically underfunded public pension system.