Important message/COLA Update for all PASR members

The following is an e-mail sent out by Richard Rowland at 2:00 p.m. on June 30

Be advised that it remains unknown, at this time, whether the budget deal reached last evening includes a reduction in employer contributions to PSERS (the Retirement System) as advocated by the House Democrat leaders. There are indications that this issue is still being discussed and has yet to be resolved. I will issue an update/legislative alert via email as soon as I receive a definitive answer one way or another. Please stop calling the office to inquire about this as we do not know yet the final outcome of pending legislation. Our advise is to continue calling the legislators and urging them not to approve a budget containing a reduction in contributions to PSERS next year.

Some members have called to report receiving letters from their legislators on the House Appropriations Committee who voted to reduce the PSERS allocation. In these letters, they argue that the legislature is required to include in the budget the amount certified by the PSERS Board and that they were simply acting in accordance with the law. This is totally disingenuous. True, the legislature can not appropriate less than the amount certified by the PSERS Board, but they absolutely can and should appropriate more. The Governor included in his budget proposal the amount necessary to keep the PSERS contribution rate at its current level. The Senate included in its budget passed earlier this month the same amount. School districts were advised to include in their budgets the amounts necessary to continue contribution rates at current levels. If the legal argument advanced by the Democrats on the House Appropriations is correct, then the Governor, the Senate, and every school district in this state are in violation of the law. That is hardly the case.

 

 

NEWS !! NEWS !! NEWS !! NEWS !! NEWS !! ---- PASR KEEPING YOU INFORMED! ---- PASR KEEPING YOU INFORMED!

Click here for Information about the 2008 State Convention

Important COLA information Click here

To see a listing of all State officers click here and to see a listing of all state Committee Chairmen click here

RECREO offerings for 2008 have just been listed. Click here to see these exciting travel options.

The following have recently been added to our list of Chapter and Region websites - click here to see the site for McKean , Somerset , Region 2 , Potter/Tioga , Lehigh, Carbon , Schuylkill, Northampton, Southwest Florida, Jefferson County, Berks, Fayette, Greene , Washington, Westmoreland , Region 7, Susquehanna

Have questions about the PSERS Insurance Program? Health Options Program Hot line click here

Have questions about your pension benefits? Click here

What is "L/PEC" ? Click here for the answer.

PASR meeting schedule 2008 click here
Out-of-State chapter meetings schedule. Click here
Click here to find out how you can help a school retiree in need of assistance
2007 Convention Report - click here

....and now a final word

 

 

President's Message

An important message about our COLA proposal

Ureneus Kirkwood, PASR President

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

On the evening of June 11 a live televised debate on the subject of the COLA was carried on PCN, Pennsylvania's television network. Our Executive Director, Richard Rowlad, debated the Executive Director of the Pennsylvania School Boards Association.

Richard did a wonderful job of presenting the arguments in support of the COLA that has been proposed for those receiving pensions from the funds of PSERS (our retirement system) and SERS (the retirement system for all other State retirees.).

If you missed watching the program or if it was not carried in your part of the state there is a way you can see a complete rerun of the program. Go to www.pcntv.com and click on the "streaming" link at the top. Then click on the "call-in link" and scroll down to the June 11 program "Pension Issues".

Also, click here to read a letter from our Executive Director concerning the media's opposition to our COLA legislation. There is also a list of "talking points" you can use to counter any negative efforts you may become aware of in your geographic area.

Our legislators need our help!! Do what you can to help them.

Ureneus Kirkwood

 

 

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This page was updated 06/11/08