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To the Editor:

As President of the Maine Association of Retirees, I am asking all retired Maine State retirees and retired public school educators to contact Governor Janet Mills and urge her to sign into law LD 1104, “An Act To Clarify the State’s Commitments Concerning Certain Public Service Retirement Benefits.”

LD 1104 is currently on the Governor’s desk. She must deal with it no later than the third day of the upcoming Second Regular Session of the 129th Maine Legislature in January.

Unlike those working in the private sector, State employees and public school educators have made mandatory contributions into a State-operated retirement system in lieu of Social Security. Cost of living adjustments (COLAs) have been and remain a crucial part of that system. While annual COLAs have been represented to public sector workers as part of their retirement benefit, they are not currently protected as a matter of law.

This legislation very simply makes our COLA a protected benefit by specifying that it constitutes a solemn contractual obligation of the state under state statute as well as the Maine and U.S. Constitutions. It does not seek to increase how a COLA is to be calculated.

This legislation keeps the promises that were given to public service employees at the time of hire that a COLA would be part of their retirement benefit. It also benefits all of our public service retirees and educators that have made significant sacrifices to the state including 22% of public sector retired members who have pensions at or below 133% of the federal poverty level. In addition, many of these retirees are over the age of 70.

Please help us convince Governor Mills to sign into law LD 1104 by contacting the Governor’s Office.

J. Timothy Leet
Farmingdale

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