THREAT TO PENSION UPDATE

Threats to Our Pensions Update

Due to your help, the legislative leaders were bombarded with calls and e-mails to the point where many of their systems were shut down. We’ve learned that two House bills, HB 1319 by Representative Grady and HB 1543 by Representative Juan Zapata, were pulled. Because of the pressure and uncertainty of the vote, Senator Bennett who sponsored SB 1902, also pulled his own bill from the committee he chairs. While all of the aforementioned is great news, we must not let our guard down.

Senator JD Alexander, of Lake Wales, has another bill, SB 2022, which is still very much alive and will be coming up today in committee. His phone number is (850) 487-5044 and his e-mail is alexander.jd.web@flsenate.gov . Feel free to contact him again.

Thanks for your involvement. We have broken their stride! However, you must know that they can still sneak bills in anywhere during the process, and even during the very last days without further hearings. We are watching very closely. Again, thank you for your help. It makes all the difference in the world.

A thank you and kudos also goes out to the other unions who joined in with our efforts to stop this madness. The PBA continues to be at the forefront of this effort and will be vigilant throughout the entire Session.

Please call us with any questions. We will try to answer as expeditiously as possible.

Stay informed. Thank you for what you do on a daily basis.

John Rivera, President
Florida PBA

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Response from Speaker of the House Larry Cretul on HB 1319 and HB 1543

Thank you for taking the time to write regarding the issue of public employee retirement. I appreciate the opportunity to learn of your thoughts and concerns on this important issue.

As we are completing our committee meeting process, two retirement related bills, HB 1319 and HB 1543, have been withdrawn from consideration. As a result, these bills will not advance this Session, however it is possible that similar bills may. I encourage you to continue to watch the Legislature as Session proceeds.

Thank you again for writing to me. Please know that as the Legislature deliberates this important issue, I will keep your thoughts and concerns in mind. If I may be of assistance to you in the future, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,

Larry Cretul
Speaker

Stop Florida House Bill 1543 facebook group

Use this group if you are on facebook, much information and exchanging of emails received.

Senate budget committee approves pension bill
By Bill Cotterell
Florida Capital Bureau

Public employees would start making a small contribution to the Florida Retirement System next year, under a bill approved Thursday by the Senate budget committee.

The vote came over strong objection by employee representatives.

The employee contribution would be one-fourth of 1 percent of gross earnings - about $75 a year for a worker making $30,000 - but Senate Ways and Means Chairman JD Alexander said the state can't continue an entirely employer-paid pension plan. He said very few states don't require employees to chip in something to the pension pot, with contributions ranging from 2.5 to 10 percent.

"I wish there were some other way, I truly do," said Alexander, R-Lake Wales. "I take absolutely no pleasure in this. I have a great respect and admiration for our public employees, particularly those in public safety who stand to protect us."

Lobbyists from the Florida Police Benevolent Association, Professional Firefighters of Florida, Florida Education Association and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees united in opposition to the bill (SB 2022).

Apart from pensions, the powerful budget chairman has repeatedly said this year that he wants to make all state employees pay for health insurance. About 27,000 Selected Exempt, Senior Management, legislative and other employees now have employer-paid insurance.

There are also some pending budget proposals for pay cuts in the budget, which will likely require layoffs in the fiscal year starting July 1. Separate House and Senate work on the budget will be completed in the next few weeks.

"We really don't think a quarter-percent from employees is going to help the Florida Retirement System; it's got a lot more problems than that," said Don Teems, a lobbyist for the PBA. "But I do think it's the camel's nose under the tent. I do believe that you'll come back year after year after year and impose increases on the employees. I think that's the intent."

Alexander estimated the employee 0.25 percent would add up to about $41 million initially, if implemented Jan. 1 for half of the fiscal year, and $83 million over a full year. The $400 million-plus funding gap he cited is borne largely by city, county and special districts that make up about 80 percent of the FRS membership, but state government, universities and community colleges bear about half.

The budget committee voted 14-8 for the pension contribution. Only one Republican, retired educator Evelynn Lynn of Ormond Beach, voted against Alexander's bill.

Senate Minority Leader Al Lawson, who has represented Tallahassee for 28 years in the House and Senate, said the money may be small but that this is the wrong time to tap employee paychecks.

"We're going on five years without a pay raise for state employees," said Lawson. "This amounts to a reduction in pay for their families."