Dec 12, 2023

How the Loss of COLA affected This Retiree

Colleen Kelly Mellor

I taught English and journalism in Cranston, RI secondary schools, for 30 years, retiring in 1997 at the age of 51, at a top salary of $43,000. I’d been widowed at 43 (2nd marriage) and because my husband and I were married only 8 years (instead of required 10), I was ineligible to collect his Social Security benefits.

I worked for the Department of Environmental Management, Parks and Recreation Department for 36 years, more than half of my life time dedicated to serving the people of Rhode Island and its visitors. Throughout my career I was informed by the Office of Human Resource that upon retirement I would receive my pension with an annual 3% COLA. After retiring in December 2010, the law changed in 2011 eliminating the annual cost of living allowance for all State employees.

This letter is submitted on behalf of Kevin and Linda O’Malley

Dear Sir or Madame:

My husband and I are both retired state employees. He worked for DEM for over 30 years, and I worked for DCYF for approximately 27 years. If our employment records still exist, they would reflect each of our excellent work histories.

I retired from state service in 2008 after 30+ years. At that time the state informed us of significant cut backs to our medical benefits if we did not retire before Oct. 1, 2008. There was no incentive of $20,000.00 to leave as in subsequent years. This was truly a disincentive to ensure we would not stay. Then comes 2011 and the law is changed to basically eliminate the annual cost of living allowance we as state employees were led to believe for many years that we would receive after retirement.

I taught third grade in the Woonsocket school system for 35 years. I had a contract. It said that I would receive a 3% compounded cola when I retired. This was taken away from me to aid the political ambitions of  G  Raimondo.  Because of this I have had many sleepless nights worrying about bills. I have lost the ability to travel. I have lost my trust in the state of Rhode Island. Opening my mail has become a nightmare as each one reflects an increase. The only thing that isn’t increasing is my pension.

I am a retired State employee (RIDOT), and my wife Diane is a retired schoolteacher in the State retirement system. I retired in December 2015 after over 25 years of service. Since that time, I have received one .42% cost-of-living increase to my pension in January 2022. Inflation has been 30% since my retirement. Diane started collecting her retirement in Oct 2016. She has received one cost-of-living increase in October 2021 of 1.0%. Since Oct 2016, inflation has been 27%. Basically, my family’s pension income has lost 30% of its value since retirement.

Dear Mr. Diossa

Dear General Treasurer Diossa and PAWG Committee Members:



I am a retired state employee who retired prior to the Pension Reform Act of 2011, a pre-reform retiree. Through the 12 years since 2011, a plethora of letters were written to the General Treasurer, Governor and Legislature by me and other retirees to restore the 3% yearly compounded COLAs suspended by the 2011 legislation. All suggestions on how the State could do so fell on deaf ears.

I retired in 2015. Because of the changes made in 2011 I didn't get the 60%, that was told to me when I started my employment with the state of RI. This was very unfair as I worked for 32 years and planned on the 60% once I retired. It's been a big burden not to receive what I planned on for my retirement.

Submitted via online webform

It is very difficult for me to express how the pension reform has affected me and all my fellow retirees. However, I will try to put it simply. We have pretty much lived on the same amount of money for 12 years.