Deborah Catamero

Good Afternoon,

My name is Deborah Catamero, I want to thank you for your service to the retirees of RI through your time on this advisory group. By trade, I am an educator who served the students and families of Providence RI for 28 years prior to my retirement in 2009. I began my career as a special education teacher and later worked as an elementary school principal.

I am one of many ERSRI retirees who were blindsided by RIRSA 2011. For the last twelve years I have suffered an erosion in buying power equivalent to a 35% reduction in my so-called "guaranteed defined benefit." This so-called "reform" has evolved from an "unintended consequence" to an intended consequence, forcing me to return to work in order to survive.

My desperation, frustration and anger at this reality has led me to become a member of Advocates for COLA Restoration and Pension Reform. Like-minded people have watched as multiple organizations, fronted by highly paid leaders while impressive, explanatory newsletters, ignored or minimized our plight with half-measured proposals or hypocritical shrugs. Twelve years have passed, and NOTHING has been done for retirees, although those same organizations have negotiated at least 30% in pay raises for RI State Employees.

Our Advocates Group has a grass roots inception , formulated specifically to address the absence of effort, resources, and, more important, results from the traditional establishment organizations. We literally have no budget, no paid officers, no office space, no research staff, no account for "expenses reimbursement." Nonetheless, our numbers grow daily (currently over 2300). We are careful about the information that we disseminate, much more so than the lack of truth which has characterized RIRSA endorsers and apologists since 2011. We treat people fairly, honestly, and expect the same in return.

We are just everyday people, wronged by our own government, and forced to organize ourselves as those who should protect us retreat to the back rooms with others who have wronged us. We apologize to no one for our tone or our message. We have donated twelve years of our lives and twelve years of our guaranteed COLAs to Rhode Island. We are here before you today to provide you the opportunity to reverse this travesty. We will reserve judgment on your product until after the completion of your report and recommendation in regards to our COLA.

Again, thank you for your time,

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