Record of Testimony

I feel that I have been devastated by the actions taken back in 2011. First, I made two decisions based on the fact that I would continue receiving my pension. During my divorce of 2000, I didn't go after some of my ex's pension knowing that mine was better.

I am a retired state employee with over 35 years of faithful service. I had well over 20 years when the major changes were made to the retirement system. I was in the most affected group having not enough years to retire and too few years to make up what had been promised to us.

I started teaching in Rhode Island in 1997 and entered into a contractual relationship with the state of Rhode Island. This contract stated that I would receive approximately 60% of my salary in retirement from the state pension fund.

My name is Dolores Bresette, and I worked for the state of Rhode Island for 37 years, which is more than half my life. I retired from RI College, where I was an Information Aide.

Thank you for the opportunity to testify. Much like the young lady from Coventry who testified on video with Frank Flynn, I too am significantly impacted by the pension changes of 2005, 2009 and 2011.

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.

I worked at the pharmacy at MHRH until I retired in 2008. I took the SRA option, knowing I would receive my pension plus the compounded interest until age 62. Back when I retired, taking the SRA made sense to me. I knew that once I reached age 62, the annual COLA would cover any SRA offset.

I was an English teacher at East Providence High School for 34 years. I retired in 2004, my husband receives Social Security.

I understand the reasoning behind the COLA freeze in 2011. Since i retired in 2011 I have been greatly impacted by this decision. I feel like it’s time for teachers to start receiving what was originally promised to them or @ least part of that money.

First Congress passes the windfall elimination provision and so my teacher’s pension is so good I fall under this program. Middletown never paid into Soc. Sec. So even though I qualify I get $0. Blue cross/Blue Shield was quasi-government & I got a special rate for health insurance.