Record of Testimony

I had previously belonged to AFSCME/Retirees, and fled that group in search of real representation. The retiree agenda was clearly dominated by union oversight.

Dear Members of this CRITICAL Working Group,

Here is my story:

Graduate of William M. Davies Vocational Technical High School, 1980

Veteran of the U.S. Air Force, Honorably Discharged due to a significant medical injury.

Began Rhode Island College Fall of 1982.

I can’t attend the meeting but just wanted to say that I retired in 2017 haven’t had any increase in my pension since then but my part D medical has more than doubled since then If this could be passed along I will appreciate thank you.

Submitted via email

Good afternoon,

Let me start by saying how much I appreciate this group being formed. I am a retired firefighter with 30 years of service. I took my regular retirement when the stress of my job became to great and started causing health issues.

Any state surplus funding could have gone into the state retirement coffers under the auspice of the state treasurer. Seth Magaziner never submitted any surplus moneys to these coffers.

Dear General Treasurer, Members of the Investment Commission, and Governor of Rhode Island,

I am a retired police officer (Sept 2018) who served 30 years from 1988 to 2018. While in a Private Pension Plan System, I became part of a team that moved our pension from that private plan to the MERS Retirement System and this was in 1995.

The Impacts of the Rhode Island Retirement Security Act of 2011 has caused many negative effects on law enforcement in Rhode Island. I am a law enforcement officer who was directly involved and immediately impacted by these changes.

Like many I planned my retirement on the expected money I would receive through my legal and binding contract. Retiring in 2008 after 33 years of teaching, I did not receive the compounded cola as promised. This made it impossible to stop working.

I am hoping a favorable decision to receive our cola back.

Submitted via online email