Record of Testimony

I retired from URI in September of 2021. However, for financial reasons due to an unexpected divorce, I returned to work at URI in December of 2022 .

I have been a teacher in RI since 1995 when I became a teacher and thought I signed up for a 28-33 year commitment with a pension between 60-80% depending on the number of years I worked. BUT, the pension reform of 2011 changed all of that!!!

I started teaching at age of 37 in February 2000. At that time I was told I could retire between 60 and 62 with an approximate pension income of 50% of my salary.

To my knowledge, no one has mentioned former Gov. Gina Raimondo steering our pension monies to an PEF (Private Equity Fund) in which, I believe, she had a vested interest.

I will not be able to attend the meeting to express my personal concerns to the Pension Advisory Working Group as I’m home sick with COVID.  I have already called and expressed my sentiments many years ago and it continues to bother me to this day.

To Whom It May Concern,

Correct me if I am wrong but any surplus in the state of Rhode Island budget was suppose to fully fund the pension plan. If that's correct why has this not fully funded the pension plan? How many years of surplus budgets have been sent to the pension plan?

I accepted my first position in a RI public school in 1999 and made the decision to pursue a career in public education rather than the private sector (I am a psychologist), based in part on the benefits promised to me.

June 30th 2012, longevity was stopped. At least for those working that long. I reached 25 years the end of August, 2012 and I feel those folks should have been grandfathered in. It certainly made a difference in my pension.

Submitted via online webform

The loss of the COLA has a a dramatic effect on our family. I retired in 2004 with the hope that cola’s would add to my income as the cost of living increases. I am hopefully optimistic that it will be reinstated soon. Thank you for all your hard work.