For state and teacher retirees, the 3% will become law, retroactive to July 1, 1999 as soon as the FY2000 state budget is passed by the House and Senate and signed by Governor Cellucci.

City, town, county and authority retirement systems will also be eligible to pay the 3% retroactive to July as soon as the new law is accepted by their respective governing bodies.

Most systems already increased pensions by the 1.3% consumer price index (CPI) this past July. The new law will allow these systems to increase their COLAs to a full 3%.

"We'll be working closely with local retirement boards on acceptance of the new law," said White. "All retirement systems, with the exception of Hingham, earlier adopted pension fund appropriation schedules that provide money for three percent. The Boards will not have to go before city councils, town meetings etc. and ask for more money. They'll simply be asking for permission to increase pensions by three-percent - period."

A few systems such as Haverhill and Essex County did not increase their members' pensions by 1.3% this July, but instead, like the state and teachers, will pay a full 3% retroactive to July after obtaining approval.

There will be no 90-day waiting period after the Governor signs the law. Since the new laws is contained within the budget, which takes effect upon signing, local sponsors of the COLAs will be able to hit the ground running.

City Councils and County Advisory Councils, most of whom meet regularly, will be the first to act. Towns that have their own retirement systems will, in most cases, wait until town meetings.

As we go to press, House and Senate leaders are close to reconciling the differences in their respective versions of the budget. In fact, it is possible that the budget may have been passed by the time you read this edition of the Voice.