Municipal insurance law (Ch. 32B) says that in order for a town to pay 50% of retirees' insurance, it must be voted as a ballot question at a town election. For five straight years the retirees tried and each time they were defeated - the vote wasn't close.

This year the retirees took their case to Town Meeting, and on a face-to-face basis with Town Meeting voters, received approval for a 50% contribution. However, the approval also required that a home rule petition be approved by the Legislature.

Representative Paul Kujawski (D-Webster) filed the petition and won passage in the House and Senate only to be temporarily rebuffed by the Governor in the form of a veto.

Romney's rationale was that the voters had voted down the measure several times at ballot and that the ballot box should prevail.
But Kujawski and the Webster retirees were not about to be denied. "I stand here to correct the injustice the governor has inflicted on the retirees of Webster," said Kujawski on the House floor. And on June 20 the lawmakers sent Governor Mitt Romney their first veto override of the year.

It was a resounding override, too, with only four of the Governor's fellow Republicans voting to sustain what had been his first veto. The House voted 155-0 and the Senate 34-4 to overturn the governor's rejection of the retirees' 50% health insurance payment by Webster.

Sweet Victory

The victory was especially sweet for four Webster residents. Retired Police Chief Paul Minarik, retired teachers Adele Cozzens and Pauline Aucoin and Town Treasurer Ellie Doros.

All four had worked for years, attempting to win at the ballot box only to suffer defeat. They were leaders in this year's victory, modeling their strategy after a similar route taken by the Town of Ware's retirees last year. Ware's success was also initiated at Town Meeting and shepherded through the Legislature by Rep. Reed Hillman (R-Sturbridge) and Sen. Stephen Brewer (D-Barre).

"Paul Kujawski took the bull by the horns in getting the Webster bill passed," said Association President Ralph White. "Many predicted the bill wouldn't reach the floor for a vote, but he pulled out all the stops in making it happen. And the Webster retirees appreciate his tenacity.

"Webster's been a difficult venue. We earlier had a tough battle in the COLA law acceptance and former treasurer Dorothy Dabrowski was the sponsor, along with the insurance leaders, in winning that one."

Even with the town paying 50%, health insurance in Webster won't be cheap. The full cost of Medex III is $409.70 and for Master Health Plus, $416.83 (individual). Retirees will still be paying over $200 a month unless they want to enroll in a limited HMO plan. The town is offering an open enrollment period for retirees who had previously dropped their health insurance.