To All Members, Regretfully, our attempt to increase the $12,000 COLA base to $16,000 for members of the State and Teachers’ Retirement Systems did not achieve success this year. Although the House and Senate enacted legislation, which would have extended the base to $16,000, the bill was returned to the Legislature by Governor Patrick with an amendment that extended the base to $16,000 only for retirees with annual pensions of under $40,000. Before being sent back to the Governor, the Legislature added a further amendment that would exclude pensions of over $40,000 from the $16,000 base, but only for one year. After a one-year sunset provision, the $16,000 base would have been effective for all pensions. The Governor then vetoed the bill, saying it did not include his “compromise language” and expressed concern about adding significant costs to the Commonwealth’s large unfunded liability. Since at the time of the veto the Legislature had adjourned from formal session for the remainder of the year, there was no opportunity to override the veto. This could only be accomplished in a formal session.

Association Calls On Members To Act

AUGUST 5, 2008: On Tuesday, both of the Commonwealth’s major daily newspapers had lead editorials urging Governor Deval Patrick to veto legislation that would raise the COLA base for state and teacher retirees. The bill, H4959, was enacted by the Legislature and sent to the governor on Thursday, July 31. It increases the COLA base to $16,000 for those eligible retirees with pensions less than $40,000.

Proposal Remains in House

JULY 25, 2008: With a less than a week to go before the end of formal legislative activity for the 2007-2008 session on July 31, the Association’s proposal to increase the COLA base to $16,000 remains before the House of Representatives. The COLA increase, which was passed for retired state employees and teachers as part of the FY09 State Budget, was returned to the Legislature by Governor Patrick on July 12, with a counter proposal by the Governor that would limit thenew base to those retirees with pensions less than $40,000.

JULY 15,
2008: On Sunday, Governor Deval Patrick
signed the FY’09 State Budget into law, which then took effect immediately. The
governor did not approve the $16,000 COLA base for retired state employees and
teachers, the had been included in the legislative section of the budget, as
passed by the House and Senate. Instead, Governor Patrick chose to propose a new
COLA scheme contained in a new section: 12A. This section, if approved, by the
House and Senate, would limit the $16,000 base to retirees with annual pensions
under $40,000. Those with pensions of $40,000 or above would retain a $12,000
base.

JUNE 24, 2008: It does not appear that the House and Senate State Budget Conference Committee will release its FY09 state budget report this week. As members are aware, the fate of an increase to the COLA base now rests with the six-member Conference Committee and the Legislative Leadership.