Urgent - Important Pension Message

Yesterday I attended a meeting hosted by Miami FOP Lodge #20.
IAFF, GESE, FIPO TRUST, Miami Bch FOP, 175 and 185 members were all in attendance.

The below issues were discussed by Attorney Klausner.
Many of the proposal are conflicting and cause major issues.

Some completely put our benefits in jeopardy.
One proposal makes our Health Insurance premiums an issue.

He recommended a lobbying effort in Tallahassee and recommended we consider hiring ex State Senator or is it Representative Ron Silver to “educate” the legislators on our concerns.

The different organizations are considering joining together to hire Ron, after meeting with him soon.
Bob Klausner is preparing a letter to be distributed so we can have all our members mail them to legislators.

As more info becomes available I will keep you posted.

Below is more info from the FOP LOdge #20 and State FOP, as must read!!!!!!

Joseph T. Longueira
Vice President
Miami Police Benevolent Association
2300 NW 14 Street
Miami, Fla 33125
Office 305 634-7521
Cel 305 778-5400
jtlongueira@comcast.net

Subject: From the Desk of President James Preston

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FLORIDA STATE LODGE LEGISLATIVE ALERT:

There are several proposed bills directly affecting the Pension systems for both State and Municipal Officers that will negatively impact officers across the state if enacted. All of these proposed pieces of legislation are bad and though they are each different, all of them have some version of the following proposals. It is very important that the younger officers and those just starting their careers realize that they need to get involved because these bills are directly targeted toward their future and they will be the ones most affected.

House Bill 0123/Sentate Bill 0212 Relating to claims by Law Enforcement and Correctional Officers by Representative Patterson and Senator Oelrich

House Bill 0413/Senate Bill 0660 Relating to Defined Contribution Retirement Program by Representative Wood and Senator Fasano

House Bill 1543/Senate Bill 1902 Relating to Public Retirement Plans by Representative Zapata and Senator Bennett

House Bill 1025/Senate Bill 1710 Relating to Public Employee Group Heath Insurance by Representative Workman and Senator Fasano

House Bill 1319 Relating to Governmental Retirement Systems by Representative Grady

UNDER THE FLORIDA RETIREMENT SYSTEM (FRS) these bills would reduce the Special Risk Class in FRS back to the original membership of Law Enforcement Officers, Correctional Officers and Firefighters

*Reducing the 3% Accrual Rates for Special Risk

*Increasing the high 5 years to the highest 8 years

*Capping your retirement payment at 70% not the current 100%

*Increasing Special Risk normal retirement age to age 60 or 30 years of service

*Implementing an employee contribution for retirement of 1% of salary

FOR THOSE IN A MUNICIPAL RETIREMENT SYSTEM these bills would

* Cap your retirement payment at 70% not the current 100%

*Changes the 185 Premium tax law so that extra money does not have to by spent on extra benefits

*Increases normal retirement age to age 60 or 30 years of service

*Mandates the majority of local pension trustees could not be active or retired pension plan members

Please contact your local legislators and the following legislators and let them know that you are the people that serve and protect the citizens of this state and you now expect them to protect those who serve.

Senator Steve Oelrich oelrich.steve.web@flsenate.gov

Senate President Jeff Atwater atwater.jeff.web@flsenate.gov

Senator Mike Haridopolos haridopolos.mike.web@flsenate.gov

Senator J.D. Alexander alexander.jd.web@flsenate.gov

Speaker of the House Larry Cretul larry.cretul@myfloridahouse.gov

Representative Dean Cannon dean.cannon@myfloridahouse.gov

Representative Will Weatherford will.weatherford@myfloridahouse.gov

Representative David Rivera david.rivera@myfloridahouse.gov

Representative Pat Patterson pat.patterson@myfloridahouse.gov

Representative Juan Zapata juan.zapata@myfloridahouse.gov

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Good afternoon Brothers and Sisters,
President Armando Aguilar is spearheading one of the most important battles we will have this year. As many of you know, some Florida Senators and Representatives (along with the League of Cities) have decided to attack our hard earned pension as well as our 1% fund. Yesterday Armando, Bill, Dan and myself met with members of the 1% fund, IAFF, our actuaries, and other affected parties. We are putting together a plan to attack all these bills that will be heard at this legislative session. For a summary on all of these bills, please read:

www.floridastatefop.org/pdf_files/bennett_grady_bill.pdf

The State is attempting to take away any 185 monies that would be contributed to our 1% fund. There are several bills that would restrict our retirement to 70 - 75% of pay. Some bills would not allow for you to collect your pension till age 60. For those of you that think FRS is better because you don't contribute, you do by giving 6 1/2% towards social security. Due to our pension, we don't contribute to Social Security and our money goes directly to us. At this time, the Fraternal Order of Police (under the direction of our attorneys) does not see any language that would take away the monies that you all have currently in your 1%. This does not mean that couldn't change. There are plenty of unconstitutional bills that have passed in the Florida Legislature. And, what a senate or house bill states in their language in the beginning of the session, doesn't mean that there won't be any amendments that can change them. House Bill 1025/Senate Bill 1710 are trying to destroy the benefits for our retirees dealing with health insurance. In the coming weeks, I will be going to the Capitol along with Armando to fight these bills on a united front with our brothers and sisters statewide.

Below is an email that was sent by FOP State President, Jim Preston. Please contact those listed below to express your concerns regarding all these bills.
Fraternally,

Sergeant Javier Ortiz, Vice President
Miami Fraternal Police, Lodge #20


FLORIDA STATE LODGE LEGISLATIVE ALERT:

There are several proposed bills directly affecting the Pension systems for both State and Municipal Officers that will negatively impact officers across the state if enacted. All of these proposed pieces of legislation are bad and though they are each different, all of them have some version of the following proposals. It is very important that the younger officers and those just starting their careers realize that they need to get involved because these bills are directly targeted toward their future and they will be the ones most affected.

House Bill 0123/Sentate Bill 0212 Relating to claims by Law Enforcement and Correctional Officers by Representative Patterson and Senator Oelrich

House Bill 0413/Senate Bill 0660 Relating to Defined Contribution Retirement Program by Representative Wood and Senator Fasano

House Bill 1543/Senate Bill 1902 Relating to Public Retirement Plans by Representative Zapata and Senator Bennett

House Bill 1025/Senate Bill 1710 Relating to Public Employee Group Heath Insurance by Representative Workman and Senator Fasano

House Bill 1319 Relating to Governmental Retirement Systems by Representative Grady

UNDER THE FLORIDA RETIREMENT SYSTEM (FRS) these bills would reduce the Special Risk Class in FRS back to the original membership of Law Enforcement Officers, Correctional Officers and Firefighters

*Reducing the 3% Accrual Rates for Special Risk

*Increasing the high 5 years to the highest 8 years

*Capping your retirement payment at 70% not the current 100%

*Increasing Special Risk normal retirement age to age 60 or 30 years of service

*Implementing an employee contribution for retirement of 1% of salary

FOR THOSE IN A MUNICIPAL RETIREMENT SYSTEM these bills would

* Cap your retirement payment at 70% not the current 100%

*Changes the 185 Premium tax law so that extra money does not have to by spent on extra benefits

*Increases normal retirement age to age 60 or 30 years of service

*Mandates the majority of local pension trustees could not be active or retired pension plan members

Please contact your local legislators and the following legislators and let them know that you are the people that serve and protect the citizens of this state and you now expect them to protect those who serve.

Senator Steve Oelrich oelrich.steve.web@flsenate.gov

Senate President Jeff Atwater atwater.jeff.web@flsenate.gov

Senator Mike Haridopolos
haridopolos.mike.web@flsenate.gov

Senator J.D. Alexander alexander.jd.web@flsenate.gov

Speaker of the House Larry Cretul larry.cretul@myfloridahouse.gov

Representative Dean Cannon dean.cannon@myfloridahouse.gov

Representative Will Weatherford will.weatherford@myfloridahouse.gov

Representative David Rivera david.rivera@myfloridahouse.gov

Representative Pat Patterson pat.patterson@myfloridahouse.gov

Representative Juan Zapata juan.zapata@myfloridahouse.gov

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