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April PERA Meeting and Pension update

 A lot has changed very recently.  A Bill called the "Delete everything Amendment" was introduced. 

Of note is that there was a proposed reduction in employee contributions to the pensions for every group EXCEPT PERA Correctional and the PERA General Plan.

PERA Executive Director Doug Anderson then put out a Legislative Update memo prior to the meeting.

In it he stated, "The exclusion of the General Plan from the bill has caused concerns." This emphasizes again why we need a PERA Correctional seat on the PERA Board. 

I called him and we had several productive conversations. 

My concern as MNCORA President was that every other pension plan was being considered for a reduction in employee contribution except PERA Correctional! 

At the meeting Doug Anderson then added PERA Correctional to the list. I was not permitted to speak at the meeting but I had a very good conversation with the PERA President Thomas Stanley afterwards.

PERA does not write retirement law, the Legislature does, but the Legislature generally listens to PERA recommendations and we had PERA's ear today.

It is vitally important to contact your State Senator and Senator Rosen (she chairs the Pension Commission) and let them know you want PERA Corrections to receive a reduction in your employee contribution if the other Pensions get one. 

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