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PERA Board vote on CO seat

On October 12th the PERA Board voted unanimously NOT to recommend legislation for a CO seat on the PERA Board.  

They want no legislation on it this year. They understand CO's wanting a voice on their plan and agreed to discuss it at their workshop next year.

In other words the can was kicked down the road.

It is not necessary to have the PERA Board's support as all pension changes come from the Minnesota Legislature. We have a good working relationship with the PERA Board and we didn't want to blindside the Executive Director with this and hoped for their support, but we will proceed taking the legislative path.

For too long our PERA Correctional Plan has had threats to it with little to no warning or input.

-The 2018 'share the pain' which changed our COLA from an annual 2.5% to a variable one based on Social Security's raise capping us at 2.5% resulting in years with a lower COLA.

-The attempt two years ago to add dispatchers to our pension which would have resulted in a $79 million hit to our plan.

-Last years 'Police and Fire' Bill HF1234 that changed our disability!

-Last years omnibus bill that gives a higher Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) to every PERA pension for 2024 except the PERA Correctional Plan!

The path forward is two possible ways.

Preferred is to get our own dedicated seat on the PERA Board.

The second is to get added to the Police and Fire seat if option one fails. President Biden's Inflation Reduction Act contains the Secure Act 2.0  which designates that all County and City CO's are Public Safety Officers effective January 1, 2025. The Police and Fire seat on the PERA Board is a Public Safety seat!

Let's see what this year holds!


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