PERA under attack

ALL THINGS PERA

SB 76: Your pay and retirement pensions are under direct attack!!!

Last Friday, the House Appropriations Committee re-referred Senate Bill 76 to the House State, Veteran, and Military Affairs Committee rather than to the floor. We’ve (CEA Government Relations Team) learned today, that House State, Veteran, and Military Affairs Committee will consider the measure on Thursday, April 7 upon adjournment of the morning House Floor Session (usually around 10:30 a.m.). At that time, we expect an additional amendment to be offered that would increase the shift from 2.5% to 4.0% percent.

The measure was originally intended as a budget-balancing measure to continue this year’s policy of reducing state workers PERA contributions by 2.5 percent and increasing worker payroll deductions by the same amount. Last week the House Finance Committee amended the measure to allow school districts and local governments to do the same thing if they choose. This means that school districts would be able shift up to 2.5% of the employer contribution to PERA onto employees.

The amendment will have a dramatic impact on PERA’s long term solvency and will undermine last year’s efforts to stabilize PERA under SB 1. Essentially, the amendment eliminates the employer’s portion of the shared sacrifice from SB 1 and places the entire burden for maintaining PERA solvency on employees and retirees. Further, the amendment cuts employees’ voices from the process and allows the school board to decide whether to implement the change.

If you haven’t yet contacted the members of the House State, Veteran, and Military Affairs Committee, then ACT NOW! It’s easy—use this link to email all members of the Committee: http://capitolcontact.com/layout3.php?url=419-Tv8JlrNDbwVxHcWs. You may add your representative to the list if you wish.

So far, fewer than 100 messages have been sent to members of the House State Affairs Committee. Speak out! Let those committee members hear you! The CEA Government Relations Team challenges you and your colleagues to send 5 times that many. We’ll bring you updates between now and the committee hearing.


House Bill 11-1248

House Bill 11-1248, the proposal to change the composition of the PERA Board, was scheduled for to be heard in the House State, Veterans & Military Affairs Committee tomorrow. That hearing has been rescheduled for Wednesday, April 13 at 1:30 p.m. Jim Kerr, the sponsor of the bill, chairs this committee.



To Contact a Member of the Government Relations Team (please note new email addresses!):

Lynne Mason at lmason@coloradoea.org
Karen Wick at kwick@coloradoea.org
Julie Whitacre at jwhitacre@coloradoea.org
Penny Noscroy at pnoscroy@coloradoea.org

Let your voice be heard Saturday, March 19th

Ahead of the upcoming budget debate in the General Assembly, Colorado’s House and Senate Democrats are teaming up on Saturday, March 19 to host a “Budget Listening Tour” in 12 different communities across the state. The "Budget Listening Tour" is an opportunity for Coloradans to provide feedback and share their ideas, concerns, and suggestions about the state’s challenging budget situation.



Eagle County
Who: Reps. Millie Hamner and Roger Wilson
When: 10-11:30am
Where: Eagle County Room, 590 Broadway, Eagle, CO 80631