August 15, 2010

Dear Friends,

• The website, www.ksretirees.org is in excellent shape and up to date.  Please check the website regularly for the latest info.

• Remember to send us your updated email address...also if for any reason you should no longer wish to receive this update, let us know at the address(es) listed at the top of this “update,” and we will contact you and remove you from the official mailing lists.

• Just a reminder, that this email is an official report of the Kansas Coalition of Public Retirees.  If Ron and I editorialize, we will indicate that fact.

• Remember that we want you to forward this to other retirees and the “working” who will benefit from this information.

• We would extend an invitation to anyone who is interested in the work of the Coalition to attend our monthly meetings.  Their date and location are always available on the website.

• We have learned that most everyone can open a PDF file while they may not be able to open a work file.  Subsequently we will begin to forward the attachments in PDF format.  If you can not open the PDF file, email Ernie and he will put you on a special list.

Dear Friends,

With the primary completed, our need is to elect Kansas House Members and a Governor who is KPERS friendly, and supports it in the present defined benefit form, and will support a permanent annual benefit increase, in the future, to safe guard the shrinking dollar.

Now that the primary election is behind us, in most cases you will have to choose from a list of two choices to represent you. 

Be reminded that as you are made aware of the various candidates’ positions on a variety of issues, please vote for the candidate that supports your position on retirement.

You may not agree with everything the candidate stands for, but we do not need any additional representatives that place KPERS folks, retired and/or still working, low on their priority list.  The Coalition has no intention of reducing its effort in your behalf, but the climb will become even more extreme if we do not elect people who have retirees and KPERS workers as a priority!

We must have people in place that will vote for our position!  Unfortunately, having an ethically and morally correct position makes no difference without the votes.

Speaking of candidates; in our last update, we asked you to provide ideas as to how we could get in touch with Senator Brownback.  Using your suggestions, we have again tried to contact Senator Brownback’s camp in an attempt to have our questionnaire filled out and we still have received no response.  We have no idea why there has been no response to our requests.

The candidates whose response we have received can be found on our website.  We thank all who took the time and effort to filling out the questionnaire.  

Report of the Communication Committee:
            The Communications Committee is busy revising the annual Coalition Report to the Legislature.  When completed it will be mailed, emailed, and posted to our website so that the legislators will have it readily available.  We will also attempt to contact each personally to make sure their attention is drawn to this report.  Those who are running unopposed, or who have basically won their seat in the primary election will be contacted prior to the November election.  

Report of the “Rally Committee”:
            We are once again not going to be permitted to hold a rally in the Capitol, because of construction.  The cost of trying to hold a rally off sight, is very expensive when you include bussing to the Capitol, rental of a meeting place and other logistics.  Then because of fire codes, etc., the guards could restrict the numbers entering the Capitol (before we could all get in).  This is too much of a risk, so alternate plans are being hammered out!  

KOSE and KAPE Offer:
            The Kansas Organization of State Employees (KOSE) & The Kansas Association of Public Employees (KAPE) are groups both belonging to Our Coalition.   Their concern (fear) is obviously for the future of the employees they represent.  If you desire to become actively involved in the elections this year, we suggest that you call Matthew Hall @ 1-612-804-5557 or the KOSE office @ 1-866-518-8267.  You will find a link to these organizations on our website.  

Interesting Information
We are all beginning to see Interesting facts similar to these in all public media:
There are 6 people for every job.
40M are on food stamps.  This # is expected to rise to 43M next year.
It takes an average of 9 months for a new college graduate to find a job.
40% of jobs available today are low paying service jobs. This includes all jobs including minimum wage.
61% live paycheck to pay check, this is up from 49%
36% have zero saved for retirement.
43% have $10K or less saved for retirement
24% have postponed retirement
Only the top 5% income bracket has kept up with housing cost in the last 35 years.

Denver Post Article
   Info from the non partisan Employee Benefit Research Institute
       Yearly Income Less than $30K
                 64% will run out of money after 10 years in retirement
       Yearly Income $30K-$70K
                 29% will run out of money after 20 years
       Yearly Income more than $70K
                 13% will run out of money after 20 years

According to the National Institute for Retirement Security, Benefits paid by state and local pension plans (KPERS) support a significant amount of economic activity in the state of Kansas .  Retiree’s spending their pension checks, cause dollars to ripple through the Kansas Economy.  For example, in 2006:
            Kansas retirees paid the salaries for 9,020 jobs in the state. 
            $1.3 billion in total economic output was generated.
            $171.8 million in federal, state, and local tax revenues was collected.
            In the State of Kansas :  Each dollar paid out in pension benefits supported $1.34 in total economic activity in Kansas .
            Each dollar “invested” by Kansas taxpayers in these plans supported $5.74 in total economic activity in the state.

Save a date:
Dr. Ludwick will be making a KPERS presentation in behalf of KARSP and the Kansas Coalition of Public Retirees to a meeting of the EARSP (Emporia Association of Retired School Personnel) on Friday, September 3^rd, in Emporia at the Guest House Inn.  This is a lunch meeting beginning at 11:30 am .   The presentation will begin between 12:00 to 12:10 .  All those involved with the KPERS retirement system are invited to attend.

On Tuesday, November 9^th at the Buzz Café in downtown Sabetha, Ernie & Ron will speak at a joint meeting of KARSP units.  The meeting starts at 11:30 a.m. with the meal and about 12:15 p.m. the presentation will begin.   All those involved with the KPERS retirement system are invited to attend.

Stay Cool and remember, about October 31^St you will be looking for your Coat!