|
 |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Home Check Out the latest information. IMPORTANT “Groundwork Report for Medical Benefits Study”. This is an alarming document and every LEOFF 1 member is urged to read it carefully. more… Medical Benefits Update - May 9, 2008 If you have been following this issue, you should be aware that the DRS is managing a review of the LEOFF 1 medical benefits. In the last session of the legislature DRS secured $40,000 to fund this study. The first meeting of the study group is currently planned for May 22nd or 23rd. Just added May 9, 2008 The Coalition will elect new officers at their meeting on May 15th. At this time no changes in leadership are anticipated. Check out the 2008 SCPP Orientation Manual. This document provides a overview of the State's pension system and details the functioning of the Select Committee on Pension Policy. SCPP presents "Pensions 101" on May 13th It’s time to take some of the mystery out of pensions. You will learn new concepts and reinforce what you already know. You will also meet people who can help when you have questions. (So says the SCPP.) April 27, 2008 RFFOW President's Message for May 2008 The Select Committee on Pension Policy met in Olympia on April 15th. This was the Committee’s first interim meeting since the close of the 2008 legislative session. The agenda included a discussion of all the pension bills that were introduced at the request of the SCPP during the 2008 legislative session. April 24, 2008 Medical Benefits Study Gets Funding In the last session of the legislature $40,000 was appropriated for the Department of Retirement Services to fund the Medical Benefits Study. In the 2006 legislative session Substitute House Bill No.2688 was passed. That bill focused on lifting the 30 year cap on the accumulation of LEOFF 1 retirement credits but a part of that bill also created a Medical Benefits Task Force. Governor Gregoire vetoed that section of the bill and referred the study to the Department of Retirement Services. April 22, 2008 We have often referred harshly to Jim Justin, the lobbyist for the Association of Washingon Cites. We know that they are a very powerful lobby in Olympia and that they have the stated goal of bringing legislation on Medical Benefits to the Legislature in 2009. So we organized a meeting to clear the air and gain some mutual understanding of our relative positions on the issues. Of course Jim is not really the Devil, but he does his job well and it is important for us to clearly understand one another. This information is from a publication of the Association of Washington Cities. It is an important document to read as it details the Cities' view of the status of the LEOFF 1 medical benefits issue. The Law Enforcement Officers and Fire Fighters Retirement System Plan 1 (LEOFF 1), created in 1970 and closed to new members in 1977, provides a defined benefit pension to local government law enforcement officers and fire fighters. In addition, the LEOFF 1 pension statute mandates that cities and other local governments are also responsible for the lifetime medical and long-term care costs for their LEOFF 1 members and retirees. Retired Seattle Police Officers Association Article Eight years! It all started back in mid-2000 and officially began on October 26, 2000 at a meeting in Yakima. The outcome of that meeting was the formation of the LEOFF I Coalition. Things looked bright at that meeting and the first few meetings of the Coalition Executive Board. Items of concern were identified. Prominent legislators met with the board. There was talk of increases in benefits. The Pension Trust Fund was $1.1 billion in surplus. The state had entered a gain-sharing agreement with the Teachers and Anchorage had won a major lawsuit forcing the distribution of their surplus. RFFOW President's Message for April 2008 After a second hearing on March 8, 2008 in King County Superior Court, Judge Yu denied our motion for Summary Judgment against the State of Washington. She also denied our request for certain records from the State Attorney General citing attorney/client privilege, and our request for attorney fees. After a special Director’s meeting with our attorney Phil Talmadge, we are evaluating the possibility of filing an appeal. March 15, 2008 RFFOW President's Message for March 2008 by Dick Warbrouck February 13, 2008 On February 6th & 7th I attended the WACOPS Legislative Meeting in Olympia. The focus of the meeting was a discussion of the WACOPS legislative agenda combined with an opportunity for WACOPS members to call on their legislators. Additionally I had the opportunity to spend some time with Sandy Matheson, the DRS Director. We discussed the Medical Benefits Study. February 7, 2008 RFFOW Monthly Report to Members for February 2008 The 2008 session of the Washington State Legislature was called into session on January 14th. Because this is an even year the regular session is scheduled for sixty days. However, if needed the Governor has the authority to call a special session immediately after the sixty day regular session comes to a close. The two amendments to RCW 41.18, the Prior Act that we have been working on have been drafted into one bill. January 28, 2008 DRS Corrects Survivor Benefit Calculation Error If you are a LEOFF plan 1 retiree who was denied a LEOFF Plan 1 survivor benefit, you may now qualify. Qualifying retirees must be married a year or more “prior to retirement.” The recent Department of Retirement Systems (DRS) decision In Re Michael Bagley moved the date of “retirement” later in time. That means that LEOFF 1 retirees who were denied eligibility under the erroneous standard may qualify under the corrected one. AWC Legislative Report. - January 2008 The AWC Legislative Committee and Board of Directors identified securing financial assistance to help cities pay for their LEOFF 1 liabilities as one of six top legislative priorities for 2008. We have been told, however, that is it very unlikely that any action will be taken during the short 2008 session. This is due in part to the complexity of the issue and the recent release of the study outlining the liability. January 10, 2008 We met with two legislators, Mark Ericks and Al O’Brien. Both are representatives from the 1st District and both are retired LEOFF 1. We provided them with copies of the LEOFF 1 Medical Benefits Study. They had not yet received a copy from DRS. Also attending was Jerry Smith, the Mayor of Montlake Terrace and also a retired LEOFF 1 member. Select Committee on Pension Policy - Medical Benefits Study On December 18th the Select Committee on Pension Policy had its last meeting prior to the current legislative session. Medical benefits were on that agenda. Testimony was presented by Dick Warbrouck of the Retired Fire Fighters and Bill Kantor. Status Report on Medical Benefit Study As for the LEOFF 1 Medical benefits study that DRS had sent to the Governor. No action has been taken as yet. Evidently the Governor returned the report to DRS with instructions to manage the study. We have made several inquiries of the DRS Director as to the status of that effort but have not yet received a reply. December 15, 2007 RFFOW President's Message for December 2007 - The latest edition of Dick Warbrouck's monthly message to the RFFOW is now online. Then review the Recent Postings tab. That is where items are moved after a period in the New! section. PURPOSEThe site has been established as a central clearing house for information about current developments in LEOFF 1. It also provides a discussion point for members. We will attempt to post all the latest information and to find answers to your questions about LEOFF 1. LEOFF1.Net is the only independent source for information about the LEOFF 1 pension system. We are not associated with any other group. THE ISSUEIn 2000 the excess funding in LEOFF1 was estimated to be more than $1.1 billion. Since the losses in the stock market and 9/11, that estimate was reduced to as low as $300 million. The latest estimate is that the Pension Trust now stands at $5.1 billion. The surplus is estimated at $800 million. Until the decline, powerful lobbying groups were seeking to raid the LEOFF 1 pension trust. The Legislature attempted to terminate LEOFF 1 in the 2000-2001 Session. Had they done so the system would be in a serious deficit. The political action of the members of this web site played an important role in blocking the passage of the bill that would have terminated the system. Our pension is at risk and we need to organize to protect it. SUBSCRIPTIONS/DONATIONSWhile a subscription is not required, it is the way we pay for the operation of this site. We ask only $15/year and these fees permit us to pay for the costs for the web site operation, servers, software, travel to LEOFF 1 events, investigations of issues and support to the members. Subscribers get special email notifications and more information about the issues and events surrounding LEOFF 1.
Always check out the New! information tab to the left. Please click on the "New!" tab to the left for all the latest. Also, check back over the next few days as we will be providing some information about the LEOFF I Coalition and some links to important information about Disability Boards. |
|
|
|
© 2005 LEOFF1.Net - All rights reserved. | |
|
||||