The State Actuary utlizes Mortality Tables for the calculation of the status of the pension funding.  We are reproducing those tables here. 

The projected COLA based on calculations from the Bureau of Labor Statistics index will be 0.44% effective April 1, 2010.  This number is not official until verified by the Plan Administrator (DRS), but we are confident it is accurate.

The amount might be different depending on your actual date of retirement, but the 0.44% applies to almost everyone.  For example, if you retired after April 2, 2009 you will not get a COLA. 

Also, if you are retired under a prior act such as RCW 41.20 and you are entitled to an adjustment based on that system you will not see a change in the net amount you receive.  Your city check will go down a few dollars and the state check will go up the same amount. 

LEOFF 1 (RCW 41.26.240)
Retirement Date	Adjustments
April 2, 2009 - March 30, 2010	0.00%
January 1, 2009 - April 1, 2009	0.44%
April 2, 2008 - December 31, 2008	4.94%
Prior to April 2, 2008	0.44%

In our article "How to Calculate the COLA" we showed each of the steps needed to acquire the information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and to calculate the amount of the COLA.  In this article we complete the calculation for the 2010 adjustment.

This article is from an exchange of emails between Ron Larson, a member of the RFFOW, and Jerry Taylor of LEOFF1.Net.  We had not published it before, but since it appears in the January 2010 RFFOW newsletter, we have decided to provide it here to help clarify what Dick Warbrouck is addressing in his article.

A message from Brian Wurts, President, Lakewood Police Independent Guild.

As usual they got most of it wrong. Below is what I just put out to my members and the media outside of the full press release at www.lpig.us. As I clicked on non guild member names that have been in my contacts I passed over Mark, Tina, Ronnie, and Greg. I cannot stop breaking down here alone in my office. For any of you who have contacts willing to donate to the familes our website is set up for online donations. I want to put these little ones through college. God Bless the LPD right now.
 
(Note: LEOFF1.Net is not doing a complete report on these horrific murders.  They have been well covered in the press.  This is more than an attack on the officers, it is also an attack on society itself.  Our comments relative to the recent murder of Officer Tim Brenton in Seattle apply here as well.)

 WACOPS was contacted by the Department of Retirement Systems with an alert that they would be releasing personal information on all members enrolled in a state retirement system including LEOFF 1, LEOFF 2, WSP, PERS, SERS, and TERS.

This is outside of our normal fare, but Tim is a retired LEOFF 1 members and has published several books.  He also subscribes to LEOFF1.Net.  Any other authors out there.  Just let me know and we will post information about your books too.

Tim Perry, retired SPD, will be doing a reading and signing copies of his novel starting at noon on Saturday October 17th.  The event will be held at the Seattle Mystery Bookstore at 117 Cherry in Pioneer Square.  Please let Tim know if you will be attending at tap@taperry.com.

LEOFF1.Net does not receive any compensation for this effort. 

The annual LEOFF I COLA which is due on April 1, 2010, is very likely going to be small (LIKE 0% to 1%) or it even could turn out to be a negative number.

Select Committee on Pension Policy (SCPP)
The SCPP has meetings scheduled for the following dates:

• September 15
• October 20
• November 17
• December 15

Typically proposals are submitted to the Chair of the SCPP through the Office of the State Actuary (OSA). Items are considered by the Executive Committee who then decides whether or not to add the item onto the full committee's agenda. Proposals typically require one meeting for briefing the entire committee and one meeting to take executive action.
 
Pension Funding Council (PFC)

• Review economic assumption recommendations from OSA - Investment Rate of Return
  - Inflation
  - Salary growth
  - Membership growth
• September 1 OSA communicates recommendation to PFC
• October 30 PFC can adopts changes to assumptions

2008 Annual Valuation Report

• The Office of the State Actuary will produce the 2008 Annual Valuation Report this fall. The report will be as of June 30, 2008.
  

This article gives a brief summary of the major pieces of legislation that have impacted LEOFF 1.  They date back to 1992, so you can see the issue of protecting our pension plan is long standing.