A reminder is given for all members of the SLCREA that dues for the 2016-2017 year are now being collected.
Dues include:
$35.00 – State
$10.00 – Local
$10.00 – Scholarship
$55.00 – Total
This year our organization grew to over 100 members. We are looking to increase that number this year. Please mention SLCREA to retired educators that you may know.
Make check payable to SLCREA and mail to:
Pat Davis
5571 NW Scepter Drive
Port St Lucie, Fl 34982
Representing Larry Lee joined the SLCREA for the luncheon meeting on May 26th. During this meeting he conducted the installation of the officers for 2016/2017:
President – Joan McClenny
President Elect – Joan McKinnon
Secretary – Fannie Henderson
Treasure – Pat Davis
As part of his official duties, Representative Larry Lee presenting Past President, Norma McGuire, with “the marbles” she lost during her presidency.
This year the SLCREA awarded three scholarships to high school students interested in entering the field of education. The three students were in attendance at the May 26th SLCREA meeting. Our scholarship recipients for 2016 are:
Rebecka Brown. LPA. $1000.00
Mattes Thomas. LPA. 500.00
Jose Martinez. FPC. 500.00
May 26th marked the end of the 2015-2016 year for the SLCREA. The meeting was a pot-luck luncheon held at The Crossing Church. The three scholarship recipients were present. Installation of the officers for the 2016-2018 years was officiated by Representative Larry Lee. SLCREA is now adjourned for the summer and will resume on September 15, 2016. Enjoy a wonderful summer and we will welcome all members, as well as any new members, in the Fall.
September Meeting:
Thursday, September 15, 2016 at 11:30 a.m. at The Crossing Church
Bring a covered dish to share
New retirees will be invited to this meeting
The Education Foundation needs volunteers to review scholarship applications. If you are interested please contact Emily McNutt at the county office. Phone number 772-429-5507 or 772-475-7324 or email emily.mcnutt@efslc.org
Wednesday, February 24, 2016
The final vote for House Bill 7107 was this morning on the floor of the House. This bill covered 3 items.
1. Allowing rehired FRS employees to enter the investment plan.
2. Changing the FRS default to the Investment plan
3. Giving death benefits to survivors of FRS workers killed in the line of duty.
The main problem has been the default section of this bill. Many arguments were given as to why the pension plan is better than the investment plan. The final vote was basically along party lines: All Democrats voting against the bill and most Republicans voting for the bill. The following Republicans voted against the party block:
Chris Latvala – Clearwater
Ray Pilon – Sarasota
David Santiago – Deltona
Greg Steube – Sarasota
If you would like to write to your representative their email address is: firstname.lastname@myfloridahouse.gov
You can also go on line to the House of Representatives Web page to find all email addresses and who your representative is. Please let them know how you feel about their vote on HB 7107 . Remember they were elected to represent their constituents.
At this time there is not a bill in the Senate that covers the default. Please share this information with your friends, family and co-workers.
We received this information from state FREA; we need to start contacting our legislators now. The Florida Legislature is gearing up to attack the Florida Retirement System. The following letter outlines the details and how to contact legislators.
______________________________________
To Friends of Florida Retirement System:
The 2016 Legislative session is about to begin and Speaker of the House, Steve Crisafulli (R-Merritt Island), has vowed to change FRS. Our Florida Retirement System is one of the strongest in the US. It is a working system that benefits the hard working state workers, teachers, police and firefighters in our state. For the past several years members of our legislature have attacked FRS in hopes of changing it for future retirees. Research has shown that pensions benefit the employee once they retire, and these retirees have a positive impact on their local economy.
FACT: each dollar invested by Florida taxpayers in the pension supported $4.47 in total economic activity in the state.
Public employees receive lower wages than their private sector counterparts and the pension plays an important role in offsetting this financial impact of lower salaries.
How Can You Help? Now is the time to let YOUR legislators know how you feel about saving FRS. The legislators will listen to their voters and it is important that we all contact our legislators and tell them to vote against any changes to the Florida Retirement System. When you contact the office, chances are your emails and letters will be received by an aide who will calculate how many contacts have been made and tally the positive or negative remarks. Thus, your letter does not need to be long. Below is a
sample of an email that you could use. It is important that they hear from hundreds of voters and it is important that they hear NOW!
The Main Complaint is that the State Must Pay Into FRS:
*** This money is owed to FRS because past Legislators used the money to support other projects during the economic crisis.
***Changes to FRS will NOT take away the money owed
***Changes to the Pension plan will cost more money because there will be less money invested in long term investments
***Pensions encourage life-time employees and less turnover
Past Voting History: Over the past several years FRS has been under attack by several legislators. The vote in the House follows party lines: All Democrats voting to keep FRS as it is and all Republicans
voting to change FRS. In the Senate, all Democrats have voted to keep FRS and many Republicans have voted to change FRS. Luckily there have been several Republicans who have crossed party lines and voted to keep FRS. Some of these Senators are:
Charles Dean – Inverness Nancy Detert – Venice
Join SLCREA on Monday, February 18 to celebrate MLK Day as we walk in the parade. Meet at 8:45 in the Elks parking lot on 25th Street and Avenue M. Wear your blue shirt. We will have a truck with a banner and a group walking(abt. 2 miles). Parade starts at 25th Street and Avenue M and ends at Lawnwood.
The November meeting of SLCREA was held on November 19 at Parkway Elementary School. We were treated to a Thanksgiving feast prepared by the school’s cafeteria staff. Third grade students entertained us with musical numbers and gave us a warm welcome. A huge thanks to the school and its staff for hosting this event for the second year.
Bonita Williams, Norma McGuire, Pat Davis, Buster Nelson, Christine Kriser, Fannie Henderson, Carol Ratliff, Arlena Lee, Joan McClenny with gifts for Devereux’s “Making Christmas Bright”.
Joan McClenny presenting books to Parkway Principal Carolyn Wilkins. These books will be given to students to take home to read over the holidays.
