As president of the Maine Association of Retirees, I am asking all retired Maine state retirees and retired public school educators to contact Gov. Mills and urge her to sign into law L.D. 1104, An Act To Clarify the State’s Commitments Concerning Certain Public Service Retirement Benefits.

L.D. 1104 is currently on the governor’s desk. She must deal with it no later than the third day of the upcoming second regular session of the 129th Maine Legislature in January.

This legislation very simply makes our cost-of-living adjustment a protected benefit by specifying that it constitutes a solemn contractual obligation of the state under state statute as well as the Maine and U.S. constitutions. It does not seek to increase how a cost-of-living adjustment is to be calculated.

This legislation keeps the promises that were given to public service employees at the time of hire that a cost-of-living adjustment would be part of their retirement benefit. It also benefits all of our public service retirees and educators, who have made significant sacrifices to the state, including 22 percent of public-sector retired members who have pensions at or below 133 percent of the federal poverty level. In addition, many of these retirees are over the age of 70.

Please help us convince Gov. Mills to sign into law L.D. 1104 by contacting the governor’s office.

J. Timothy Leet

Farmingdale

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