Newsletter January 22, 2004

HR 594 increases to 283 cosponsors

Congress returned earlier this week and the fruits of our hard work were evident as seven new cosponsors added their names to H.R. 594, the Social Security Fairness Act.  This brings our total to 283 cosponsors, including 2 non-voting Members.  (Note that one cosponsor, Ernie Fletcher of Kentucky, has been removed from the list because he left the House to become Governor of his state). 

The latest additions are:  John Lewis (D-GA), Mark Kirk (R-IL), Bill Young (R-FL), Kendrick Meek (D-FL), Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), Anthony Weiner (D-NY), and Chaka Fattah (D-PA).

The Senate total remains at 29. 

SOCIAL SECURITY VS PERS

In preparation for my visit to the local Social Security office to review my Social Security benefits and to understand the WEP calculation, I happened to make a very disturbing finding. From October, 1999 through December, 2003 my Social Security benefits have increased because of the annual cost-of-living adjustments a dismal $3.00 (0.005%).  By definition the cost-of-living adjustments are calculated to maintain Social Security benefits with inflation. Through slight-of-hand our legislators and/or Social Security administration have taken back, almost to the penny, everything granted through cost-of-living increases. I was informed that this is because I choose to pay for Medicare Part B.  I have now added the term “cost-of-living increase” to my list of oxymorons.

The next thing that I did was to review my benefits received from the Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio (PERS) for the same time period. From October, 1999 through December, 2003 my PERS benefit has increased a respectable 20.2% as a result of annual cost-of-living adjustments and other program adjustments in benefits. Over that identical period I would bet that my PERS benefit is actually greater than the rate of inflation.  I go to bed each evening comforted to know that my retirement benefits are under the watchful eyes of PERS. I wish that I could say the same about our Social Security benefits.

I am further disheartened to learn that our Social Security Administration is still trying to convince our Members of Congress to pass legislation to make Social Security mandatory for Ohio and fourteen other states. This would add an estimated two years to the life of Social Security and destroy the golden years of millions of retired public service retirees.  I just found another oxymoron: “the golden years of millions of retired public service retirees”.

Fifteen of our fifty states provide public retirement plans for most, if not all, public service employees in place of Social Security. These public retirement plans operate under the authority of the state legislature and function with independent membership boards.  All employee contributions and matching funds are received, invested and returned to retirees through the authority and actions of the various boards.  State legislatures cannot raid these funds the way our federal legislature does.

This morning I went to the local Social Security office to have them explain to me just how my WEP was calculated.  I arrived on time for my appointment and was called within a couple of minutes. The first person I spoke with had a note about my concern about my WEP.  She sent me to another person who sent me to a third person. I found that the WEP calculation is a painstaking process filled with many variables unknown to me and little understood by SSA staff. They convinced me that my benefit amount is correct, although I still cannot fully explain the mathematics behind the final answer.  However, I did leave with the feeling that if the GPO and WEP were repealed, as proposed by HR 594 and S 349, everyone would be better served.  That includes the SSA staff, Member of Congress, and most importantly current and future public service retirees.  Total repeal could extend the life of Social Security through the elimination of SSA staff and legislative aids that are needed to administer and/or explain the GPO and WEP.  Just think of it – a true “win-win” situation for all participants.

THE STATE OF OHIO HAS 93,247 VICTIMS OF THE GPO & WEP

$340 million dollars are withheld from Ohio public service retirees each year. 

OHIO GPO TOTAL:               47,100

Spouses                     29,295

Widow/ers                  17,805

OHIO WEP TOTAL:              46,147

Retired Workers         41,838

Spouses & Children        3,817

Widow/ers                       492

        GPO/WEP Statistics for Ohio based on 12/01 data

Source: SSA’s Office of Legislation & Congressional Affairs

ACTION “PLAN FOR OHIO - 2004”

1. Convince Governor Taft to support repeal of GPO and WEP.
2. Convince the Ohio Senate to pass a resolution to support repeal of GPO and WEP.
3. Convince the Ohio House of Representatives to pass a resolution to support repeal of GPO and WEP.
4. Convince Ohio Congresspersons Boehner, Chabot, Oxley, Portman, Pryce, Regula, and Tiberi to cosponsor HR 594 to repeal GPO and WEP.
5. Convince Ohio Senators Voinovich and DeWine to cosponsor S 349 to repeal GPO and WEP.

To implement the “PLAN FOR OHIO - 2004” we will need the effort of each and every person in Ohio that reads this message.  Please accept the task to contact our Governor, our state Senators, our state Representatives, our US Representatives and our US Senators.  State legislators cannot pass federal laws, but they can show support through their actions and resolutions.  This should be a “no-brainer” win-win issue for our Ohio legislators, it won’t cost Ohio anything, and in fact the financial benefit to the state of Ohio will be monumental. The message to send to our legislators must be loud and clear and follow the outline in items 1 thru 5 listed above.  One or two letters from one or two people is not enough.  The letters must come from everyone – no exception – no excuses. If we don’t do this, who will?  Our “PLAN FOR OHIO - 2004” will succeed because it is a critical necessity for the financial health and physical well being of our public service retirees.

Governor Bob Taft                               governor.taft@das.state.oh.us

77 South High Street

Columbus, Ohio 43215-6117                 614-466-3555

Senator George Voinovich                    senator_voinovich@voinovich.senate.gov

317 Hart Senate Office Building

Washington, DC 20510-3504                 202-224-3353

Senator Mike DeWine                           senator_dewine@dewine.senate.gov

140 Russell Senate Office Building

Washington, DC 20510-3503                 202-224-2315

For U.S. Congresspersons from Ohio go to www.congress.org, and type in the following 5 digit zip code.  Go to their e-mail and send a message to each Representative.

Rep. John Boehner               zip    45011

Rep. Steve Chabot                       45211

Rep. Michael Oxley                      45840

Rep. Rob Portman                       45174

Rep. Deborah Pryce                     43215

Rep. Ralph Regula                       44718

Rep. Pat Tiberi                            43231

For the Ohio Senate go to www.senate.state.oh.us, go to “your Senator” and type in your home zip code.

For the Ohio House of Representatives go to www.house.state.oh.us, go to “your Representative” and type in your home zip code.

For those of you in other states, change the “oh” designation to the two letter abbreviation of your state and follow the same procedure as outlined above.

Offset/Windfall

Because our activities have expanded since we first started Offset/windfall the following changes have been made.  Ken will maintain the full responsibility of the writing and distribution of the newsletter.  Eileen will maintain the up dated information on our web site.  Barbara will continue to keep the e-mail lists in proper operating order.  This is still a group effort but we needed to become more efficient in our activities.

House of Representatives  Leaders: