Alaska Public Employees Association/AFT Web Site

PERS/TRS Tier IV Sample Letters

Dear Senator/Representative,

 

I am more and more concerned about plans to resolve the unfunded liability for PERS and TRS.  The current proposals seem to be extremely harsh and do not resolve the problem.  I suggest stepping back and taking a longer look at the situation.  With less than two months in the legislative session, there can’t possibly be enough time to really involve everyone who may have reasonable solutions.

 

Dear Senator/Representative,

 

I have read a great deal of information about the problems with the public employees retirement system and I strongly disagree with the current legislation to resolve the problem.  SB 141 and House Bills 170, 177 and 191 are not the right approach.  Employees didn’t cause the problem but we want to help resolve it in a productive manner.  Why not take more time to explore positive approaches?

 

Dear Senator/Representative,

 

I have worked for the school district for a number of years at some of the lowest wages paid in the public sector.  I do it because I am committed to doing my share to help with education and helping in the schools.  My co-workers and I have all foregone raises and higher pay so we can have more stable benefits when we retire.  Please do not pass HB 170, HB 177 or HB 191 and especially SB 141.  They punish workers who did not create the problem in the first place.  While we appreciate your looking into the health of the retirement systems, we don’t believe that shifting the burden helps the situation – it only hurts more.

 

Dear Senator/Representative,

 

The problem with PERS and TRS has been in the news a great deal.  As I understand it, the amount owed into the system is due to poor market returns and is also contingent upon most public employees and teachers retiring at the same time.  The latter is unlikely; and the former is looking up as the economy is supposed to improve.  While some action should be taken to help the systems, I am alarmed at the approaches taken in the bills sponsored so far.  I urge you to take the time necessary to resolve the situation in a more congenial manner.  For many members of our school district, paying as much as 30 to 40 % (as required in HB 177) could bring many of us below minimum wage.  Please defeat HB 177 and HB 191 and SB 141.

 

Dear Senator/Representative,

 

SB 141 and HB 191 would convert all members of PERS and TRS (Public Employees Retirement System and Teachers Retirement System) to private accounts very similar to the proposed changes to social security.  I am strongly opposed to this legislation.

 

Private accounts will make retirement very uncertain for most employees.  Besides being a fluctuating number, the accounts could lose drastic sums of money in the market or get eaten up in investment fees.  It isn’t fair to new employees looking to devote their life to public service.   It also isn’t fair to those of us who are current members of PERS.  By diverting those monies away from PERS, the legislature may make the problem even worse.  I respectfully ask that you do not pass HB 191 or the related bills.

 

Dear Senator/Representative,

 

I have been following many of the legislative overviews and newspaper articles about the public employee retirement systems with growing alarm.  In fact, my family and I are taken back by some of the attitudes of needing to shift the entire burden to the employees.  If the numbers are true – that there is a debt of several billion dollars – we can appreciate the legislator’s concerns, but we think we can help by working together.  SB 141 and HB 170, HB 177 and HB 191 seem to exacerbate the situation.  Why not look at lowering the cost of prescription drugs first?  Why not look at smarter ways to invest and receive returns?  We would like to see you explore other options before passing the above bills.  Thank you for listening.

 

Dear Senator/Representative;

 

I am writing to ask that you not pass any of the following bills:  HB 170, 177 and 191 and SB 141, all relating to drastic changes to the Teachers Retirement System and the Public Employees Retirement System.  While the PERS/TRS problem sounds drastic, none of those bills help and could even cause unintended consequences.  This problem didn’t develop overnight and the above solutions won’t correct it overnight.  When researching the solutions, please remember that public employees and teachers are valuable, loyal and hard-working individuals who deliver public services every day.  Retirement benefits are a critical part of our compensation package we’ve accepted in lieu of hirer salaries paid in the private sectors.  This issue needs a great deal more time to craft an equitable solution.