Giggling Again For No Reason

It might be the great weather. It might be enjoying my Mini's gas mileage. Or it just might be the news that Judge Paul Lipscomb, Marion County Circuit Court Judge, has decided to retire at the end of this month. Judge Lipscomb is the originator of most recent retirees' angst. It was his ruling in the City of Eugene v PERS case that set the stage for the ream job done on PERS retirees and actives over the 1999 earnings crediting decision. We owe Judge Lipscomb credit for the 11.33% refiguring of 1999 (instead of 20%); we can thank Judge Lipscomb for forcing on us his own unique way of calculating the variable match so that most retirees lose a significant amount from the employers at retirement. We can thank him for looking out for retirees in his feeble caution to the Legislature and to the Supreme Court to not do anything that would harm retirees. I'm sure Judge Lipscomb deserves thanks for many other elements of our current state of despair.

The good news is that he is off the court in about one week. He will become a PERS retiree and then will go out and draw a private sector salary and will do a variety of other things to enrich his retirement life. I recently returned from a week in Sunriver. While there, I read about a complex lawsuit involving the Sunriver Home Owners Association (SROA) and a developer who wants to redo the Sunriver Mall provided the SROA gives him permission to build about 400 condominiums above all the retail stores in the Mall. This has reached a critical stage and Judge Lipscomb has come to the rescue as a mediator. I don't think the SROA has a chance in this. With friends like Judge Lipscomb, neither SROA nor PERS members/retirees need any enemies.

If you wish to leave Judge Lipscomb your best wishes in his retirement, please feel free to leave your comments here. I'll make sure they are forwarded his way.