I wasn't expecting to post another entry to this blog, but I thought I'd reach out one different way to see what might happen. As most regular readers know, I am also the owner of the PERS Discussion Group (POD) on Google Groups. That group, through its various incarnations, has existed for 15 years providing more real time discussion of issues of interest to PERS members, PERS retirees, and PERS beneficiaries. For the same reason that I'm stopping this blog to new content, I have reached a time in my life where I am simply not willing to continue following PERS. The pandemic has totally discombobulated our lives, and I am hoping that very soon we will be able to resume our rigorous traveling schedule. That schedule does not include keeping abreast of all things PERS, or of trying to maintain a newsgroup. The blog can stand on its own as an historical record available to be researched for topics of interest to anyone so inclined. A newsgroup is an entirely different matter. It isn't that it requires a lot of work (maybe 30 minutes a week at the least), but it does require attention to the various notices and announcements that come out, occasionally checking in on the group to see if someone has misbehaved and posted some inappropriate content, and making sure that updates are done in compliance with Google's changing rules.
I have announced on POD that my time as group owner ends, by my decision, on December 31, 2021. If no one takes over leadership of the group, on January 1, 2022 the group will cease to exist. This means that more than 1300 members will be left adrift with no extant source for getting the latest information about PERS, or with any source to answer questions about changes that are either proposed or actual in the PERS system. This may not be of consequence to you personally, but believe me, there are still many changes that COULD be made to PERS that would have an adverse impact on active and inactive members, and I'm not sure that everything has been tried to go after those already retired. Many people have participated in the POD group, and there is a treasure trove of information contained in the more than 1500 different conversations there. It will take a push of a button to make all of this history go away - something I'd rather not see happen, but it is no longer my concern if it does.
Not coincidentally, one of the side projects of POD was the creation of a document library, lovingly curated by Greg Scott, which vanished about 4 years ago because Greg found other things to better occupy his time, and the resources for maintaining the library dried up. That library curated more than 3000 documents related to PERS, PERS history, Legislation, and Litigation. I have an archive of the 3100 or so documents that are available, on request, from the library. That, too, is part of POD and access will also disappear on January 1, 2022.
This is all a very roundabout way of saying that one of these days there will be an entire cohort or two that would miss the existence of these resources, and would have absolutely no idea of how and why PERS is the way it is today, and why bad things are happening to good people. This can be totally avoided, but it requires someone (or some people) to come forward to take over the day-to-day running of POD. It is best the sooner it can happen because I'm still available to help assist in the transition, make the introductions, grease the skids with people who are important contacts in various places.
Consider this truly my last post on this subject. Consider this a warning that if the group disappears, Google does not archive its contents, and all will be lost to the bit bucket in the sky. One or more volunteers can prevent this from happening. One or more volunteers can prevent a whole group of people from having to reinvent the wheel. One or more volunteers can avoid you taking the long way home. The choice is yours.
14 comments:
Sadly Marc, this looks to me like history repeating it's self. My memory might be foggy, but, by my own count, if the Google PERS Oregon Discussion group dies it will be the third such event. Then, a few years down the road, when some legislator dreams up yet another way to further reduce PERS benefits -- the wheel will turn again. And another group of PERS members on the brink of loosing hard earned benefits will be scrambling to create resources to fight back from scratch. I find it heartbreaking. But I refuse to cry over folks not willing to learn from the history that directly impacts their one well being.
Marc, may you and your beautiful bride enjoy this retirement. May you travel and have many grand adventures. Thank you for all you have done for PERS Members. I personally own you so much for my comfortable retirement. And the gift of your friendship.
peg
Thanks Peg. I, too, will be sad to see POD go. But, if that is what people want, that's what they will get. Be careful of what you wish for.
This POD has been important to me over the years. I retired at almost the same time Marc did and I am finally making my final payment (for what they said was an overpayment) in November. So glad that chapter with PERS for me is ending. Marc's insightful posts and advise and the great discussions have helped me down off the ceiling when the legislature was acting up. With the political split in the state and nation this POD needs to be there when the Oregon legislature starts it's anctic's again. I truly hopes someone steps up. Bravo and thank you Marc for everything you have done!
Greg Jones
Thank you Greg for your kind words.
You should be proud of the advise you have given to the thousands of PERS employees retired and still working. Your advice helped myself and my wife. Will be sad to see this blog go.
The blog isn't going anywhere, but it is unlikely that I will post any new contact. I'm nearly 75 and have many other things on my plate.
It was your analysis of the situation that made me make the informed decision to retire quite aways back. Like Patton I accumulated checks and deposited them just before the two years was up before they became stale dated. I was still working when I retired, before Richardson could apply his incompetence to PERS.
Thank you so much.
Well , I did it !!!
Filed my retirement application yesterday placed in Pers headquarters drop box , and retire December 1st. The Pers board today adopted the lower 6.90 assumed rate , and they will be readjusting the age/experience tables. All take effect on Jan 1st 2022.
I'm not taking another hit to my retirement from these diabolical politicians , and Pers Board. Its amazing how un-transparent and diabolical the process is. Every year since 2001 when I was hired as a public employee they have chipped away at the pension. Soooooooo sick of the lies, and dishonesty. Tired of being beat up by politicians, the public.
There's no gold watch, or gold plated retirement just enough , with social security to survive. When your of retirement age is it really the golden years ??? Tier II and retiring !
PERS retirees are destined to lose on the value of their benefits because Oregon lawmakers limited the COLAs to a maximum of 2% and a minimum of .15% cost of living. Inflation this year is calculated at 5.9 for 2021 by the Social Security Administration. Benefits above $60k per year get a COLA of .15%. This loss to retirees was planned by the legislature. Oregon PERS reduced the unfunded liability by 17 billion this year, while forcing retirees to lose money every year to inflation. I agree that the Oregon Legislature and PERS are just about taking money away from old people who need it.
I’m not sure where you got your information about a $17 billion reduction in the UAL this year (2021?). Were that true, the UAL would have been reduced by about 70% in a single year. All the cuts since 2003 were planned to reduce the UAL by a significantly less amount over a 20 year period.
As for the COLA, the 2013 changes were diabolical. Even those of us who get the full 2% on our entire benefit are still losing money to inflation.
Yes, all PERS retirees are losing to inflation now, by design of the Oregon Legislature. This is financial elder abuse, really. The $17 billion number was heard on OPB months ago, but I cannot find the quote. The reporter stated that PERS earned this huge amount, perhaps not retired that amount. Regardless, PERS is using my money it the fund to make money, at the same time not giving a fair COLA in benefits. This is exploitation.
LK
There are many pension plans that have no COLA whatsoever. Oregon PERS' COLA is about average for public plans across the country. There are some that use the Soc Security annual COLA as a guide, others have a fixed amount or ceiling. Do I wish PERS' COLA were higher? Yes. Am I screaming about it? Nope.
You will be greatly missed by many! Thank you for your explanation over the years of issues that are difficult for many of us who are mathematically challenged and who have little or no access to "the rest of the story." I wish you much success in the future endeavors.
The 2013 changes to the COLA calculation are indeed diabolical. As I recall the 60K threshold was an arbitrary number that the Governor decided was the dividing line between middle & upper income retirees. It was deliberately designed not to be adjusted for inflation. In addition those Tier 1 employees that continue to work are getting a smaller slice of COLA adjustment each month. While those who retired in the first few years after the change are minimally affected retirees today get far less than 2%. Fortunately there was little inflation for a few years after the changes but we are now seeing much larger inflation numbers. I hope it's limited but if it isn't it will decimate those who have a long retirement from today.
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