I sent this letter to the Governor, Senate President, Comptroller, State Delegate N. Conway., Sheila Hickson and 64 other people who have anything remotely connected to budget issues, supposedly working for the citizens of Md. this past week when I read the budge would be reviewed again the 14th. I had sent a similar letter to over 86 persons when months ago I read the not so well known proposals in the "Budget Reconciliation Act." I received NO replys. I am asking you the reader to please read the entire letter before "assuming state employees" have created this mess with teachers pensions, etc. When I read the SBY story this AM about Ms Hickson trying to exclude tax on homes owned by teachers, then police, fire fighters... I was enraged, I thank the person who commented what about the plumbers, etelctricians etc.
This is the letter I sent over the past week when the May 14 review was announced. Thank you readers for continuing to read this letter:
Subject: Most AGING retirees are unable to keep up with the cost of living due to the Governors changes in our benefit package.
May 14 THE DAY to review the budget! The Governor and his constituents have once again thrown aging State retirees under the bus! Most retirees are AFRAID OF THE OUTCOME!
Md. jobs and tax dollars were also ditched when Catalyst RX (the current state RX provider) based in Rockville were ousted as the Md provider when the Governor signed a $4.5 BILLION dollar four year deal with Express Scrips based in St. Louis Mo.
After the bud ged failed to pass an article stated "costs are still rising particularly for health care coverage and other state employee benefits which leads to a need for DRASTIC cuts"
WHOA! I BEG YOU change the rules for new hires or recent hires but remember those 65 to 85 year old retirees who already worked for 30 to 40 years for less as they were led to believe that after 30 or 40 years would have a small pension and affordable health care.
Retirees do PAY monthly for insurance it is NOT FREE! In two years our RX and Health coverage deductibles are costing us $4500 a year more than three years ago. And we did not get a raise!
That deductible is the SAME FOR CEOS at DHMH DMV STATE ROADS etc and other agency department heads who made THE BIG BUCKS and BIGGER PENSIONS than the lady who sweated out 30 to 40 years in a laundry without AC providing clean linens for 1000s of Eastern Shoremen cared for at Deers Head Center Hospital.
From the Ocean City Trimpers, to the Ward Brothers, To Mayor Martins family, and all the wonderful Shore farmers and watermen ALL WERE TREATED equally and well!
That is NOT how the Governor is treating those care givers in THEIR TIME OF NEED! We as citizens are also paying for services such as septic, gas as every other Md citizen as well.
PLEASE at least put the deductible on a sliding scale! As an Rn I taught patients never stop taking their cholesterol meds thus hopefully avoiding more costly medical care. The copay on Vytorin is $50. now many will have to choose between meds or gas for the car.
A few months ago I sent 80 similar emails to every email address in the Annapolis House and Senate and NO ON replied. This is my last shot at getting SOMEONE to take another look at what has hit those already retired.
I didn't even get a ROBO call from Dr Andy Harris who if you remember during orientation week complained his family had to wait 28 days to be insured. WHAT ARE HIS BENEFITS compared to ours?
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
17 comments:
3:30 great letter! Now, you ready for this? In the Obamacare law it states on page 59 ,sections 21-24, Government will have real time access to your banking accounts for elected funds transfer. That means if the Government elects to transfer your money, it will. If indeed the Supreme Court upholds Obamacare, you had better yank your money from savings, and keep minimal in checking to pay bills. I will follow this comment with post, which is up to Joe to decide if he wishes to post or not. It really is scary.
stop asking for freebies... get used to rising healthcare costs... they are going up and fast
Everyone wants a discount.. well there isn't any just for being retired. Statistics show most retired people have plenty of money.. there are exceptions, but the hard part for the retirees and elderly is getting the money out of their pocket...you can't take it with you
This administration has squandered so many of Maryland's resources. The pension fund alone is deficient by billions - not millions. O'Malley has robbed the highway trust fund so bad that if everyone realized just how bad the pan decking was on each bridge they would not even cross them.
And yet they just keep taxing and spending like drunken sailors.
Not sure I understand what you've stated about Health Care cost in your letter. I've a friend who worked in the School system & I'm certain she told me she pd $45.00 per month for Health Ins. with a $300 to meet first.
Do you know how much I am paying for Health Care?----$250 per month. I'd say that's quite a difference---would u not? !
Quit the complaining! When the pain for you is bad enough, you will be out on voting day along with every relative and neighbor you can drag along. Until then, it nothing but a whine. I know it, my friend Norm knows it, as does my other buddy Martin. All you complaining losers can't even find the time to keep the local Governments honest with your votes. We got votes in PG County and other areas that will keep us until a very pleasant retirement.
We thank you for your continued support.
I just read where the state hands out millions every year to rehab old houses in every county. Nothing wrong with that I guess if they could afford it but the problem is they can't. They just can't break their addiction to spending. The government doesn't need to be spending a dime unless it's absolutely necessary. More taxes is insane. We are now paying for reelecting a bunch of tax and spend liberals. I hope those that voted for them are happy.
and further 7:38 the people of this once free state will continue to vote democrat. Sadly I doubt anyone can save us now.
Let's go back to 4:11. I looked it up, and, it is truly scary. Forget the State of Maryland. Forget the state of Arizona. Forget the state of North Carolina. Forget all your freedoms, if Obamcare is upheld. I truly feel sorry for my children and grandchildren. Our Country will never recover from the cost.
My wife taught school 37 years in Wicomico Co. Each pay check, she contributed to her retirement. That income was placed into a retirement fund and invested by the State. That money, her money, our money, was in control of the State of Maryland. It was a self secure fund,until the Democrats moved it into the general fund.
As a drunken sailor, don't offend me. I stop spending when I run out of money!
I pay 250 a month for supplemental insurance, more than a hundred a month for medicare and 89 a month for prescription insurance...then there's the co-pay and the deductible on each.
My retirement income is fixed @ a thousand a month without any raises for the past 5 years.
Then there's everything else.
To 11:56
If the average state employee knew just how bad the pension fund was financially - there would be an all out rebellion.
The Maryland State Pension fund overseers lost so much money from poor investing that the major underwriters warned them time and time again to do something - yet they did nothing. They even stole from other accounts -(ARRA)- and injected those monies trying to bolster the reserves. All of the is public information from the Maryland Benefits & Sustainability Commission Reports.
Good letter but the part about working for the state for less money is off the mark. Everyone would take a state job if they could.
Entitlements (pensions) need to be phased out. That being said they can't be phased out on those whom they promised payment to.
Lastly, all you state workers claiming you contribute to the pension fund, enough already. Putting in 5 or 6 percent is not much. If you only saved that much in the private sector you would barely have beer money upon retirement.
Give the norman conwaysand the rest of the democrats gold medals.
I am so sick of the Democrats! Go to the DMV and switch to
Republican and when it is time to vote vote every encumbant OUT
Years ago, when the new pension system was developed to replace the old retirement system, teachers had a chance to not take the pension system buyout, and buy into the old system. I crunched the numbers, borrowed $2500 and stayed with the old retirement plan. It hurt to do that back then but it sure is paying off now.
I am self employed and pay over $550.00 a month for health insurance and that is with a $2400.00 deductible. It drives me crazy when the whiners complain they have to pay a little each month towards their health insurance. Get a grip!
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