Alliance President’s Message
Fall 2008

Dear Members,

My name is Anthony V. Perrone, the newly-elected President of the Alliance of Public Retiree Organizations of NY. It is my pleasure and honor to attempt to fill the shoes of our original, and now past-president emeritus, Edward F. Curran whose distinguished service of 23 years cannot go unmentioned.

As of 1993, I served as the Legislative Representative of the National NYCPD 10-13 Organizations, Inc., and attended Alliance meetings as such. I continue to be the National’s Legislative Representative. I held other positions as well, including National Secretary, National President, and am Hudson Valley 10-13’s Immediate Past-President.

Under Ed Curran’s tutalege-I gained immeasurable legislative experience and expertise and hope to continue Ed’s legacy.

An Alliance is defined as: an association of two or more groups or individuals who agree to work with one another for the common good. The many member organizations belonging to the Alliance, some of which have thousands of members, and some which have many less, have equally benefited by being Alliance members. Our strength is in our numbers and in educating our members and gaining their support as a unified group, working together, uttering one voice-touting the Alliance’s Legislative Agenda!

I hope to continue to maintain the dialogue and discussion and focus on the important issues affecting all of us.

The Alliance has enjoyed success in the past by gaining the recognition and support of many legislators from the Governor on down. The importance of retiree issues is underscored by the Alliance’s ever-presence and unified voice. It’s also important that member-representatives attend our meetings and discuss the issues, and also report back to their own members, informing them of the Alliance’s stance and recommendations. Education is Power!

Contacting local legislators throughout the state and submitting each organization’s “Memorandum of Support” citing the Alliance’s legislative agenda will help assure our continued success.

The Alliance is not a political organization and does not get involved in making political endorsements or contributions-this allows us to report the facts as they stand and let our members know which legislators support us and which do not.

I will meet with other organizations to try to gain more members and increase our strength. In May 2009 we will have Alliance Lobby Day which has been appreciatively dominated by our Police and Fire groups, but, we hope to see an expanded representation from our other member groups as well.

I will attend meetings with legislators in Albany and in New York City to promote our agenda along with Vice President Hiram Eberlein, who has assured me his support in attending these meetings. Other officers and member-organization Presidents or their representatives are welcome, also, to attend.

The Alliance office is located in my home, and you can reach me or leave a message 24-7.

In closing-I am grateful for your support and depend on it for my term in office. Thanks to Hiram Eberlein, Norris Ellinwood and Jim Ferguson for running for the Board of Directors’ positions. I hope to see you at the monthly meetings and in-force on Lobby Day.

Sincerely,
Anthony V.Perrone, President