February 2024 – PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
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To All Chapter Presidents and Members – Happy New Year to you and yours. We have a lot to look forward to in 2024. But, before I get into that, the convention was a great success and a fun time was had by all. There were two great people honored as the Man and Women of the year. Richie Alles from the firm of Barasch & McGarry was our Man of the Year. Richie is a great guy and works hard to make sure that the needs of 911 stricken survivors are taken care of. Marianne Pizzitola was our Women of the Year. She shouldn’t need an introduction, but her efforts and the efforts of her organization are holding off the attacks against our senior health benefits. The RSA was in attendance led by their tenacious leader Bob Cotumaccio. Thank you also to PBA President Hendry, who made a donation to the National, presented by Trustee Kevin Murphy. Many more were in attendance that we thank for their attendance, their support, and their input. We even got a visit from the Nassau County Police ‘oRsCommissioner.
2024 is going to be a busy time. We have our legislative agenda for the bills that were numbered in 2023. This year is also an election year for all state legislatures. We will be doggedly involved with this election cycle. More on this in the near future.
The 2024 legislative session started early this year, in August. That is when we started meeting and talking to legislative representatives, gearing up for the 2024 session, that actually started mid-January. One reason for the early start was new legislation, and guess what, a health protection bill. Rich Molloy, the ever vigilant watcher, received information about the bill and we dove right in. The bill was being pushed by a lobbyist, to whom we made contact and have been helping where we can. We saw the same problem with this bill that we had with the Lanza bill. The original senate bill was sponsored by a Republican Senator. This Senator was very gracious and did the right thing.
We were able to help facilitate getting the bill sponsored by Democrat Senator Pete Harckham under bill 58388. This is a good bill and you should read it. One of the many good points about the bill is that it actually prohibits moving senior retirees to a medicare advantage plan. As we have been saying all along, the attack on retiree’s health benefits will spread, and it is. There is a lawsuit going on in Cortland County NY and more recently there is action being taken by retirees from the TWU. We have been working with the NYC Organization of Public Service Retirees and Marianne has joined the information network.
I would like to thank the board members, the local chapter members, and the members of the Information Network for the contacts to local representatives that were made through the 2023 session. Those results can be seen.
Please keep up the good work that you do. Stay hopeful and stay well. Remember that all of our legislative action will benefit every public service retiree in NYS and what we do for retirees and their families now will also affect active members when they retire.
To the Chapter Presidents, Boards, and Members, thank you all for the work that you do. Lastly, the 35th Annual Convention is being held from September 15t1 through the 17th this year at the Villa Roma. I hope that you would support us by coming to the convention (bring the family) and buying a Mega Raffle.
Thank you and God Bless you.
March 2023 – PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
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Presidents Message March 2, 2023
Hope all is well with you and your family. During the last couple of months, we have all been fighting to keep our health benefits from being changed. I would like to thank everyone who participated in our efforts with the City Council to stop the change to the Administrative Code. When the Speaker of the Council spoke at the hearing, she mentioned that she received over 100,000 emails from retirees requesting that the City Council not change the code.Through the summer and fall we have been working on forming a Legislative Information Network with many other organizations. The network is up and running and continues to grow.
The LIN was utilized for the City Council effort, and we thank those organizations for their participation in stopping the change being sought by the MLC. I should also mention the work being done by the NYC Organization of Public Service Retirees on our health protection and the great job they have been doing. The effort by the City and the MLC is not over and since we are into the legislative session, we are moving forward with health protection legislation.
As we all know, the attempt by the City and the MLC would affect all civil service retirees. There are two health protection bills that are numbered for this session. One bill, sponsored by Senator Lanza (S4191), and Assemblyman Weprin (A4989) would protect all retirees in the state. We are putting our efforts into moving this bill forward, and working with the Alliance to get this bill a dedicated effective date. Once the actions are planned I will reach out to you through your club president. Expect that soon.
Regards to All,
Mike Fahy