PERA Board decision on PERA Correctional Plan Raid

On March 14 the PERA Board met and discussed the proposal by AFSCME, LELS and Teamsters to add 911 Dispatchers to the PERA Correctional Plan.

Ultimately they decided to oppose it. This does not stop the Pension Commission  from moving forward on it, but may help to stop it.

MN State Auditor Julie Blaha

During the discussion PERA Board Trustee and State Auditor Julie Blaha moved to delay a PERA Board vote until the April meeting. She stated that unless there's a Bill there was no need to make a decision. It was then pointed out that there was a Bill and a decision needed to be made as to PERA's position. Auditor Blaha knew or should have known there was a Bill before the meeting. It is this writers opinion she was playing politics and didn't want a negative PERA decision to affect the Pension Commission on this.

The strange politics is this. The Pension Commission just had a study they ordered on this topic. It was the 911 Telecommunicator Pension Benefits Working Group.

The working group decided NOT to support adding Dispatchers to the PERA Correctional Plan.

Yet this year some of the same legislators that ordered the study are ignoring its findings and writing Bills to add Dispatchers to the Correctional plan to its detriment.

Sen Seeberger

Chief Author of SF4958 is Senator Seeberger more Correctional Officers live in her district than any other district in the State! Not a bright political move from someone who won her seat by the slimmest of majorities. Her District includes the Washington County Jail, Stillwater Prison and Oak Park Heights! Also many Ramsey County Detention Deputies work in her district. Many Stillwater CO's and Oak Park Heights CO's work part time at the Ramsey county jail and are also in the PERA Correctional Plan!

Both her and Author Sen. Sandy Pappas are on the very same

Sen Pappas

Pension Commission that commissioned the 911 Telecommunicator Pension Benefits Working Group. Yet they chose to IGNORE its findings! Then why waste taxpayer money on a study if you're going to toss it aside because its conclusions are not to your liking?

The House File HF4796 was authored by a new Representative, Representative Dan Wolgamott. Again many Correctional Officers live in his district and many are employed at the Saint Cloud Prison, Benton County jail and Sherburne County jail!

Rep Wolgamott

The bottom line is the The Correctional Plan was established in 1999 for correctional officers serving in county and regional adult and juvenile correctional facilities due to the physical nature of their jobs. The members of this plan are responsible for the security, custody and control of the facilities and their inmates. (PERACorrectional Plan Handbook)

Dispatchers do not fit the requirements to be in the Correctional Plan. Adding them will reduce the financial health of the plan and may cause Correctional Retirees to have their 2.5% COLA reduced to 1.5%. 

Legislators supporting these bills should keep in mind there are thousands of CO's in the State and they vote. Don't raid our Pension!

Here is the contact information for the Pension Commission. Call them and tell them not to support these Bills!