President's Message

2012 has been a busy year for all of us. Because of your telephone calls, email messages, letters, and meetings with your congressional representatives and senators, Federal employees and annuitants dodged the bullets of extending the federal pay freeze, decreasing the government workforce by 10 percent, requiring Feds to contribute more to their pensions, and lowering COLAs using a chained Consumer Price Index.

 In addition, NARFE celebrated its 91st anniversary.

Although my position with NARFE Florida has changed, I am still traveling around the state, visiting our chapters and having the good fortune to meet many of you. Without you, our most valued members, NARFE would not exist.

 As 2012 draws to a close, I would like to thank you for your hard work and your loyalty to NARFE. Also, I want to take this opportunity to wish you and your family a wonderful holiday season and a happy New Year. 

 Regards,

 Ken Thomas

 Kenneth J. Thomas
President
NARFE Florida, Inc.

Earned Retirement Income

SOCIAL SECURITY NOW CALLED 'FEDERAL BENEFIT PAYMENT'/ENTITLEMENT!

The government is now referring to Social Security checks as a
"Federal Benefit Payment."

This is NOT a benefit - its earned income!
Not only did you contribute to Social Security but our employers did too.

It totaled 15% of our income before taxes.
If you averaged $30K per year over your working life, that's close to $180,000 invested in Social Security.

If you calculate the future value of your monthly investment in social security ($375/month, including both your and your employer's contributions) at a meager 1% interest rate
compounded monthly, after 40 years of working you'd have more than $1.3+ million dollars saved! This is your
personal investment.

Upon retirement, if you took out only 3% per year, you'd receive
$39,318 per year, or $3,277 per month.

That's almost three times more than today's average Social Security benefit of $1,230 per month, according to the
Social Security Administration (Google it - it's a fact).

And your retirement fund would last more than 33 years (until you're  98 if you retire at age 65)! I can only imagine how much better most average-income people could live in retirement if our government had just invested our money in low-risk interest-earning accounts.

Instead, the folks in Washington pulled off a bigger Ponzi scheme than Bernie Madoff ever did. They took our money and used it elsewhere. They "forgot" that it was OUR money they were taking. They didn't have a referendum to ask us if we wanted to lend the money to them.

And they didn't pay interest on the debt they assumed.
And recently, they've told us that the money won't support us for very much longer. But is it our fault they misused our investments?

And now, to add insult to injury, they're calling it a "benefit," as
if we never worked to earn every penny of it.  It is given to us.
Just because they "borrowed" the money, doesn't mean that our
investments were a charity! 

Let's take a stand.

We have earned our right to Social Security and Medicare.
Demand that our legislators bring some sense into our government -

Find a way to keep Social Security and Medicare going, for the sake of  that 92% of our population who need it.

Then call it what it is:
Our Earned Retirement Income.

JIM YOUNGBLOOD (79)

Jim Youngblood a long time active member of NARFE died on August 30 2012. True to form for Jim he remained alive long enough to be sure that his wife Joan had completed a successful operation in another hospital.

NICE GOING JIM!

Jim worked the counter of the Ormond Beach Postal Service and had a smile for everyone that came to him for assistance. He was a happy man in his job.

Both Jim and his wife Joan have gone the extra mile in membership drives at Senior Expo’s and postal conventions.

As a Chapter we would like to support Joan and her family in our loss of a generous and happy man.

OPM Open Season Dates

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has announced that this year’s Federal Benefits Open Season will run from Monday, November 12, through Monday, December 10. 

New for this year, all Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) plans will provide on their websites a summary document – a Summary of Benefits and Coverage – detailing information about health plan benefits and coverage, as required under the Affordable Care Act.  The Summary will provide information on costs such as deductibles and co-payments/coinsurance, what is covered and what is not covered, enrollees’ rights to continued coverage, and grievance and appeal rights. Plans will make a paper copy of the Summary available. OPM said the plan brochure will be the official statement of benefits. 

The annual Federal Benefits Open Season covers the FEHBP, the Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP) and FSAFEDS.

NARFE magazine will provide comprehensive analysis of many FEHBP plans in its October, November and December issues.

July 27, 2012, NARFE NewsWatch

LEGISLATION

What can one say? Our Congressional District will have a new representative after the November general election. Until then nothing much will happen because of the dead lock in Congress. After the election our Representative, regardless which party the person belongs to, he or she will be a junior and expected to take the back bench. He or she will owe a large debt to their party which has to be paid off in loyalty to the party. In other words, the possibility of our representative initiating any real act on our part or for the benefit of anyone else is near zero.

The positive side to our problem is the junior might be more will to learn and hear our arguments for justice. The junior might also make their person available to us either at the office or at one of our NARFE meetings. It has been a long time since we actually saw our Representative.  Yes, we have seen office staff and managers, but not the Congressperson.

National Regional III Vice President

NARFE National Regional III Vice President

Thanks a million for your chapter's (Ormond Beach 2247) support and vote for my re-election as the Region III Vice President.  I truly appreciate your very kind words and I will do all in my power to continue to deserve the trust you and your chapter have placed in me if re-elected.

Please convey my deep gratitude to the entire chapter.

Don Stewart, VP RIII

Bob Wehrli wrote:

NARFE National Regional III Vice President

The Attachment indicates that there is a challenger for position of the National

Regional III Vice President, a position held now by our own Donald Stewart from

Coral Gables Florida.

I'm not suggesting that we should vote for Don merely because he is from

Florida, but because he has served us well as Florida Federation President and as the National Regional III Vice President. He has an excellent record of communicating with the Chapters and answering specific questions and issues raises by specific chapters but applying to all NARFE chapters. While on the

National Board Don supported or raised issues regarding Membership, Retention, Electronic Communication, and E-Chapters.

Dorothy Willis, Ormond Beach Chapter 2247 gave you our proxy vote with full

trust that you would perform your duties at the Nation Convention for the best interests of NARFE. We did this willingly because you would be there with more up to date information than what we had then or now.

This point applies to Don as well. He has attended the National Board meetings and before the secretaries notes were written Don was informing the chapters of issues that were important and needed action. In short, he inspired leadership at the regional level.

Therefore the Ormond Beach Chapter fully supports Donald Stewart as the National Regional III Vice President, and instructs you to use our votes to support Don in the upcoming election.

--

Bob Wehrli

Attached Message

From:	NARFE National Headquarters
To:	RWEHRLI1@CFL.RR.COM
Subject:	NARFE Candidate Statement Mary Pierson Region3 RVP
Date:	Mon, 23 Jul 2012 11:59:16 -0400 (EDT)

Mary Pierson
Candidate for Region III Vice President

This is to announce that I am a candidate for Region III Vice President.

My federal career started in 1961 at Keesler AFB, MS and then in 1974 transferred to the U.S. Naval Oceanographic Office at Stennis Space Center.  I wore several hats and one was Command Inspector, I have traveled to every continent except Australia.  I retired after 36 years of service to our country in December 1997.

My career with NARFE started in 1998, serving my Chapter as President.  Attending the 1999 Mississippi Federation Convention I was appointed as the Membership Chairman.  In 2000 I was elected 2nd Vice President of the Mississippi Federation, and in 2003 I was elected as the Federation President.  During the same time, I served NARFE National as the Region III Pre-Retirement Seminar Coordinator and assisted Director Ken Glass, when Ken retired, I was asked to accept the office of Director of Pre-Retirement Seminars.

I have attended numerous conventions, both National and Federations, not only in Mississippi, but other states as well to increase my overall knowledge and understanding NARFE’s goals and operation.  

As Region III Vice President I will work with Federations as liaison between them and National Headquarters.  I will work to grow membership and increase the member’s knowledge and personal activity in all legislation to protect the benefits of Federal Employees. I will also work with all Federations and Chapters to increase their visibility in their State and local city by joining with other organizations to sponsor various occasions that enable us to display the NARFE name and banners.  We are 91 years old and there are too many Federal Employees that do not know who we are or what we do for them.

I am married to my husband Donald and we have one daughter and two sons and 4 adult grandchildren.

NARFE 2247 NEWS #52

Palm Coast Chapter 1557 of the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE) will hold a special evening meeting at the Palm Coast Community Center from 7 - 9 p.m. on Tuesday, June 26.

 Easiest way to arrive at the Palm Coast Community Center is to go to I-95, Exit 289, and then approx 1 mile east on Palm Coast Parkway to Club House Drive. Turn left, for a few hundred yards to the Community Center on your left.

Candidates for the new Congressional District 6 have been invited to this event.  All active and retired federal employees are encouraged to attend.

Bob Shaughnessy , President of  NARFE Chapter 1557, is  asking attendees to submit questions  in advance, either by E-mail or when signing-in. Bob will pick the questions and put them to the candidates. Due to time constraints, questions must be limited to "NARFE topics" (pay, benefits, etc.)

Light refreshments will be served.  For information, call Brian Mertz, 386-569-3365 or Larry Cook, 386-246-3207.

NARFE 2247 Chapter fully supports this activity and encourages its members to take advantage of this opportunity to meet the candidates for our District and also cooperate with the Palm Coast Chapter 1557. This could be a real opportunity for working Federal Employees and there must be many in the area.

CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 6

John Mica and Sandy Adams will no longer represent any of our Chapter members after the next election. John Mica and Sandy Adams will compete for the Republican Congressional Representative seat from the new District 7. At the present time four Republicans candidates, Fred Costello, Craig Miller, Ron DeSantis and Richard Clark have announced for District 6. The Democrats candidates are: Heather Beven and Vipid Verma.

Our Chapter 2247 goal should be to make ourselves known to each candidate. Ultimately the ideal situation would be a face to face meeting with the Republican and Democratic candidates who will face each other in the fall election.

The following contains a detailed plan how we might achieve our ultimate goal.

Please read the following and volunteer to participate in the plan. For now I will be the contact person 441-9250.

A five part plan:

1. Information Gathering: Prepare a one-page summary on each candidate taking information from their web-sites giving basic biographical information and their known positions on Federal Employee issues.

2. Meet with each candidate: We will request a meeting with each candidate for two purposes: (1) To provide essential information on the Federal Civil Service and let them know who we are (put a face on the faceless bureaucrat) , and (2) find out their positions on issues important to us: i.e. (a) Employee pay freezes, (b) Changes to Federal Employee Retirement programs, including increasing amount Federal employees must pay into their pension, (c) Changes to FEHB including increasing employee/annuitant contributions, (d) cutting of Federal Workforce by 10% and (f) Social Security provisions on Pension Offset and Windfall elimination. We will invite a representative from each chapter to participate in scheduled meetings. If the candidate is sympathetic to Federal issues, we will inform them on how they can contact the NARFE PAC for financial support. The above summaries will be modified to include positions provided and whether they met with us.

3. Sponsor a debate after the primaries inviting the Democratic and Republican nominees to participate. Since Ormond Beach is central to the District, the Ormond Chapter has agreed to host the debate. All members of the 7 chapters will be invited to participate.

4. Encourage members to support the candidate that best reflects their opinions both financially and as campaign workers.

5. Monitor positions of candidates and notify members of changes in position on our core issues.

ABOLISHING MEDICARE

Four prominent senators called a press conference to announce their plans for Medicare reform or more precisely abolishing Medicare. They called for dismantling Medicare as we know it in favor of a private plan that would raise the eligibility age from 65 to 70 and shift much of the cost of health-care coverage from the government to the elderly. This will eventually affect every one of us. It may well affect our earned medical health plan as well.

“This will be the new Medicare,” Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), the proposal’s author, announced.

April is Volunteer Appreciation Month.

The heart of a volunteer is not measured in size, but by the depth of the commitment to make a difference in the lives of others. -- DeAnn Hollis

Representatives John Mica and Sandy Adams

HR 112

The House of Representatives passed House Concurrent Resolution 112, Fiscal 2013 Budget Resolution: Extend Federal Pay Freeze, Reconciliation Instructions.

Resolution 112 is the spending and tax policy blueprint for fiscal year 2013. The vote was 228-191.

Rep. Paul Ryan's, R-WI, (Budget Committee Chairman) budget blueprint for fiscal year 2013 and setting forth appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2014 through 2022. This resolution would 1) extend the current 2 year federal pay freeze for 3 additional years, 2) require federal employees to make increased contribution to their retirement systems, and 3) reduce the federal workforce by 10 percent by attrition. Furthermore, the resolution includes reconciliation instructions to 6 committees to report legislation to reduce mandatory spending. This includes an instruction to the Oversight Committee to report savings of $76 billion over ten years in federal civilian retirement or health benefits. Passed 228-191.

Our Chapter membership has at least two Representatives. They are Rep. Sandy Adams and John Mica.

Both Representatives John Mica and Sandy Adams voted against NARFE with a “yes” vote.

This information was obtained from NARFE Legislative Hotline – March 30, 2012

HEALTH CARE

Boomers fear health costs will overwhelm them in retirement..

The cost of health care in retirement is substantial, and many boomers feel they aren't prepared to meet those costs, a report released by the Insured Retirement Institute found. Almost two-thirds of boomers aren't confident they have enough saved to cover the cost of health care after they retire. Younger boomers are especially concerned; 72 percent of those between ages 50 and 54 say they are worried about being able to cover costs.

PAYROLL TAX-CUT

NARFE is urging members to send a message to their members of Congress opposing a House-passed bill that would cut the pay and benefits of federal employees to finance the yearlong payroll tax holiday. A House-Senate conference committee will consider that bill and one passed by the Senate, which does not contain any cuts for feds.

The House bill "asks fewer than 2 percent of America's middle-class workers to pay for almost two-thirds of the entire payroll tax-cut extension.

YOUR 1099R

January 24, 2012 NARFE NewsWatch When will I get my 1099R? Question: I am retired, and I want to file my taxes soon. When will I receive my 1099R from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM)? Answer: OPM will send your 1099R after January 31. You should expect to receive it in the mail during the first or second week of February.

SEVEN BIGGEST ECONOMIC LIES

By Robert Reich, Robert Reich's blog

12 October 11

The president's jobs bill doesn't have a chance in Congress - and the occupiers on Wall Street and elsewhere can't become a national movement for a more equitable society - unless more Americans know the truth about the economy.

Here's a short (2 minute 30 second) effort to rebut the seven biggest whoppers now being told by those who want to take America backwards. The major points:

The Seven Biggest Economic Lies

1. Tax cuts for the rich trickle down to everyone else. Baloney. Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush both sliced taxes on the rich and what happened? Most Americans' wages (measured by the real median wage) began flattening under Reagan and has dropped since George W. Bush. Trickle-down economics is a cruel joke.
   
   
2. Higher taxes on the rich would hurt the economy and slow job growth. False. From the end of World War II until 1981, the richest Americans faced a top marginal tax rate of 70 percent or above. Under Dwight Eisenhower it was 91 percent. Even after all deductions and credits, the top taxes on the very rich were far higher than they've been since. Yet the economy grew faster during those years than it has since. (Don't believe small businesses would be hurt by a higher marginal tax; fewer than 2 percent of small business owners are in the highest tax bracket.)
   
   
3. Shrinking government generates more jobs. Wrong again. It means fewer government workers - everyone from teachers, fire fighters, police officers, and social workers at the state and local levels to safety inspectors and military personnel at the federal. And fewer government contractors, who would employ fewer private-sector workers. According to Moody's economist Mark Zandi (a campaign advisor to John McCain), the $61 billion in spending cuts proposed by the House GOP will cost the economy 700,000 jobs this year and next.
   
   
4. Cutting the budget deficit now is more important than boosting the economy. Untrue. With so many Americans out of work, budget cuts now will shrink the economy. They'll increase unemployment and reduce tax revenues. That will worsen the ratio of the debt to the total economy. The first priority must be getting jobs and growth back by boosting the economy. Only then, when jobs and growth are returning vigorously, should we turn to cutting the deficit.
   
   
5. Medicare and Medicaid are the major drivers of budget deficits. Wrong. Medicare and Medicaid spending is rising quickly, to be sure. But that's because the nation's health-care costs are rising so fast. One of the best ways of slowing these costs is to use Medicare and Medicaid's bargaining power over drug companies and hospitals to reduce costs, and to move from a fee-for-service system to a fee-for-healthy outcomes system. And since Medicare has far lower administrative costs than private health insurers, we should make Medicare available to everyone.
   
   
6. Social Security is a Ponzi scheme. Don't believe it. Social Security is solvent for the next 26 years. It could be solvent for the next century if we raised the ceiling on income subject to the Social Security payroll tax. That ceiling is now $106,800.
   
   
7. It's unfair that lower-income Americans don't pay income tax. Wrong. There's nothing unfair about it. Lower-income Americans pay out a larger share of their paychecks in payroll taxes, sales taxes, user fees, and tolls than everyone else.

Demagogues through history have known that big lies, repeated often enough, start being believed - unless they're rebutted. These seven economic whoppers are just plain wrong. Make sure you know the truth - and spread it on.

---

Robert Reich is Chancellor's Professor of Public Policy at the University of California at Berkeley. He has served in three national administrations, most recently as secretary of labor under President Bill Clinton. He has written thirteen books, including "The Work of Nations," "Locked in the Cabinet," "Supercapitalism" and his latest book, "AFTERSHOCK: The Next Economy and America's Future." His 'Marketplace' commentaries can be found on publicradio.com and iTunes.

Chain COLA

Chain COLA is a new system to measure and set inflation-triggered cost of living adjustments for retirees.

Currently those January COLA adjustments are tied to the consumer price index (CPI). Although retirees have not had a COLA in two years, critics say the CPI system overestimates inflation. They argue that using a different yardstick would take into account spending adjustments people make in hard times (like now) and produce a truer estimate of costs. Bottom line, going to the chained COLA would reduce, by some estimates, future inflation-adjustments by half a percentage point, or more. Net effect would be smaller raises in future for federal, military retirees and people who get Social Security benefits. Reducing Social Security increases even a small amount each year would rack up billions of dollars in future savings. Estimated saving over 20 years is $100 billion.

KOPY KATS MUSICAL REVIEW

The 2011 KOPY KATS MUSICAL REVIEW is slated for performances November 4th, 5th and 6th. A blockbuster of song and dance from Broadway stage and screen, the show was a big hit last year, and everyone had a terrific time! Insiders tell us this show is going to be terrific, with nationally accredited choreographer and director Jerome DeVito’s professional hand at the helm again.

As a much sought-after judge for National Dance Competitions all over the country, and a consistent producer of award winning shows at South Beach Dance Academy, Mr DeVito has taken Kopy Katters’ performances to exciting new levels that will delight local audiences.

Featured dancers are; Ms Kelly Lynch, ex Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader and USO Tour dancer, and Ms Jeannie Nichols, professional stage dancer, singer, and comedienne.

Seats for this show go quickly, so don’t wait to buy them!

Tickets are $15.

Kopy Kats Musical Revue

Ormond Beach Performing Arts Center

399 N US1

Fri. Nov 4th at 7:30

Sat Nov 5th at 2:30 and 7:30

Sun Nov 6 at 2:30

Box Office 386-676-3375

2012 COLA

August 19, 2011

by Mike Causey

Although federal workers face at least one more year without a pay raise, government retirees are cautiously looking forward to a cost of living adjustment of around 3.3 percent in their January checks. That COLA, if it holds up, would be the first inflation-catchup federal, military and Social Security retirees have had since they got a 5.8 percent increase in 2009.( SORRY BUT I NEVER RECEIVED A 5.8 COLA)

The actual amount of the 2012 COLA won't be known until mid-September. The raise could be higher if inflation creeps up this month and in September. It would be less if living costs drop between now and the end of September.

By law, retirees are supposed to get COLAs to match the rise in inflation as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statics Consumer Price Index. But for the past few years, inflation has been flat and there were actually months when living costs dropped. Result: No retiree COLA in 2010 or 2011. That(No retiree COLA) despite the fact that health insurance premiums for retirees (and workers) have been going up. And up.

In recent months, there has been back-and-forth inflation. The January COLAs for retirees are based on the rise (if any) of the CPI from the third quarter of the previous year to its level for the current year. The third quarter measuring period is July, August and September. So that means there are still two months (August and September) left in the countdown.

Courtesy of Lorraine Rumore, Research Chair.

Rep. Sandy Adams

Charlie Shannon is urging NARFE Chapter 2247 members to attend Rep. Sandy Adams town hall meeting in Port Orange City Hall (1000City Center Circle, Port Orange, FL 32129) on August 17, 2011 at 6:00 p.m.

No one knows where the new Congressional Districts will be and it is very possible that some or all of us might be in Sandy Adams’ new District. At least a few of you are there already.

I will not be able to attend, but I completely agree and support Charlie’s plan. I did however hear Sandy speak at the Redistricting Meeting with the Young Bloods a few weeks ago.

Try to make this meeting and report back to the Chapter in September.

Lorraine Rumore has contributed the following:    ----------------------------------------  Politics News Alert: U.S. Postal Service seeks to withdraw employees from  existing federal health and retirement plans  August 11, 2011 4:47:25 PM  ----------------------------------------    The financially troubled U.S. Postal Service is seeking to reduce its workforce  by 20 percent (120,000 employees), through layoffs now prohibited by union contracts, and  to withdraw its employees from existing health and retirement plans, instead  creating its own benefit programs specifically for postal employees. If approved  by Congress, the changes could have major ramifications for federal workers  across the government. 

Read more in the Washington Post:    http://link.email.washingtonpost.com/r/E5QODK/V10G1P/PPKSN/E8NU4O/FVZ4E/1G/h 

NATIONAL DEBT/ACTION

Debt Deal Spares Fed Pay, Benefits – for Now: Thanks in part to the efforts of NARFE members, the debt limit compromise (Public Law 112-25) passed by Congress and signed into law by the President does not make any reductions in the retirement, pay or health benefits of federal employees and annuitants.

NARFE members made some 25,000 phone calls and sent over 215,000 e-mail messages to their legislators. These contacts, along with the face-to-face meetings they conducted with lawmakers and letters to the editor they submitted to their local newspapers, were key to this victory.”

I would like to thank all the efforts of the NARFE members of the Ormond Beach Chapter for their letters and their e-mail messages plus the many phone calls. THANK!

But the overall threat has NOT disappeared: Federal civilian retirement and health benefits continue to be vulnerable because the new law creates a bipartisan “Super Committee” of Congress with a mandate to cut spending by an additional $1.5 trillion before the end of this year. The new law requires Congressional Leadership to appoint lawmakers to the Super Committee by August 16, 2011.

NARFE members will continue to be asked to urge their lawmakers to defend the integrity of federal retirement and health benefits, especially those who are constituents of Super Committee members.