This spring, MRPEA conducted a survey of all candidates for state positions and state house and senate positions.

Here is the survey that was sent out: 2019 Candidate Survey

Here are the results: 2019 Candidate Survey Results

Dr. Brian Rutledge, University of Mississippi Medical Center chief of staff and the Board’s institutions of higher learning employee representative, has transitioned from vice chair to chair of the Board of Trustees of the Public Employees’ Retirement System of Mississippi (PERS) for fiscal year 2020, which began July 1.

Chris Howard, executive director of the Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services and one of the Board’s two state employee representatives, will serve as the new vice chair.

Click here to read the release.

The Mississippi Retired Public Employees’ Association (MRPEA) has published its Spring 2019 Issue of The Guardian, as well as the Guardian Alert!

Catch up on current MRPEA-related news and events – as well as news related to the Public Employees’ Retirement System of Mississippi (PERS) – in this issue of The Guardian.

MRPEA has been working to make sure YOU know the facts about YOUR retirement. Here are some points President Ann Thames collected:

• Mississippi’s total population is almost 3 million people.
• PERS membership as of June 30, 2017, was 325,000 (approximately 11 %)
• Add family members and the number doubles or more (nearly 27% if the figure is 800,000)
• 105,000 PERS members are receiving benefits (8.5%)
• Mississippi Public Employees are REQUIRED to contribute 9% of the salaries to PERS monthly with the promise of receiving retirement benefits when they are eligible to retire. This constitutes a contract with the state which must be honored. PERS benefits are earned. They are NOT an “entitlement”.
• The average retirement benefit is $23,220.
• The Cost of Living Adjustment (3% compounded annually) helps balance the effects of inflation. It is NOT an “extra” check.
• The basic PERS benefit is the same from the day a person retires until death.
  Some private sector companies pay salaries and fund a pension for their employees without requiring them to pay into it. A 401K option may be available if the employee chooses to contribute.
• PERS is in excellent financial condition.
• An additional employer contribution was requested to ensure funding at 100% for the next 40 years.
• PERS is currently funded at 61% for each dollar owed on liabilities through 2042.
• If your mortgage was paid and you had until 2042 to pay off the other 39%, you would consider yourself in good shape.
• Many PERS members (baby boomers) will die within the next 10-20 years
• Not as many current employees will mean fewer people drawing retirement benefits.
• PERS members contribute to the economy.
• The legislature is deliberately creating a budget “crisis” as other states have done.
• They are making a conscious decision not to fund PERS and instead take the money from state agencies who provide much-needed services to many Mississippians. (See Bobby Harrison quote in CL article Nov. 9, Legislative leaders expect modest revenue growth next year)
• Legislative leadership is following the lead of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), (located in Arlington, VA) www.alec.com, of which Speaker Phillip Gunn is a member of the board of directors, and Sen. Josh Harkins, a lieutenant of Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves is Mississippi’s State Chair.
• One of ALEC’s primary issues is pension reform which has occurred in other states using the same formula as Mississippi is using with disastrous results. (Kansas for one)

The Mississippi Retired Public Employees’ Association (MRPEA) has published its Winter 2019 Issue of The Guardian, as well as the Guardian Alert!

Catch up on current MRPEA-related news and events – as well as news related to the Public Employees’ Retirement System of Mississippi (PERS) – in this issue of The Guardian.

Dr. Randy McCoy is the current state retiree representative on the PERS board and has done an outstanding job of supporting MRPEA’s position of no changes to PERS.  He is not noted as the incumbent on the ballot so please cast your vote for Dr. McCoy that we may continue to be well represented on the PERS board.

https://www.pers.ms.gov/Content/General/Retiree_Rep_Election_Letter_Schedule_Packet.pdf

By Emily Wagster Pettus and Jeff Amy, Associated Press

JACKSON, Miss. — Retired Mississippi government employees who win legislative seats this year could be paid for legislative work while continuing to collect pension benefits. That is according to a new rule the state pension system is on track to adopt.

The board of the Mississippi Public Employees Retirement System voted Tuesday to direct the system’s staff to draft a new rule with a goal of having it in place by January, when the new four-year legislative term begins.

The Mississippi retirement system had a longstanding rule that said state elected officials could not receive salaries and pension benefits simultaneously. Attorney General Jim Hood issued a legal opinion in November contradicting that rule.

Read more here.