SAVE RENY and Help Save Your Pension
I would like to thank you for electing me President of RENY. It is truly a privilege and honor to represent this fine organization.
WE NEED YOUR HELP!
The past few years have been difficult for our organization. We continue to lose membership and have had to sell off some of our assets to stay in business. We must cut costs and increase revenue.
I want to thank RENY Past President Judie Byndas for starting to cut costs by reducing our State Convention from four days to three days. The final figure of Judie’s 2015 President’s Appeal was $68,137.76.
There were a number of cost saving Bylaw changes, that were proposed and tabled by the Executive Board. We are in a financial disaster mode. It’s only a matter of time before we are out of business.
Here are the facts: From 2007 to 2015 we have removed $584,814.25 from our assets.
From 2007 to 2015 our assets have gone from $2,128,825.25 to $1,578,380.81.
WE NEED YOUR MONEY TO FIGHT THE 2017 CONVENTION
One of my major objectives was to form a coalition of other retiree groups to fight the upcoming vote as to whether we will have a Constitutional Convention in 2017. I have contacted other retiree groups and have formed a coalition of these groups. The groups include: RENY, SAANY’S – School Administrators Association of New York, The Alliance of Public Employees of New York State and the Retired Public Employees Association of New York State. On January 5th I had a meeting with the President of NYSUT, Karen Magee to discuss our coalition to fight the 2017 New York State Constitutional Convention. She said she would bring up the possibility of NYSUT joining the coalition with her Executive Board.
In the Fall I went to Washington, DC as a guest of the National Retired Teachers’ Association to try to restructure Common Core and the testing standards. I was able to visit Congressman, Chris Gibson who sponsored HR Bill 421 which dealt with Student Testing and the Common Core. I was also able to get support of 47 other states who were at the meeting.
WHY WE OPPOSE THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION?
- Your Pension is now protected by both the New York State and Federal Constitutions. It may not be reduced or infringed. If a Constitutional Convention were held, that protection may disappear.
- Your Pension is now free of New York State Tax, but at a New York State Convention they may vote to tax your Pension.
- You will be asked to vote on November 7, 2017, if we should hold this Convention. You may want to consider voting NO.
- The Convention could also do away with Collective Bargaining.
- This Convention could cost as much as $138 Million Dollars.
- If there is a YES vote to hold this Convention, it could last until November, 2019.
Thank you for your continuing support and generosity.
Angelo I. Grande, RENY President.