Top Democrats challenge Janet Mills to give retired state workers a big pension boost

Link: https://bangordailynews.com/2022/02/04/politics/top-democrats-challenge-janet-mills-to-give-retired-state-workers-a-big-pension-boost-xoasq1i29i/

Excerpt:

Top legislative Democrats joined a Thursday letter challenging Gov. Janet Mills to give state retirees a bigger cost-of-living increase to address inflation with the governor nearly ready to release a key spending plan.

People in the Maine Public Employee Retirement System, which includes retired state employees and teachers, were told last summer that they would receive a 3 percent increase to their benefits up to nearly $23,000. Inflation during that time was 5.4 percent.

A letter sent to the governor on Thursday by 59 lawmakers led by Sen. Joe Rafferty, D-Kennebunk, and joined by all Democratic leaders in both chambers, including Senate President Troy Jackson, D-Allagash, and House Speaker Ryan Fecteau, D-Biddeford, asks Mills to fund an increase commensurate with the level of inflation in her upcoming budget proposal.

Author(s): Caitlin Andrews

Publication Date: 4 Feb 2022

Publication Site: Bangor Daily News