OUR GOAL PROTECT THE PENSION AND HEALTH CARE BENEFITS OF PUBLIC EMPLOYEES. Presentation by: George Linn, RPEA President

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1 OUR GOAL PROTECT THE PENSION AND HEALTH CARE BENEFITS OF PUBLIC EMPLOYEES Presentation by: George Linn, RPEA President

2 A B O U T The Retired Public Employees Association (RPEA) was founded in 1958 to protect and enhance retirement benefits for all public employees who receive their retirement benefits from the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS). RPEA is the only statewide association representing all CalPERS retirees. This includes state employees, classified school employees and employees from public agencies who contract with CalPERS for their retirement benefits. RPEA s growing membership is made up of 24,000 currently employed and retired public servants. RPEA has over 74 active chapters in California, and additional chapters in Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, and Oregon. RPEA is a non-profit organization, and its leadership is entirely made up of volunteers.

3 RPEA STRUCTURE 82 Total Chapters 9 Areas 24,000+ Members

4 RPEA Board PRESIDENT- George Linn VICE PRESIDENT- Albert Darby SECRETARY/TREASURER- Marie Reed PAST PRESIDENT- Ann McWherter DIR. HEALTH BENEFITS- Joanne Hollender DIR. MEMBERSHIP- Rosemary Knox DIR. PUBLIC RELATIONS- Bobbi Estrada DIR. LEGISLATION- James Anderson DIR. MEMBER SERVICES- Al Darby RPEA Area Directors AREA 1- Paul Tamboury AREA 2- Ernest Sandoval AREA 3- Robert Van Etten AREA 4- Alfonso Fillon AREA 5- Ellen Knapp AREA 6- Wes Stonebreaker AREA 7- Harvey Robinson AREA 8- Vacant AREA 9- Larry Sullivan

5 RPEA Member Benefits Discount Insurance Plans: Dental & Vision Long Term Care/ Home Health Care Liberty Mutual Auto & Home Cancer Life Medicare Supplement Medicare Air Services Association (MASA) American Hearing Benefits (AHB) Identity Theft Legal Club of America The Hartford Life & Accident Veterinary Pet Additional RPEA Benefits Theme Parks See s Candy Rental Cars Hotels Apple Products Dell And more!

6 RPEA & CalPERS 1. RPEA Board members regularly attend CalPERS Board of Administration and Committee meetings, both on and offsite. 2. George and other RPEA Board members maintain direct and open lines of communication with many members of the CalPERS Board. 3. George regularly testifies at CalPERS Board and Committee meetings. 4. RPEA Director of Health Benefits, Joanne Hollender, attends all CalPERS Pension & Health Benefits Committee meetings and testifies often. 5. CalPERS Board members are regularly invited to attend and speak at RPEA quarterly Board meetings. 6. CalPERS Board members are regularly invited to attend and speak at RPEA chapter meetings. 7. CalPERS Board members are invited to attend and sit on panels at all RPEA biennial General Assemblies.

7 LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY Aaron Read, Legislative Advocate RPEA monitors legislation that would affect public retirees in any way. We retain the services of legislative advocates, Aaron Read & Associates. For over 50 years RPEA has been instrumental in protecting and preserving the pension and health care benefits of public employees and retirees. RPEA was crucial in the passing of AB 1545 which made it possible for school districts to obtain health benefits through CalPERS. Pat Moran, Legislative Advocate RPEA was instrumental in the passing of AB 2674, the Boatwright Bill, which secured funds for retiree cost-of-living increases. RPEA sponsored legislation to restructure the CalPERS Board of Administration to include a retiree member. RPEA is a strong advocate for fair retirement benefits for all Californians, and in 2012 RPEA supported legislation to curtail pension abuse and spiking schemes. RPEA Legislative Committee: Jim Anderson, Chair Jerry Bowles, Mary Helvie, Eric Thompson, Alan Wade

8 RPEA HEALTH COMMITTEE Strive to achieve the long range objective of obtaining equality in health insurance for all members and dependents; RPEA Health Committee Joanne Hollender, Chair Milt Dobkin Al Raitt, MD Harvey Robinson Provide educational and informational materials about wellness and health insurance to Area Directors and Chapters; Recommend endorsement of any health insurance program that provides significant benefits or cost reduction not otherwise available for RPEA members; Advise the Legislative Committee on matters pertaining to health and insurance (refer to the Healthcare Legislation Flow Chart on the following page); and Support the continuance and improvement of Long Term Care programs as a major objective.

9 RPEA & CRS Californians for Retirement Security (CRS) is a coalition of more than 1.6 million Californians representing public employees and retirees. Californians for Retirement Security represents teachers, firefighters, police officers, school employees and other active and retired public employees. RPEA has played an active role in CRS from granting interviews (both radio and TV), authoring opinion editorials and letters to the editor, to testifying in front of the Legislature. RPEA will continue to be an active member and assist CRS in protecting public employee retirement benefits whenever they are attacked.

10 RPEA Out & About

11 PUBLIC AFFAIRS & MARKETING We retain the services of public affairs agency, Marketplace Communications (MPC). MPC is a full service agency, providing RPEA with the best in strategic counsel, media relations, digital implementation, campaign strategy, collateral development, coalition building, crisis management, & event-planning.

12 BLASTS Message from the President RPEA TV Videos Legislative Updates

13 RPEA Facebook Daily posts Pension Updates #TBT Breaking News Chapter Highlights Current Events

14 RPEA NEWSLETTER DESIGN

15 OP-EDS, LETTERS TO THE EDITOR, PRESS RELEASES

16 RPEA LEGISLATIVE BOOK About RPEA What We Do RPEA Chapters and Area Directors Economic Impact Defined Benefits Breakdown Legislative Accomplishments Sent to all CA Legislators

17 QUESTIONS RPEA California 300 T Street, Sacramento, CA T: 1 (800) , F: (916) W: Office Hours Mon-Fr, 7:30 a.m. 4:30 p.m. Closed Holidays