FYI.......
Don Taylor (RDPFFA) has done a great job trying to protect uniformed retirees...but he was up against an EFM who wanted to protect bankers and bond holders above retirees who spent their lives working for Detroit residents, and sometimes risking their lives....
I am a duty disabled retired DPD Sgt....under the proposed agreement...retirees u/ age 65 will take a BIG hit to their pension checks....despite attempts to disguise this...
I am paying $968.00 a month for BC/BS ..because of my health status...due mostly to my efforts as a police officer....that's @25% of my pension check...with the loss of 1.5% cost of living x 10 years...that's a 40% reduction - despite the FACT that the Michigan Constitution guarantees my pension....
I was granted a duty disability by the request of the CoP Cummings, I was promised a lifetime disability check by the Pension Board secretary, when I was deciding wether to accept or decline the disability....Now I have lost a substantial portion of my pension check....I was sent (and returned) a $125 payment for my health care because I thought I was going to get $400. a month....$125 does not come close to adequately reimbursing me for my current health plan, which replaced a City BC/BC Master Medical Policy, which included a dental and vision play - my current plan - does not.
So to say that this is good for uniformed retirees, is not really accurate, it is a
compromise that lets the City feel good and aids in a bankruptcy settlement - but leaves me with a serious lack of income via my pension check (no social security)
And it should be noted - the agreement isn't finished - the RDPFFA notice says-
details are still be worked out....
David L. Malhalab
Sgt DPD Retired
Note: To all Detroit Police / Fire Retirees who are not members of the RDPFFA...
you should join...they have represented all of us - and it has cost a lot of
money and thousands of hours of time...The RDPFFA has good leadership
and you should encourage it...by joining...Do It Today...
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From: rdpffa@hotmail.com
Subj: Bankruptsy Plan of Adjustment Agreement
April 15, 2014
Bankruptsy Plan of Adjustment Agreement
The RDPFFA has reached an agreement with the City regarding the Bankruptcy Plan of Adjustment. The following is a list of the main items which have been agreed to;
1. The mediated result provides retirees with no cuts to their current pension checks and a substantial portion of their COLA benefits (45%) going forward.
2. The mediated result also provides Police and Fire Retirees with the opportunity to have their COLA benefits restored to 100% under the plan of adjustment.
3. Police and Fire Retirees will continue to have voting representation on the Police and Fire Pension Board, (1) Retired Police and (1) Retired Fire.
4. A separate Police and Fire Retirees Voluntary Employee Beneficiary Association (VEBA) will be established for Police and Fire Retirees healthcare.
This is just a short summary of the major points; some details are still being discussed. There is no doubt some will criticize this agreement. It's easy to say you could have done better after the fact. We believe this provides the best protection of our benefits we could obtain under the circumstances. More details will be released as they become available.
Remember each retiree will be sent a ballot starting on May 1st, and will have the opportunity to vote on the Plan of Adjustment, which will contain the details of this agreement.
Don Taylor
Retired Detroit Police & Fire Fighters Assoc | 586-795-1734 | rdpffa@hotmail.com | http://www.rdpffa.com/
2525 E.14 Mile Rd
Sterling Hgts, MI 48310
http://www.rdpffa.com/
rdpffa.org
