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President’s Message: My Comments on the Debate
Fall 2015
VOLUME 17, ISSUE 1
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
President’s Message...…….1
Fall Luncheon Agenda...…..1
Membership Reports..…......2
Government Relations Report...2
Luncheon coupon…….........3
2015 Retirees………...….4-5
Pictures………….……...6-9
NEA Convention Report.....10
Pension Activist Update…….11
Save These Dates
The ACREA will hold its
business meetings and
luncheons on
these Tuesdays:
October 6, 2015
December 1, 2015
May 3, 2016
Information regarding
locations will be on
Atlanticrea.
wordpress.com
NJREA Convention Resorts Casino and Hotel
Tiara Ballroom
Atlantic City
Nov. 4-5, 2015
Next Publication
November 2015
Fall Luncheon Agenda: Save the Date October 6
The ACREA will hold
its fall business meet-
ing and luncheon on
October 6, 2015 at
Greate Bay Country
Club, Somers Point.
Doors open at 10:30
and crudités will be
served before the
meeting . New retirees
are encouraged to
come and become
familiar with our associa-
tion.
The business meeting
will begin at 11:00 AM.
The featured speaker, Steve
Swetsky, NJEA Assistant
Executive Director will dis-
cuss the ongoing pension
crisis, what we can expect
next, and what action we
must take.
Also on the agenda
will be the NJ EA-PAC
endorsed candidates for
the November 3 General
Election. All 80 seats in
the Assembly are up for
vote this year. Hear the
candidates address pen-
sion and education is-
sues.
Steve
Swetsky
I’m
sure we all remember the
Howdy Doody show.
So, when I was watching
the debate I was remind-
ed of the politician pup-
pet, Phineas T. Bluster.
Of course there were a
lot of Phineases on that
stage, but you know
where I’m headed.
Phineas T. Christie,
complete with strings
attached to his wealthy
handlers, blustering through his
“accomplishments” in New Jersey. The fact checkers were able to
catch his lies, but we knew that. We’re not surprised, we’re used to
him lying to us and about us.
Again he lied when he claimed the “teachers
union” only cares about money. We know bet-ter. We are the union. We are NJEA. We
know how much we care about our students.
We know how full of it he is. He says we need to
be punched in the face. I guess he thinks we won’t swing back. It’s easy to
be a tough guy when you’re surrounded by a dozen State Troopers.
But then, he is Chris T. Bluster. Roger Baker
Pension Update:
Pension Payment
COLA
Become a Pension Activist
See page 11.
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Membership Report
Joanne Peek, Membership Chair
It’s a new year, membership year that is. As of September 1, we
begin anew. Presently, there are about 900 ACREA members. As a
member you can help increase our numbers and strengthen our or-
ganization by encouraging former colleagues to join NJREA.
This is a good time to check your contact information with NJEA
and ACREA to ensure you continue to receive information about
important issues and activities. Do you have a new phone number,
address or email account.? You can check and change your infor-
mation with NJEA at www.njea.org/mynjea/profile. This is a secure
website so you will need your NJEA membership number. If you
have changed your email account, contact ACREA at atlan-
[email protected] or call Joanne Peek, 609-653-6715.
There is much news about the pension crisis and legislation that
may impact retirees. Accurate information and NJEA positions can
be read at www.njea.org. Sign in with your NJEA number for full
content.
ACREA email will be changing in December due to ongoing
problems with the Yahoo email. The new address and provider is
[email protected]. Please change your address book to in-
clude our new address.
Endorsements for 2015
Linda Wallace, Gov. Relations
NB:
~~ Reminder ~~
* Annual dues for 2015-2016 were due August 1.
* If you need a renewal form, please contact me at
609-653-6715.
* New retirees are billed as soon as NJEA is offi-
cially informed of their retirement.
We remember and pray
for our friends and col-
leagues:
Charles Belanger
Pamela Ann Dey
Jeanette McSoreley
The ACCEA screening committee
for LD 2 met on July 27 and
screened four candidates for Assem-
bly: the incumbents Vince Mazzeo
(D) and Chris Brown (R) as well as
Colin Bell (D) and Will Pauls (R).
Although we have endorsed Chris
Brown in the past, because he voted
against the full pen-
sion payment in the
budget, he was not
endorsed. We rec-
ommended Vince
Mazzeo and Colin
Bell to the NJEA-
PAC committee and
both candidates were endorsed.
NJEA-PAC did not endorse any can-
didate who did not vote for full fund-
ing of the pension.
We also screened Freeholder can-
didates Brenda Brathwaite (D), an
NJEA member, Jim Bertino (R),
John DiMaria (D), Maureen Kerr (R)
and Tom Willett (D). Bertino was the
only incumbent. Bertino and Willett
are running in District 5. We gave
them a “Your Choice” endorsement,
meaning that we thought both candi-
dates were equally good.
Fall Meeting Agenda:
10:30 am Crudites Served
11:00 am Keynote Speaker and Endorsed Can-
didates
Lunch following the meeting.
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ACREA Executive Board Donates to “Stuff the Bus” Campaign
A big thank you was received at Senator Whelan and Assemblyman Mazzeo's headquarters. Linda Young, representing the Atlantic County Retired Educators Ex-ecutive Board, dropped off a TON of school supplies for the "Stuff the Bus" campaign for kids in need. Do-nated were backpacks, notebooks, pens, pencils and many more supplies for a new school year.
Fall Business Meeting and Luncheon
Tuesday, October 6
Greate Bay Country Club
Somers Point
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Atlantic City
Cynthia Bellavance
Jamie Bennet
Andrew Burroughs
Jill Collette
AnneMarie Cooker
Daniel Daley
Richard Dove
Linda Farmer
Angela Festa-Dalaba
Sherrie Greenfield
Morris Griffin
Joseph Guenther
Jacqueline Hamlet
Gary Howarth
Lawrence Kelly
Deborah Keough
Marilyn Lane
Marianne Lestrange
Billy Marrow
Percy McCarty
Andrea Petinga
Gail Pierre-Parks
Barry Price
Jennifer Pullman
Patrice Rallis
Shelley Reider-Heffron
Brenda Rice
Linda Roy
Nina Shad
Regina Smith
Edie Southard
Eileen Wertz
Kathryn Wilson
Clydie Jo Washington-Griffin
Atlantic County IT
Elaine Hartman
Priscilla Williams
Atlantic County SS
Barbara Bennet
Delores Carmean
Carol Costigan
Jane Drake
Marsha Evette Henry
Annie Jenkins
Linda Kishpaugh
Beverly Jolly
Terri McIntosh
Frances Miller
Kevin O’Brikis
Betsy Parker
Margaret Peterson
Patty Regina
Tim Schulte
Linda Serago
Kathy Shaw
Patricia Spille
Gail Surace
Amy Vendrasso
Buena
Carol Core
Tina Gaunt
Dale Leary
Egg Harbor City
Renee Ahern
Dominick Grossi
Cecilia Rizzi
Egg Harbor Twp
Joan Carino Allen
Diane Bergeron
Geraldine Brown
Triana Bruso
Mary Catalano
Beverly Celona
John Cocozza
Robert Constantine
Merryl Cool
Marion Craner
Pamela Crawford
Ann DePersenaire
Loretta DeVita Zonie
Bette Jean Donnelly
Shannon Fitzgerald
Rebecca Glancey
Jody Gowdy
Donna Marie Kelusak
Deborah Knapp
Dick Knapp
William Littleton
Steven Marcus
Bonnie Mattern
Frances Murphy
Dale Praetorius
Christine Ryan
Deborah Santangelo
Nancy Saumsiegle
Lorraine Shutz
Sandi Taub
Annabell Thorn
Deborah Tkachuck-Malvasi
Linda Todd
Regis Vitale
Judith Panetta Warren
Carole Weidman
Gabrielle Worth
New 2015 Retirees
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Galloway
Linda Amey
Gloria Brooks
Vermil Ceaser
Susan Donnelly
Cheryl Downey-Smisko
Christina Fuhs
Kay Hales
Thomas Hand
Linda Harmon
Cathy Hilferty
Marguerite Hoffman
Susan Irland
Sheila James
Sharon Kurtz
Cyndy Legowski
Suzanna Lewis
Alyce Love
Susan Marcantonio
Beth Massey
Gail Mimler
Dianne Mooney
Kathleen Paparone
Debra Quinn
Cindy Rybaczk
Christina Sauer
Frances Sines
Carol Somers
Janet Thomas
Greater Egg Harbor Reg
Sally Gianndrea
Eileen Hliva
Virginia Mayer
Veronica Smith
Hamilton Township
Virginia Baldwin
Lee Ann Campbell
Patricia Carmen
Chun-an Chen
Mary Hershman
Donna Reese
Diane Scott
Mary Alyse Strother
Hammonton
Olga Rodriguez
Mainland
Calvin Anderson
Joyce Barrie
Tom Cann
Patricia Coll
Jane Feeney
Karl Geisinger
Jack Griffin
Heidi Hibbs
Kim Hodgdon
Patricia Jordan
Patricia Link
Gordon Mann
Mary Mathis
Sue Mika
Holly Monihan
Lydia Nusbaum
Steve Tullio
Mullica
Fran La Bor
Northfield
Andrea Daniel
Gail Walker
Pleasantville
James M. Brown
Ronnie Clayton
Simon Copeland
Patricia D’Arcy
Donald Hall
Melanie Harrington
Marsha Henry
Johanny Jorge-Suerro
Lydia Letson
Ortego McCants
Thomas Mursheno
Maria Florence Oliverio
Richard Poole
James Shisler
Linda Spano
Deborah Taliaferro
Sherry Wilson
Somers Point
Dorothea Arabia
Marianne Lynch
Janet Reinert
Ventnor
Bridget Masters-Littleton
Suzette Pantejo
More 2015 Retirees
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Patricia Beebe (right) congratulates Edythe Greene (left),
a 2015 inductee in the Atlantic County Women’s Hall of
Fame. Edythe joins ACREA members and past winners
Pat Beebe, Mamie Jackson, and Pat Royal in this honor.
Dr. John Phillips (right) received the 2015
Joyce Powell Lifetime Educator Award at the
Friends of Education Dinner sponsored by the
Atlantic County Council of Education. Er-
land Chau (left) worked with Dr. Phillips at
Mainland Regional High School where Dr.
Phillips was a foreign language teacher and,
eventually, a guidance counselor for 33 years.
In addition, Dr. Phillips was a consultant for
NJEA for 30 years, taught graduate courses
for 25 years, and worked on the Juvenile
Conference Committee for six years. A
member of NJREA, Dr. Phillips recently
chaired the constitution review committee for
the organization.
Past NJEA president, Joyce Powell,
retired after two-terms as an NEA di-
rector. Joyce often spoke at the annu-
al retirement brunch for Atlantic
County teachers and support staff.
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Allyson Worrell, a new NJREA/ACREA lifetime
member, joins Joanne Peek and Carol Ann
McDonald at our spring luncheon at Joseph’s Res-
taurant.
In addition to discussing the pen-sion crisis at the ACREA spring meeting, Marie Blistan, NJEA Vice-President, talked to Roseanne and Richard Fittipaldi and other lunch-eon attendees about telling legisla-tors how the loss of their pension will impact their lives.
ACCEA scholarship recipients
Andrew Lavery, Mainland Re-
gional HS, Je-In Ryu, Absegami
HS, Katie Chusinotto, Hammon-
ton HS, and Samantha Velzaques,
Pleasantville HS were recognized
at the ACCEA Retirement Brunch
at Greate Bay Country Club on
May 31.
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NEA-RA delegate Cassandra Mon-
tique was voted Activist of the Year.
Cassandra works in the Atlantic City
School District.
New Atlantic County retiree, Margaret “Candy” Peterson posed with Pat Provnick, Linda
Young, and Judy Perkins NJREA delegates to the NEA-RA Convention in Orlando, FL.
Maryanne Martin welcomes Phyllis Hawkins, the newly
elected recording secretary, to the ACREA executive
committee.
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ACREA members rallied with the Com-
munications Workers of America in Tren-
ton to demand Governor Christie make full
payments to the pension system. Pictured
are Joanne Peek, Roger Baker (president of
ACREA), Tammy Reed, Rose Rhine and
John Dioszeghy (president of BCREA).
Lobby Day, June 25, New Jersey State
House. Members Linda Wallace, Natalie
Fisher and Joanne Peek talk to Senator Lin-
da Greenstein about supporting an override
if the governor vetoes the budget.
Active, retired, and student members wait in
the State House to talk to legislators about
making the full 5/7ths payment to the pen-
sion.
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ACREA Officers, Chairs
2015-2016
Roger Baker – President
Charles Brandt– Vice President
Phyllis Hawkins Recording Secretary
Bob Kickish – Treasurer
Linda Young Corresponding Secretary, Events
Natalie Fisher , Linda Wallace Government Relations
Joanne Peek Newsletter, Membership
Carol Ann McDonald- Member Benefits
Patricia Beebe - Constitution
Dennis Yob - Webmaster
Jim Goldsmith - Audit, Budget
Jerry Hoenes - Parliamentarian
Maryanne Martin— Elections
Judy Perkins - Past President
Contact us: : [email protected]
Visit us: Atlanticrea.wordpress.com
NEA Retired and Representative Assembly Conventions
The National Education Associa-tion Representative Assembly-the RA- is the highest decision-making body within the over 3.2 million-member NEA organiza-tion. With over 9,000 delegates, the RA is also the world's largest democratic deliberative body.
During eight business sessions spanning four days, RA dele-gates debate vital issues that im-pact American public education and set association policy and activities for the year ahead.
This year was the 94th RA. Embracing the meeting's theme- "NEA: Unite. Inspire. Lead." - delegates tackled complex issues with far-reaching implications for the profession, from the fu-ture of mandated testing to
equity in education.
Additionally, topics of concern to retirees were addressed as well as the presentation of annual awards.
Two highlights were the retire-ment of Joyce Powell- longtime champion of education from Cumberland County and past NJEA president, after having served the last eighteen years at the national level. Cassandra Montague- Atlantic City educa-tor, was elected NEA Activist of the Year at the RA from a field of four national finalists.
There were 27 NJREA dele-gates to the NEA-R and RA.
Linda Young, delegate
Join NJREA
NOT A MEMBER? Learn how to join the group that is changing the face of retired public school employees-the New Jersey Retirees' Education Association.
W h o i s t h e N J R E A?
We represent all retired school employees who worked in a New Jersey public school as well as some who worked in uni-versities and community colleges.
We have a membership of nearly 28,000 retired public school employees with more joining every year.
We are composed of 21 county organizations, which meet two to four times annually with featured speakers to provide up-to-date information on important retiree issues.
We advocate for pension, medical, and legislative issues that affect retired school employees.
We have trained legislative action teams who regularly contact—in person and in writing—state and congressional legis-lators to communicate issues of importance to our members.
We sponsor the annual NJREA Convention in Atlantic City and participate in both the annual NJEA and NEA Conventions.
We publish a quarterly newsletter filled with pertinent information on national, state, and county-related topics. W e m a i n t a i n a w e b p a g e t o a l l o w r e t i r e e s a c c e s s t o t i m e l y i n f o r m a t i o n o n e d u c a t i o n i s s u e s .
>> DOWNLOAD BROCHURE
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Despite the governor’s line-item veto of the Ch. 78-mandated five-sevenths pension payment, NJEA and other New Jersey public employee unions continue to fight for full pension funding and are working with legislators who share that goal. Public sector unions will meet to discuss Speaker Prieto’s pension proposals In July, Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto, D-Hudson, called public-sector unions together to dis-cuss his ideas for putting the pension system on stronger fiscal footing through increased levels of funding and regular payments. NJEA Executive Director Ed Richardson and NJEA Government Relations Director Ginger Gold Schnitzer represented NJEA at the meeting. Other participants included representatives from AFL-CIO, AFT, CWA, AFSCME, as well as the police and fire un-ions. The Speaker favors setting a new schedule for making pension payments, requiring quarter-ly payments, and dedicating the lion’s share of any unexpected revenues toward supplementing scheduled pension payments. NJEA and the other public employee unions were encouraged that the Speaker had called the meeting to discuss pension funding. Following the presentation, ques-tions were raised about process and enforceability. The public sector unions will be meeting to discuss reactions to the Speaker’s proposals and to plan next steps. NJEA's objective remains unchanged: full funding of the current pension system. SHPB approves pilot project on voluntary use of Direct Primary Care Medical Homes The plan design committee of the State Health Benefits Program (SHBP) has approved a project to pilot a voluntary Direct Primary Care Medical Homes (DPCMH) initiative. The design committee of the School Employee Health Benefits Program (SEHBP)—through which retirees and school employees in 306 districts receive their medical benefits—has not yet approved the pi-lot. Should the pilot program be approved, it is important to note that it will not include people on Medicare and that participation in the pilot is voluntary. NJ justices will review the suspension of retirees’ COLAs
The New Jersey Supreme Court has agreed to hear a challenge to a 2011 law that suspended retirees’ cost-of-living adjustments, a part of Chapter 78 that overhauled the pension system for public workers. Become a Pension Activist!
NJREA/NJEA needs your voice and participation in our efforts to fully fund the pension and estab-lish a guaranteed method to secure its future. The pension crisis will not go away soon. Help save your pension and benefits by becoming a Pension Activist. Go to http://fundnjpension.org/become-a-pension-activist/