Senate Resolution No. 1773

BY: Senator GRIFFO

COMMEMORATING the 50th Anniversary of the
incorporation of the Retired Public Employees
Association

WHEREAS, Organizations which serve the best interests of the people
of this Empire State merit the commendation of this Legislative Body;
and

WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to commemorate the
50th Anniversary of the incorporation of the Retired Public Employees
Association (RPEA); to celebrate this milestone, the Mohawk Valley
Chapter is hosting an Indoor Picnic Bash at the Utica Maennerchor Hall
in Marcy, New York, on Thursday, June 13, 2019; RPEA President, Jack
McPadden will serve as the Guest Speaker; and

WHEREAS, RPEA is the only organization whose sole purpose is to
protect and promote the benefits of retired public employees; and

WHEREAS, RPEA has a record of advocacy success throughout its years,
including: enacting a permanent Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA);
protecting health insurance benefits available to retirees; protecting
the assets of the Retirement Fund from being diverted for budget
balancing or other purposes; and most recently, defeating the 2017
ballot proposal to convene a constitutional convention; and

WHEREAS, There are 470,000 state and local retirees and
beneficiaries in the New York State Retirement System; and

WHEREAS, Nearly 80% of those retirees still reside in New York
State; and

WHEREAS, Those retirees are responsible for $12 billion in economic
activity, thereby creating 73,000 jobs; and

WHEREAS, Public sector retirees help create the strong social fabric
of communities, and also pay $2 billion in real property taxes; and

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that when
associations of such noble aims and accomplishments are brought to our
attention, they should be celebrated and recognized by all the citizens
of this great Empire State; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body is justly proud to commemorate
the 50th Anniversary of the incorporation of the Retired Public
Employees Association; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to Mohawk Valley Chapter, Retired Public Employees
Association, Inc.