Retiree News Summer 2017

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NEWS Danny Donohue, President Summer 2017
How a constitutional convention could harm you
If New York voters approve a constitutional convention in November, the potential effects of opening our state constitution could be devastating to CSEA retiree members.
All of New York’s ballots in November’s general election will include a question asking if we should convene a constitutional convention.
Retiree members from across the state and Florida have been learning about why it’s so important to vote ‘no’ to a convention, and why we should also urge families, friends and co-workers to also do so.
Protections & rights in jeopardy
Our state constitution protects our pensions, and a constitutional convention would put us at risk for losing our defined benefit pensions.
The New York State Alliance for Retired Americans notes that it’s not just public pension beneficiaries who would be affected by losing this protection. More than 80 percent of public retirees still live and pay taxes in New York, which contributes more than $35 billion to our state’s economy and more than $4 billion in tax revenue. Any loss of these benefits will damage local economies and drive up costs for ‘safety net’ services for seniors.
Here are some other rights and protections that could be at risk if a constitutional convention is held, as noted by the New York State Alliance for Retired Americans:
• Right to an absentee ballot, which seniors use more than younger voters.
• Protection from age discrimination, as
about a third of people between age 65
and 75 are still in the work force;
• Labor protections, including the
eight-hour workday and minimum wage, could be at risk;
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Capital District Retirees Local 999 member George Hebert, far left, discusses the constitutional convention vote with local members. Hebert has written numerous letters to the editor of his local newspaper about the constitutional convention vote and other issues of concern to public retirees. He noted that numerous other organizations with a broad spectrum of goals also oppose the convention.
“To get the public on board [against the Constitutional Convention], you have to bring up other issues that may concern other New Yorkers, not just our members. There are many ways to come at this problem. Whatever is in our state constitution could be erased.”
— George Hebert, CSEA local president, Capital District