Dear Fellow Retiree;

As a retired state employee and president of the Minnesota Retired State Employees Association, I would like to share with you some of our major accomplishments of the association over the last seven decades. We are an organization concerned solely with the retired state employees and their benefits.

  • Working with state agencies and the legislature, we have helped develop our current method of increasing our pensions after retirement, based on a combination of increases in the cost of living and on the increased value of our retirement fund investments. These changes have resulted in substantial lifetime increases in pensions of retirees. Minnesota’s program is among the best in the nation.
  • Our hard work has gained for retiree’s access to the long term care insurance program administered by the State.
  • We have successfully opposed all attempts to adversely modify the formula for determining future increases in pensions of retirees, and supported improvements that have been made.
  • Sponsored legislation providing for retiree representation on the Investment Advisory Council of the State Investment Board and on the Board of Directors of the Minnesota State Retirement System.
  • Advocated and supported for the “Bounce Back” provision for retirees to select at time of retirement.
  • Maintain a good relationship with the legislature.
  • Provide members with a method for making voluntary contributions to a retired people’s political action fund which is used to make small contributions to state political campaigns of candidates for state offices, regardless of party affiliation.
  • We are attempting to obtain better benefits for retirees in the area of health care. The State of Minnesota, unlike a majority of states, does not participate in paying any of the costs of health care insurance for retirees. We continue to work toward solutions that will provide some assistance with our health care costs.
  • Supported the Post Fund Legislation of 2008. MRSEA believes it is most important to stabilize the Post Fund to protect the pensions of current and future retirees.

I would like to thank all members over the past seventy years who have helped us reach our goals and as we continue to strive for the future benefits for retirees.

Sincerely,

Ruth M. Husom
President-MRSEA