Karoub Associates is advising MAP members to call their State Representative and voice their opposition to a package of bills TODAY which negatively affects retiree healthcare and employer contributions to health savings accounts. Jim Curran of Karoub Associates explains the 13-bill package:

Despite statements to the contrary, the House Republicans introduced a 13-bill package that would impact retiree health care for retirees, active employees and new hires at the local level.

Beginning May 1, 2017, retirees receiving benefits would be required to pay 20% of cost unless the retiree health care benefit was funded at a level in excess of 80%.

Beginning May 1, 2017, employers are limited to putting 2% of base pay into a retirement health savings account.

The main bill that enables all the rest of the package is House Bill 6074, sponsored by Speaker of the House Kevin Cotter.

Our focus needs to be the defeat of House Bill 6074.

To our MAPO members, the message is simple:

CALL YOUR STATE REPRESENTATIVE AND TELL THEM TO VOTE NO ON HOUSE BILL 6074.

Click below to find contact information for your State Representative.

Michigan House of Representatives

The Local Government Committee met this morning, Dec. 1, 2016 from 10:30 until noon. Speaker Cotter and other legislators testified in support of the bills and then the MML testified. The House Session began at noon and ended at 3:30 p.m. The Committee is going back for further testimony. The police groups and others will testify at this time.

Rep. Chatfield, Chairman of the Committee, told the press in attendance that there will be no vote today and that the committee is tentatively scheduled to meet again on Tuesday, Dec. 6. 

Keep those cards and letters coming. They are definitely having an impact.

I'll update further after committee. Information has been posted to www.mapo411.com

On a related front, the Senate adjourned at 5:00 Wednesday, Nov. 30 without taking a vote on SB 102 that would put new school employee hires into a DC plan. The Republican leadership plan was to vote it out tonight. The Snyder Administration weighed in heavily against the bill and that gave enough Republicans cover to say they weren't going to vote for SB 102. Snyder's staff testified that the bill would cost the state BILLIONS to cover the conversion cost and the cost of closing the DB plan for existing teachers.

Hopefully, the Governor will have his team publicly come out against the House retiree health care bills as strongly.