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LD 1104

January 2019-In response to the actions of the Maine Legislature, MAR continued to obtain sponsors for another bill to make the Cost-of-Living Adjustment to the Maine Public Service Retirement Pension for State and Teacher retirees is a sole contractual commitment.  LD 1104: An Act To Clarify the State’s Commitment Concerning Certain Public Service Retirement Benefits was sponsored by Representative Michelle Dunphy of Old Town with nine (9) co-sponsors. Co-sponsors were:

Senator Bellows-Kennebec
Senator Davis-Piscataquis
Senator Dill-Penobscot
Senator Libby-Androscoggin
Senator Pouliot-Kennebec
Senator Woodsome-York
Representative Gattine-Westbrook
Representative John Martin-Eagle Lake
Representative Warren-Hallowell

MAR Files Suit

The Maine Association of Retirees filed suit in the Federal District Court in Bangor challenging legislation that eliminated public pension cost of living adjustments for three (3) years and reduced those adjustments going forward. While there is not yet a final ruling (the case is on appeal), MAR is proud to be the first organization to legally test the new law.

MAR is Founded

A small group of retirees established the Maine Association of Retirees, Inc.  Their goal was an organization representing the unique interests of thousands of individuals who had spent their working lives as State, Education, Judicial, Legislative and Participating Local District employees in Maine. They knew from experience policy makers respond to numbers and that public sector retirees, speaking as a group, could be an effective voice at the State and local level.

During those early years, MAR successfully advocated for:

  • A 1995 constitutional amendment to restore the financial stability of the Retirement Fund;
  • More diverse representation of retirees on the Retirement System Board of Directors; and
  • Annual cost-of-living adjustments to pensions for all Maine public sector retirees.