Sunday letters: Providing relief to state retirees; RI's behavioral health system

Bill would provide meaningful relief for state retirees

As a nearly 30-year state employee who retired prior to 2011, mandatory deductions as dictated by state actuaries were taken every pay period for retirement income which included a 3% yearly compounded COLA. The state reneged on its contractual obligation with the Rhode Island Retirement Security Act of 2011 (RIRSA).

On May 7 the House Finance Committee held hearings on a myriad of bills to alleviate the “unintended consequences” of RIRSA. Many retirees testified as to their suffering. Two-thirds of teachers do not have Social Security and are living on 2012 pension income.

Rep. Patricia Serpa’s bill H 8193 is the only legislation which would provide meaningful relief for thousands of elderly retirees. It requests from the pension fund $30 million to provide a 3% COLA and an increase in future years based on the CPI, like Social Security. As of March 31 the ERSRI fund totaled over $11.2 billion. H 8193 only costs .0026% of the $11.2-billion pension fund. Since November 2023, the pension fund earned over $1 billion − a cost of only .0276% of this amount. Thus, the argument that the pension fund’s viability would be in danger falls flat.

Also, the argument that H 8193 would impact the general fund in future years falls flat when you consider the state budget has increased from $7.7 billion in 2011 to $14 billion in 2023, an 85% increase in 13 years, and inflation has risen 40 percent.

I urge passage of H 8193. "Unintended consequences” are now “intended consequences.”

Tina M. Rosa, Providence

Pension reform and the day of reckoning

Kathleen A. Carey’s letter to the editor on state pension reform ("Stay the course on pension reform," May 18) is merely a regurgitation of the stale years-long talking points from Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and her political allies. But it simply does not reflect reality.

“Stay the course"? I wonder how Ms. Carey would feel if her contractually binding and guaranteed pension was cut by up to 50%, and left struggling to choose between paying the mortgage and buying groceries.

The pension system has not made Rhode Island fiscally healthier. Our state retirees and workers have been ripped off by underperforming investments and unnecessarily high fees to Wall Street. And long-term, the “reforms” have devastated state worker morale and recruiting efforts.

Blocking access to the full investment portfolio records by the Treasurer’s office is a clear sign of no confidence in the reforms, and the false promises Ms. Raimondo made to the people.

Did it really take courage for Ms. Raimondo to put pension money into her own Point Judith Capital, the only financial asset in her “blind trust”? In truth, she sought profit and fame off the backs of the working class.

As preeminent national experts like Ted Siedle, Terry Mutchler, and others out there know, the people were duped, and the books were cooked, with the former governor profiting handsomely.

Gina Raimondo had “everything to lose, and nothing to gain"? Just the opposite. She used it as the launchpad for her political career. But make no mistake: pension raiders like her will face their day of reckoning.

Michael and David Salzillo, Providence

Urgency in providing behavioral health services

I could not agree more regarding the urgency in addressing the needs of children and youth where hospital inpatient and residential services have been overused as clearly stated by Senators Cano, DiMario, DiPalma, Lawson and Miller {"Action needed urgently for youth with behavioral health needs," Commentary, May 19).

However, what is missing and should be immediately implemented to support these children and their families are comprehensive crisis stabilization and intensive community-based treatment services. Many providers are grateful that the Department of Justice is now viewing this situation as a matter of law.

What has occurred is that where there was once the framework of a behavioral health system for children and families, for over a decade plus it has been allowed to deteriorate. This has been due to a lack of vision, absence of leadership and overdependence on managed care. Correcting this will require collaboration of government with community-based providers and political will. This should begin now. Overutilization of hospital and residential services compounds institutionalization and further traumatizes children.

The good news is that there are community-based treatment models in Rhode Island that can have a positive impact. However, these will require funding and an ongoing commitment at the highest levels of our government. If this is done correctly, it is possible to create a higher quality and more cost-efficient system of care. My hope is that this will be a moment of moral clarity. The children and families that require our assistance deserve much better.

Benedict F. Lessing, Jr., Woonsocket

The writer is president and CEO of Community Care Alliance.

Bill decriminalizing prostitution unnecessary

Legislators and groups that want to remove legal penalties for prostitution, pimping, and running a brothel are at it again at the State House. They have introduced a bill (S 2934) to decriminalize prostitution, pimping, and running a brothel fully. We do not want Rhode Island to return to the lawless days when pimps and traffickers operated without fear of legal penalties. Tell your legislator that you strongly oppose this bill.

There is another bill (H 7165) which will undermine the enforcement of laws against men who buy sex, pimps, and traffickers. The bill will grant immunity from citation, arrest, or prosecution to anyone who is the victim of a crime or witnesses a crime. However, the bill also allows a witness to sue a law enforcement officer if the officer arrests someone who should have protection. This liability will significantly impede officers from making decisions about arresting people engaged in criminal activity, especially men who buy sex.

The 2009 bill sponsored by Joanne Giannini, which ended decriminalized prostitution, granted all victims of prostitution immunity from prosecution. A new bill is not needed. The real goal of H 7165 is to introduce a law that hinders law enforcement.

We can’t let them return Rhode Island to the days when there was nothing law enforcement could do to stop prostitution or sex trafficking.

Donna M. Hughes, South Kingstown

College protests serve a cause

What constitutes antisemitism? According to a recent statement by President Biden, it includes peaceful pro-Palestinian protests on college campuses. That doesn't leave much room for anything else. Whatever happened to free speech?

By accentuating the negative features of the protests, such as taking over school buildings, he implies they should be avoided. He fails to get the students' message − stop funding Israel. A view that's widely accepted but hard to come by because of power politics.

God bless the American college students.

Richard Chretien, Pawtucket

Results of dumbing down of America

We are witnessing the results of the “dumbing down of America.” And it’s scary.

Whether it’s executive management decisions, blue collar workers, government bureaucrats, politicians, students, teachers, whatever, we are now there. And the slope isn’t slippery, it’s well oiled.

Let’s start with Boeing and the poor management and general workers. With airplanes parts falling off mid-flight, we probably need to add the airline’s maintenance into the equation.

How about our current college students who don’t have a clue about World War II and the Holocaust? Not to mention the colleges that offer remedial subjects because the incoming freshmen having trouble reading, writing, adding and subtracting. Or the educators who make sure everyone passes every subject so they feel good.

I don’t want to even think about our government workers and politicians, where we now have a Supreme Court justice who could not define what a woman is, even though she is one.

Our current president and his administration are leading the charge. No doubt, the poster child of the dumbing down of America.

John E. Anderson, North Scituate

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Sunday letters: Providing relief to state retirees; RI's behavioral health system