 |
|
|
EDUCATING CANDIDATES ABOUT PERA
Most candidates are not knowledgeable about the Defined Benefit Plan (which takes the place of Social Security). Public employees ARE NOT covered by Social Security.
However, the Defined Benefit Plan works like Social Security in that the retiree knows what their benefits will be at retirement.
From time to time, there are legislative proposals that would, if passed, change PERA to a Defined Contribution Plan. A Defined Contribution Plan is a 401K plan. The 401K Defined Contribution plan began as a perk for highly paid executives and was designed to shelter income from taxes, as well as a supplement to Social Security in retirement. A 401K IS NOT
A PENSION REPLACEMENT.
If retirement planning is like a three legged stool -- pension, social security, and savings, then we are missing two legs. PERA serves as a pension and as a replacement for Social Security. The only leg left is savings/investments! Due to the financial meltdown the only leg left has
been severely damaged. Without PERA's Defined Benefit Plan, current and future public employees could be pushed into poverty and require government assistance in their retirement years.
Educate the candidate about the economic impact that PERA retirees have on the economy of each county. The following chart from PERA provides that information.
Adams County
Active Members: 12,343
Inactive Members: 5,834
Benefit Recipients: 3,925
Annual PERA Benefits Paid: $119,174,835
Alamosa County
Active Members: 1,103
Inactive Members: 687
Benefit Recipients: 420
Annual PERA Benefits Paid: $12,585,365
Arapahoe County
Active Members: 17,594
Inactive Members: 9,369
Benefit Recipients: 6,078
Annual PERA Benefits Paid: $217,481,111
Archuleta County
Active Members: 363
Inactive Members: 317
Benefit Recipients: 132
Annual PERA Benefits Paid: $3,724,046
Baca County
Active Members: 269
Inactive Members: 188
Benefit Recipients: 101
Annual PERA Benefits Paid: $2,116,501
Bent County
Active Members: 365
Inactive Members: 175
Benefit Recipients: 89
Annual PERA Benefits Paid: $2,174,350
Boulder County
Active Members: 14,040
Inactive Members: 9,265
Benefit Recipients: 4,647
Annual PERA Benefits Paid: $163,851,401
Broomfield County
Active Members: 2,082
Inactive Members: 986
Benefit Recipients: 708
Annual PERA Benefits Paid: $26,047,066
Chaffee County
Active Members: 1,022
Inactive Members: 579
Benefit Recipients: 551
Annual PERA Benefits Paid: $17,768,972
Cheyenne County
Active Members: 113
Inactive Members: 69
Benefit Recipients: 40
Annual PERA Benefits Paid: $914,184
Clear Creek County
Active Members: 353
Inactive Members: 255
Benefit Recipients: 168
Annual PERA Benefits Paid: $5,856,376
Conejos County
Active Members: 453
Inactive Members: 340
Benefit Recipients: 223
Annual PERA Benefits Paid: $5,691,086
Costilla County
Active Members: 146
Inactive Members: 92
Benefit Recipients: 87
Annual PERA Benefits Paid: $2,127,207
Crowley County
Active Members: 215
Inactive Members: 100
Benefit Recipients: 84
Annual PERA Benefits Paid: $2,077,122
Custer County
Active Members: 179
Inactive Members: 118
Benefit Recipients: 109
Annual PERA Benefits Paid: $3,699,635
Delta County
Active Members: 1,256
Inactive Members: 793
Benefit Recipients: 695
Annual PERA Benefits Paid: $19,058,282
Denver County
Active Members: 11,436
Inactive Members: 7,740
Benefit Recipients: 5,077
Annual PERA Benefits Paid: $186,356,239
Dolores County
Active Members: 110
Inactive Members: 90
Benefit Recipients: 33
Annual PERA Benefits Paid: $780,288
Douglas County
Active Members: 10,315
Inactive Members: 4,909
Benefit Recipients: 2,185
Annual PERA Benefits Paid: $84,047,813
Eagle County
Active Members: 1,444
Inactive Members: 1,232
Benefit Recipients: 179
Annual PERA Benefits Paid: $6,938,035
EI Paso County
Active Members: 29,564
Inactive Members: 13,328
Benefit Recipients: 8,533
Annual PERA Benefits Paid: $285,989,029
Elbert County
Active Members: 1,085
Inactive Members: 558
Benefit Recipients: 249
Annual PERA Benefits Paid: $8,400,033
Fremont County
Active Members: 2,708
Inactive Members: 830
Benefit Recipients: 1,525
Annual PERA Benefits Paid: $46,829,452
Garfield County
Active Members: 2,538
Inactive Members: 1,939
Benefit Recipients: 541
Annual PERA Benefits Paid: $17,866,575
Gilpin County
Active Members: 207
Inactive Members: 159
Benefit Recipients: 63
Annual PERA Benefits Paid: $2,085,561
Grand County
Active Members: 449
Inactive Members: 336
Benefit Recipients: 217
Annual PERA Benefits Paid: $7,209,168
Gunnison County
Active Members: 598
Inactive Members: 495
Benefit Recipients: 266
Annual PERA Benefits Paid: $9,237,903
Hinsdale County
Active Members: 51
Inactive Members: 42
Benefit Recipients: 10
Annual PERA Benefits Paid: $292,283
Huerfano County
Active Members: 297
Inactive Members: 238
Benefit Recipients: 207
Annual PERA Benefits Paid: $5,249,511
Jackson County
Active Members: 83
Inactive Members: 70
Benefit Recipients: 31
Annual PERA Benefits Paid: $761,433
Jefferson County
Active Members: 19,772
Inactive Members: 10,655
Benefit Recipients: 8,648
Annual PERA Benefits Paid: $329,552,160 I
Kiowa County
Active Members: 116
Inactive Members: 59
Benefit Recipients: 36
Annual PERA Benefits Paid: $918,518
Kit Carson County
Active Members: 443
Inactive Members: 294
Benefit Recipients: 155
Annual PERA Benefits Paid: $3,529,286
La Plata County
Active Members: 1,956
Inactive Members: 1,872
Benefit Recipients: 877
Annual PERA Benefits Paid: $28,502,225
Lake County
Active Members: 407
Inactive Members: 306
Benefit Recipients: 108
Annual PERA Benefits Paid: $2,962,597
Larimer County
Active Members: 12,985
Inactive Members: 10,409
Benefit Recipients: 5,436
Annual PERA Benefits Paid: $189,258,989
Las Animas County
Active Members: 881
Inactive Members: 596
Benefit Recipients: 448
Annual PERA Benefits Paid: $12,279,649
Lincoln County
Active Members: 445
Inactive Members: 145
Benefit Recipients: 116
Annual PERA Benefits Paid: $3,181,591
Logan County
Active Members: 1,726
Inactive Members: 744
Benefit Recipients: 518
Annual PERA Benefits Paid: $14,459,186
Mesa County
Active Members: 5,246
Inactive Members: 2,758
Benefit Recipients: 2,860
Annual PERA Benefits Paid: $85,964,658
Mineral County
Active Members: 43
Inactive Members: 41
Benefit Recipients: 15
Annual PERA Benefits Paid: $554,082
Moffat County
Active Members: 637
Inactive Members: 503
Benefit Recipients: 184
Annual PERA Benefits Paid: $5,686,714
Montezuma County
Active Members: 979
Inactive Members: 874
Benefit Recipients: 442
Annual PERA Benefits Paid: $11,522,271
Montrose County
Active Members: 1,583
Inactive Members: 1,197
Benefit Recipients: 756
Annual PERA Benefits Paid: $20,806,779
Morgan County
Active Members: 1,606
Inactive Members: 922
Benefit Recipients: 580
Annual PERA Benefits Paid: $14,141,599
Otero County
Active Members: 1,226
Inactive Members: 592
Benefit Recipients: 502
Annual PERA Benefits Paid: $13,022,190
Ouray County
Active Members: 221
Inactive Members: 201
Benefit Recipients: 68
Annual PERA Benefits Paid: $2,072,285
Park County
Active Members: 684
Inactive Members: 395
Benefit Recipients: 181
Annual PERA Benefits Paid: $5,927,072
Phillips County
Active Members: 246
Inactive Members: 134
Benefit Recipients: 78
Annual PERA Benefits Paid: $2,031,193
Pitkin County
Active Members: 399
Inactive Members: 533
Benefit Recipients: 79
Annual PERA Benefits Paid: $3,199,431
Prowers County
Active Members: 795
Inactive Members: 441
Benefit Recipients: 302
Annual PERA Benefits Paid: $7,386,276
Pueblo County
Active Members: 9,670
Inactive Members: 5,502
Benefit Recipients: 5,127
I Annual PERA Benefits Paid: $166,372,769
Rio Blanco County
Active Members: 537
Inactive Members: 495
Benefit Recipients: 151
Annual PERA Benefits Paid: $4,376,489
Rio Grande County
Active Members: 830
!Inactive Members: 561
Benefit Recipients: 298
Annual PERA Benefits Paid: $7,515,183
Routt County
Active Members: 830
Inactive Members: 1,046
Benefit Recipients: 231
Annual PERA Benefits Paid: $8,455,298
Saguache County
Active Members: 212
Inactive Members: 213
Benefit Recipients: 70
Annual PERA Benefits Paid: $1.791,982
San Juan County
Active Members: 38
Inactive Members: 45
Benefit Recipients: 8
Annual PERA Benefits Paid: $244,742
San Miguel County
Active Members: 393
Inactive Members: 417
Benefit Recipients: 44
Annual PERA Benefits Paid: $1,517,085
Sedgwick County
Active Members: 148
Inactive Members: 85
Benefit Recipients: 67
Annual PERA Benefits Paid: $1,460,693
Summit County
Active Members: 854
Inactive Members: 884
Benefit Recipients: 165
Annual PERA Benefits Paid: $6,984,650
Teller County
Active Members: 1,226
Inactive Members: 592
Benefit Recipients: 344
Annual PERA Benefits Paid: $11,059,014
Washington County
Active Members: 326
Inactive Members: 207
Benefit Recipients: 104
Annual PERA Benefits Paid: $2,472,526
Weld County
Active Members: 10,008
Inactive Members: 5,829
Benefit Recipients: 3,711
Annual PERA Benefits Paid: $116,795,247
Yuma County
Active Members: 663
Inactive Members: 492
Benefit Recipients: 221
Annual PERA Benefits Paid: $4,954,680
|
|
|
