TODAY'S MAIL BAG

From today's Email bag:

Maine Heritage Policy center Announced:

At a Brewer press conference today, MHPC announced new data on MaineOpenGov.org that details Maine's nearly $15.4 billion government retiree pension burden.

The 25,727 individuals currently enrolled in the Maine Public Employees Retirement System will receive a combined $15,383,315,649-an amount equivalent to $11,834 for every man, woman and child in Maine. Of that nearly $15.4 billion total, retirees have paid in $882,274,785-less than six percent of the total pension cost.


The MaineOpenGov.org updates include the names, years of service (work), final employer, and age of retirement for the nearly 26,000 current government retirees.


The new data also provides the amount each government employee contributed to the retirement compared to the projected amount they are expected to receive in taxpayer-funded pension benefits over their lifetime.


CEO Tarren Bragdon demonstrated the disparity between what some employees contributed, and what they can expect to receive in pension benefits.

Other information presented at today's press conference:

· More than 2,000 government retirees will receive a lifetime pension worth $1 million or more.

· The average annual Maine Public Employees Retirement System retiree pension has increased by 129% since 1991.

· 50% of retirees retired with 25 or fewer years of service (work)

· Total pension payments have increased 213% since 1991 (from $165 million to $516 million).


All this information, and more, is now available on MaineOpenGov.org.

Visit today.

And on the phone: A call from Maine Senator Olympia Snowe urging a vote for Paul LePage. Could it just be the national RNC is behind this? At the moment my vote is leaning toward Eliot Cutler (still). But I'm still firm on Anyone BUT Mitchell.


New MainePolicy.org Web site is finally here!

Last week, The Maine Heritage Policy Center unveiled its brand new MainePolicy.org Web site.


See new features, search functions and more