Comments on: Maine Public Pensions http://www.millsformaine.com/2009/09/maine-public-pensions Peter Mills - Maine Governor 2010 Wed, 26 May 2010 20:03:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Steve Bouthillette http://www.millsformaine.com/2009/09/maine-public-pensions/comment-page-1#comment-32 Steve Bouthillette Sat, 24 Oct 2009 21:39:40 +0000 http://www.millsformaine.com/?p=766#comment-32 I believe public sector pay, benefits and pensions that are twice as high, on average, than private sector employees is part of the state and local budget problems we currently have. Why should we make it more generous or easier to keep than the private sector? How many people in the private sector actually have a pension?? How many in the private sector can retire at age 55 like some teachers can?? How much are we paying per teacher in pay, benefits and pensions and what are the taxpayers getting for their hard earned taxes?? We don't even get a choice to send our children to the best schools out there or homeschool them. We have to pay into the same antiquated system that continues to ask for more and more from us every year, yet seems to give us less and less or that we don't even use. Want to know the reason why this state/towns are a mess fiscally? Because they won't attempt to REALLY get their OWN houses in order, like the rest of us have to. I believe public sector pay, benefits and pensions that are twice as high, on average, than private sector employees is part of the state and local budget problems we currently have. Why should we make it more generous or easier to keep than the private sector? How many people in the private sector actually have a pension?? How many in the private sector can retire at age 55 like some teachers can??

How much are we paying per teacher in pay, benefits and pensions and what are the taxpayers getting for their hard earned taxes?? We don’t even get a choice to send our children to the best schools out there or homeschool them. We have to pay into the same antiquated system that continues to ask for more and more from us every year, yet seems to give us less and less or that we don’t even use.

Want to know the reason why this state/towns are a mess fiscally? Because they won’t attempt to REALLY get their OWN houses in order, like the rest of us have to.

]]> By: Peter Mills http://www.millsformaine.com/2009/09/maine-public-pensions/comment-page-1#comment-20 Peter Mills Fri, 09 Oct 2009 14:21:34 +0000 http://www.millsformaine.com/?p=766#comment-20 Hi Lisa, Thank you for listening to the pension talk and posting on the website. To answer your questions: If you have at least 120 quarters of coverage under Social Security, there is no federal offset for any state pension benefits you may draw. If you have fewer than 120 quarters, then Social Security may reduce some of your benefits in proportion to any Maine teacher pension you may later receive. This is a matter of federal law. Maine can only respond by covering its own teachers and public employees under Social Security which is the right thing to do. Maine has an income tax, but I am pretty sure there is an offset for any state tax you may have to pay in NY. I hope to meet you on the campaign trail. Peter Hi Lisa,
Thank you for listening to the pension talk and posting on the website. To answer your questions:

If you have at least 120 quarters of coverage under Social Security, there is no federal offset for any state pension benefits you may draw. If you have fewer than 120 quarters, then Social Security may reduce some of your benefits in proportion to any Maine teacher pension you may later receive.

This is a matter of federal law. Maine can only respond by covering its own teachers and public employees under Social Security which is the right thing to do.

Maine has an income tax, but I am pretty sure there is an offset for any state tax you may have to pay in NY.

I hope to meet you on the campaign trail.
Peter

]]> By: lisa vogel http://www.millsformaine.com/2009/09/maine-public-pensions/comment-page-1#comment-19 lisa vogel Wed, 07 Oct 2009 16:06:23 +0000 http://www.millsformaine.com/?p=766#comment-19 Dear Senator Mills, This is my second question this morning. I have a small pension from The Diocese Of Rockville Center in New York. Will it be taxed additionally in the state of Maine? Thank you for your time. Lisa Vogel Dear Senator Mills,
This is my second question this morning.
I have a small pension from The Diocese Of Rockville Center in New York.
Will it be taxed additionally in the state of Maine?
Thank you for your time.
Lisa Vogel

]]> By: lisa vogel http://www.millsformaine.com/2009/09/maine-public-pensions/comment-page-1#comment-18 lisa vogel Wed, 07 Oct 2009 15:59:02 +0000 http://www.millsformaine.com/?p=766#comment-18 I am a teacher from N.Y. who has just recently moved to Maine. I will be substituting this year with the hopes of obtaining a public school position in the fall of 2010. I sincerely agree with your position Senator Mills and hope that this ridiculous law will be changed by then. If the University of Maine is willing and able to do this I hope that they will serve as an example to the public sector. I am obviously new to the rules here in Maine... Question: This will not effect the Social Security that I have collected up until now...am I correct? I am a teacher from N.Y. who has just recently moved to Maine. I will be substituting this year with the hopes of obtaining a public school position in the fall of 2010. I sincerely agree with your position Senator Mills and hope that this ridiculous law will be changed by then. If the University of Maine is willing and able to do this I hope that they will serve as an example to the public sector.
I am obviously new to the rules here in Maine… Question: This will not effect the Social Security that I have collected up until now…am I correct?

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