SENATE MEMORIAL 56

52nd legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2016

INTRODUCED BY

Howie C. Morales

A MEMORIAL

RECOGNIZING THE NEW MEXICO ASSOCIATION OF EDUCATIONAL RETIREES.

     WHEREAS, the New Mexico association of educational retirees is an inclusive organization that promotes the professional, economic, intellectual, social and physical well-being of its members, encourages volunteer opportunities in the community and provides advocacy for improved retirement benefits for all educational retirees; and

     WHEREAS, for more than seventy years, the New Mexico association of educational retirees has been the only organization in the state whose sole purpose is to promote the quality of life of all retired educators in New Mexico; and

     WHEREAS, the New Mexico association of educational retirees has twenty-seven units statewide and a growing membership of over six thousand four hundred retirees; and

     WHEREAS, the New Mexico association of educational retirees keeps members informed of all important matters affecting them through newsletters, legislative updates, its website, phone calls, emails and unit meetings; and

     WHEREAS, the New Mexico association of educational retirees community service program provides retired educators the opportunity to volunteer services in schools, literary training, tutoring, libraries, gardens, offices, churches, prison programs, animal shelters, social service transportation and care for family members; and

     WHEREAS, the New Mexico association of educational retirees voluntary service program provides services to individuals as well as public and private entities that cannot provide the quantity or quality of services required to meet the needs of the retiree population; and

     WHEREAS, the voluntary services provided often meet or exceed or augment the services and care required to maintain the quality of life for a segment of the state's population; and

     WHEREAS, in 2014, retired educators volunteered one hundred forty-seven thousand thirteen and nine-tenths hours, calculated by the United States bureau of labor statistics at twenty-two dollars fifty-five cents ($22.55) per hour for a monetary value of three million three hundred fifteen thousand one hundred forty-five dollars ($3,315,145); and

     WHEREAS, in 2015, retired educators volunteered two hundred nineteen thousand forty-four and five-tenths hours, calculated by the United States bureau of labor statistics at twenty-three dollars seven cents ($23.07) per hour for a monetary value of five million fifty-three thousand three hundred forty-six dollars ($5,053,346); and

     WHEREAS, the New Mexico association of educational retirees works to protect the pension and health care benefits of its members; and

     WHEREAS, the New Mexico association of educational retirees has a strong legislative team that monitors legislation that affects educational retirees and has an established "adopt a legislator" program to communicate legislative positions to individual legislators; and

     WHEREAS, the New Mexico association of educational retirees participates in the legislative process as it affects health care, retirement and cost-of-living adjustments that affect older retirees; and

     WHEREAS, the New Mexico association of educational retirees also advocates for active educational employees and for other consumer issues that may impact retirees; and

     WHEREAS, the New Mexico association of educational retirees advocates the interests of retirees by having an association representative serve on the board of the educational retirement board, the retiree health care authority and other statewide committees;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the New Mexico association of educational retirees be recognized for its representation and advocacy of educational retirees in New Mexico; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this memorial be transmitted to the president of the New Mexico association of educational retirees.

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