PRSRT STD HOUSTON POLICE RETIRED OFFICERS ASSOCIATION US POSTAGE PAID P.O. BOX 2288, HOUSTON, TEXAS 77252-2288 HOUSTON, TX PERMIT NO. 9155 THE With Honor We Served . With Pride We Remember OFFICIALETI PUBLICATIONR OF THEED HOUSTON POLICE RETIREDADGE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION VOL.R XV, NO. 2 B April - May 2016 From the Entertainment Committee Hello retirees and friends. For those of you that do not All items that were brought in for the Silent Auction were know me, my name is Rosalie Potell. I became your sold, a total of $1559.00 was made. All proceeds went to Entertainment Chairman at the January 2016 meeting, as the Family Assistance Committee. A million thanks for all well as my husband Matthew Potell, who is also HPROA First who donated and bought items. I believe we all had a Vice-President. We both retired from the Accident Division fun time at the Auction tables! ten years ago, and began attending HPROA meetings about three years ago on a regular basis. The meetings I would like to thank ALL the volunteers who made this are informative and many times we have special guests event possible, before, during, and after the Reunion. who come and speak to us about a variety of things. In I personally was afraid to take the responsibility of our March meeting we had Garland Cole and M.D. Beale Entertainment Chairman but with all these volunteers, HPROA, Second Vice-President with Transamerica to it is a breeze. I am very grateful for everyone’s help, explain to us about long term care insurance. There is we would have not been able to make it without all always something to talk about and we also get to visit of your help. with our old work buddies. A reminder of our next event. Mark your calendars for June As far as Entertainment Chairman, we had the pleasure 25, 2016. The Crockett Reunion to be held at the Crockett of hosting the February Reunion at the Houston Academy Civic Center 1100 Edminston Dr. Crockett, Texas 75835. It on February 20th. For myself, it was fun. Hope everyone is being hosted by our President Steve Rayne and his wife else enjoyed it. I had several wonderful volunteers to Vickie Rayne. It is surely to be a lot of fun as well. help with the making of the center pieces for the tables. On the Friday before the Reunion we also had several I would like to mention, you can keep up with what is volunteers come out and help with the decorating and going on with our Entertainment on a regular basis, if getting auction donations ready. After the Reunion, we you go to HPROA.com. You can also make comments had retirees stay and help with the clean up, as well. or suggestions, about an event that has happened or is coming up. I encourage all to do so. We had a total of 170 attendees. It was good to see so many retirees come out and enjoy themselves. It is a joyous Thanks again for allowing us to be your Entertainment Chairmans. occasion to be able to visit with friends and colleagues you have not seen for awhile. Rosalie Potell We had good food which was catered by Tammy Felchak Oatis who is also a HPROA member. Thank you again Tammy, for a job well done. We appreciated your hard work. CALL (713) 802-2967 TO JOIN HPROA TODAY 2 The Retired Badge April - May 2016 Edition FROM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR BILL ELKIN There is a lot to the old saying,”You can They say, “forget about all of the predict the future by looking at the promises made at the time those past.” We have a lot of past to look at, public employees were recruited and especially when reviewing the most hired at lower rates of pay.” They do recent session of the Texas Legislature. support giving a contribution in certain The 84th Session in 2015 certainly amounts to participants, but let them gave us all, i.e., public employee manage those funds themselves. pension benefit recipients, a forecast of the upcoming 85th Session in 2017. Now, we will fast forward to year The waters were certainly tested by 2016, the last year of the 84th Harris County State Representative Session. We find that our old nemesis, Jim Murphy, when he introduced his Representative Jim Murphy, is still signature piece of legislation, HB 2608 trying to do the dirty work of the during the 84th Session. Greater Houston Partnership, the Laura and John Arnold Foundation, Also during the 2015 Legislative and others who want to eliminate session several other similar pieces of defined benefit pensions. Mr. legislation were introduced by other Murphy recently requested that newly elected representatives and/or Texas Attorney General, Ken senators, all of whom proudly carried Paxton, render an AG’s opinion as Bill Elkin, Executive Director the mantel of “ tea party” affiliation to whether to not the State of Texas when they were elected. Now, this would be liable for funding DB reference to the tea party supporters pensions, falling under the state law It is obvious that Mr. Murphy and affiliation is not to be construed governing the various cities who is starting his preparation for as totally negative in regards to have their own pensions, should legislation he intends to file in 2017, politics. However, there remains those cities become bankrupt. and will us the AG’s opinion in his the fact that most of those persons arguments in support of such a aligned with the tea party philosophy Now, he knows that an AG’s piece of legislation. are against supporting the cost of opinion is only that, an “opinion.” public employee pensions. Further, he knows that there is Again, we must stand united with nothing in the statute that makes others who will join in the fight to Their basic ideology is that government any reference to any fiscal preserve our pensions, knowing that is too big and the cost to the tax obligation by the State of Texas 2017 will be another year of doing payer in support of government must in regards to DB pensions offers to battle with some of those who will be be reduced by any and all means, it’s employees by the various cities the newly to the Texas Legislature. even if it means eliminating “Defined falling under the statute. Benefit” pension plans. Continues on Page 9 This is Your Retired Badge Any member or family member of HPROA is allowed and encouraged to submit articles for publication in this newspaper. Opinions, events, war stories, family announcements... all are welcome and enjoyed by our members. Submissions will only be edited as necessary to protect your HPROA from legal liabillity. The Retired Badge April - May 2016 Edition 3 A Message from Stephen Rayne, President HPROA My wife and I gave up our beautiful Your HPROA Board of Directors asked big two story home with a pool and M.D. Beale to see if this kind of policy big yard for a “downsized” single was possible and after many months story home with oversize doors, easy of work, many phone conversations access showers and a very small and trips to Austin, Texas, he turned yard in a retirement community with this idea of a benefit for HPROA amenities, activities and a slower members into a reality. THANK lifestyle that fits our needs. YOU M.D. BEALE for all your work on this!!!!! More information will be We have found out that some of forth coming at our future monthly these changes take some getting meetings, on the web-site and in the used to but we are enjoying it. next “Retired Badge”. We still have a large mini-storage space and half of our garage full of I want to say “thank you” to items and “treasures” that we do Rosalie and Matt Potell (our new not have room for. I feel confident Entertainment Co-Chairpersons) for that many of these items will show their work on our Houston Reunion up at future HPROA reunions in that was held at the HPD academy the silent auctions. on Saturday Feb. 20, 2016. This was Stephen Rayne, President HPROA their first event since taking over the While talking about getting older Entertainment Committee and they and needing help, your HPROA did a GREAT job. They also worked I found out, from reading the Houston has just initiated a “group” Long with Stefanie Leonard, Sue Gaines, Chronicle on Sunday March 13, 2016, Term Care Insurance policy Barbara Cotton and Cathy Buckles that I am a ”BOOMER PLANNER”. That with Transamerica Insurance on the Surviving Spouse Luncheon is someone who remodels their homes Company. This policy is for HPROA that was held at the Houston Racket or purchases a new home that is members, associate members, Club on March 1, 2016. Stefanie designed with “aging in place” as the their spouses, children, parents (as and her group of ladies deserve a main design factor. The article says long as they are under 80 yoa) big “thank you” for another great that approximately 10 million adult brothers, sisters, in-laws and other luncheon that acknowledged the Americans over 50 years of age care relatives of the HPROA member. surviving spouses of deceased HPD for their aging parents, according There is no physical involved, just officers and the important role they to a Metlife study. These caregivers a questionnaire to fill out. Benefits played in their husband’s careers. have learned the hard way about range from $100 to $200 per day the problems of living in a home not depending on what premium you Your HPROA is a family of volunteers designed for walkers, wheelchairs and choose.