The three leaders of ACSS Republicans for Jerry Brown, along with PAC chairman Frank Ruffino and Chapter 513 president Arlene Ryan, met with the candidate Sept. 12 in San Diego. Brown sat with the ACSS contingent listening to their concerns and asking about their state jobs. He made it clear he opposes furloughs and wants to work with supervisors to resolve their issues. In the photo, from left: Sandy Dressel, Todd D'Braunstein, Brown, Ruffino and Jerry Fountain.

The CalPERS Benefits and Program Administration Committee is expected at today's meeting to consider increasing the cost of purchasing additional retirement service credit. The full board will take up the committee's recommendation tomorrow (Sept. 15) and, if the increase is approved, implement it as early as the following day, Sept. 15. CalPERS members who submit their applications for ARSC before the new rate is adopted will lock in their purchase at the current rate. Board agenda is here. Cost increases are displayed here. Application information is here.

If you want to enroll in CalPERS health care, add new dependents or otherwise change your coverage, you must do so between Sept. 13 and Oct. 8. Adult children now can be covered until they are 26. Coverage will be effective Jan. 1, 2011. CalPERS premiums will increase an average of 9.1 percent. For more information, check the CalPERS open enrollment Web site and open enrollment news pdf.

ACSS members: ACSS' October quarterly board meeting is being moved to Sacramento from Palm Springs. Dates: Oct. 15-17. Call 1-800-HOLIDAY or 916-446-0100 for reservations (use "ACSS group" to get the room discount). Please reserve by Sept. 10. If you made a reservation in Palm Springs, you will need to cancel it. ACSS cannot cancel individual reservations.

Mike Carbahal of Chapter 504 has started a chapter Web site you might want to check out, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CHAPTER504/. This is a great way to enhance communications within the chapter and between chapters, as our Strategic Plan is requring.

ACSS met today with the Department of Personnel Administration to present our demands for this budget session on behalf of our members. Read the report from that meet and confer here.

ACSS is joining the other CSEA affiliates in asking members to write to their legislators urging them to return to Sacramento to vote for Assembly Bill 1699. AB 1699 is the continuous appropriation bill that would ensure all state workers be paid their full salaries until the budget is passed. We have provided a letter at our Legislative Action Center that you may use or replace with one of your own. It automatically goes to your representatives. The important thing is to send something! It is unconscionable to pay state workers less than they have earned.

Chapter 513 made a great connection with Assemblywoman Lori Saldana at a Padres game/fundraiser July 1. ACSS members were able to talk at length with Saldana, who is running for state Senate, reports Chapter 513/PAC member Richard Snyder. As guests in Saldana's reserved box at the July 1 Padres game, the members were able to spend most of the evening with her, discussing ACSS concerns, educating her about our issues and getting her input on the budget. Saldana agreed to attend a future Chapter 513 meeting. In photo from left: Chapter President Arlene Ryan, Vice President Patricia O'Neil, PAC Chairman Frank Ruffino, Saldana and Snyder.

In ACSS' meet and confer with DPA Monday, Deputy Director Julie Chapman told board and staff members the 5 percent permanent pay cut has been taken off the bargaining table. DPA is asking for the additional 5 percent retirement contribution, a salary cut of one day a month in exchange for a PLP day with no cash-out value (for next year only) and an additional 5 percent cap on workforce budgets (which would not affect employees' salaries). A few revenue-generating agencies, such as the Franchise Tax Board, would be exempt from the workforce cap. DPA also supports the two-tier retirement plan, with a scaled-back version for new hires only, and is offering to add a 5 percent step increase at the top of each salary range as mitigation. Read more in our meet and confer eblast.

ACSS' political action committee application is posted as a PDF under "Join ACSS" for you to print and mail in. Our PAC,led by Chairman Frank Ruffino, gives ACSS members direct access to the lawmakers who can make a difference in your salaries and working conditions.

ACSS has added a new button to its home page: "Legislation and Politics." With this site, you can now follow ACSS' political activity, the bills we're monitoring and hearings and other meetings we or our lobbyist will attend.

CalPERS' actuarial office is reviewing the assumptions used to calculate the cost of buying additional retirement service credits to see if the purchase price should be changed. The cost is based on such actuarial criteria as retirement age, life expectancy and future salary. The actuarial office will report its findings to the board in June. It is possible that these service credits – which increase the number of years retirement is based on – then could cost more. State workers won the right to purchase service credits in the 2003-204 legislative session.

The ACSS board of directors at its meeting April 17 endorsed Attorney General Jerry Brown for governor and Assemblywomen Alyson Huber of Sacramento and El Dorado counties and Noreen Evans of Santa Rosa in their bids for reelection. ACSS political action committee chairman Frank Ruffino attended the state Democratic convention April 16-18 in Los Angeles and met with Brown and several other candidates on ACSS' behalf. The association will make additional endorsements as they analyze the races. (Photo: Lou Delgado, SpotLight Photography)

ACSS board members met with Attorney General Jerry Brown, the presumed Democratic candidate for governor, in a private meeting in March. The group also attended a Brown fundraiser, and President Arlene Espinoza and PAC Chairman Frank Ruffino were guests of the AG at a small dinner. "He was relly interested in what we had to say," Ruffino said. From left: ACSS head Mitch Semer, Ruffino, Brown, Vice President Elnora Fretwell and Espinoza.

ACSS members: If you're planning to attend ACSS' quarterly board meeting in Las Vegas April 16-18, you have until Wednesday, March 31, to make your discounted hotel reservation. All Bally's hotel at 800-634-3434 and give them this code: SBACS0 (that’s a zero). You must be authorized by your chapter to have your expenses reimbursed.