The Coalition of Retired Public Employees (CORPE), a West Virginia retire advocacy group, is organizing a rally this week at the state’s capitol.
The retirees have gripes with several elements of the state’s retirement policy, and are trying to get the attention of West Virginia lawmakers.
Among the issues retirees are pushing for is a larger (or longer) tax exemption on pension income. From the WV Metro News:
The top item on the retirees’ agenda for 2015 is an increase in the tax exemption on their pension. Presently only $2,000 is exempt from taxes out of the pension and that exemption goes away at age 65. [CORPE President Ernie] Terry said other groups have a full tax exemption or a much higher threshold.
Also on the agenda: a cost-of-living-adjustment.
In West Virginia, COLAs are ad hoc – they are one-time events, and issued by the legislature on a case-by-case, year-by-year basis. Current retirees think another adjustment is in order. From the WV Metro News:
As usual, a cost of living adjustment or any pension increase would be welcomed.
“Several years ago our retirees that were age 70 received a three percent bump in their pension,” [CORPE President Ernie] Terry said. “Those people who have reached that milestone of 70 since then have not gotten anything.”
Terry said they aren’t asking for a retroactive raise, but want everyone in their class to be increased in what is already a meager pension.
The rally will be held at the capitol on Tuesday.
Rally-ers will meet in the capitol cafeteria at 8 a.m.
Photo by David Wilson via Flickr CC License