APRIL 2021
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Below is legislation being supported by
the National NYCPD 10-13 Organizations, Inc., for the
2022-2023 legislative session. The obligation and the focus
of the National is to support legislation which helps
benefit our members and their families. As you are aware,
for the past decade we have rigorously submitted Health
Protection legislation. This is one of the most important
pieces of legislation for our members and their families.
Even though we are protected by NYC's Administrative Code,
intro 580, which gives us protection for our Health
Insurance and Medicare Reimbursement, it only takes the
Mayor and the NYC Council a strike of the pen to change
these laws. This has already been done to NYS retirees, by
changing the Civil Service Laws. It also has been done in
other states and cities throughout the country. As I have
reported recently, and as you are aware of by now, N.Y.
State and N.Y.C are crying poverty due to the COVID-19
virus. Even with the Federal Stimulus Package that will send
New York State & City approximately one hundred million
dollars bailout funds. The Governor and Mayor are still
talking about raising taxes and cutbacks. We have already
been told by our Key Bill sponsors and co-sponsors that any
legislation that has a Fiscal Note (COLA Bills) attached to
it will be difficult to move forward this year. it should
also be noted that for the 3d year in a row, the state is
looking to freeze the Medicare Part B reimbursement at the
current rate for retirees. We, along with the Alliance of
Public Retiree Organizations of New York and its numerous
organizations are strongly opposing this proposal. It is important for us to support this
type of legislation, as that would set a precedent to
protect retirees who were guaranteed these benefits. Upon
retirement, retirees can no longer negotiate or have a voice
through collective bargaining. Their only resource of
protection is through their elected officials. It is
important that the National be involved with the Alliance of
Public Retirees of New York, which includes other NYS and
NYC Retiree groups. It's also important that we visit with
legislators and communicate through Memoranda of Support to
make sure our voice is heard.
LEGISLATIVE
AGENDA Lobby Day for the 2021 Legislative Session
has been cancelled due to the Legislators office closure due
to COVID-19 Virus. Presently, the National NYCPD 10-13
Association supports the below bills. HEALTH BENEFITS PROTECTION BILL -
Protects benefits we earned upon retirement. SPONSORED BY:
Senator Andrew
Lanza
S #5030-21 Staten Island, District 24
(718) 984-4073 Albany Office Rm# 708L
(518) 455-3215 Assemblyman David Weprin
A # 4203-20 Fresh Meadows, Queens, District 24
(718) 454-3027 Albany Office - Rm# 526L
(518) 455-5806 VETERANS SUPPLEMENTATION BILL
(RETIREES) SPONSORED BY: Senator John E. Brooks
S #5110-21 Massapequa, NY District 08
(516) 882-0630 Albany Office Rm. 513L
(518) 455-2765 Assemblywoman DiDi Barrett
A #6452-20 Poughkeepsie, N.Y. District 106
(845) 454-1703 Albany Office — Rm. 841L
(518) 455-5177
COLA
ENHANCEMENT BILLS (SIX)
SPONSORED BY: Senator Anthony Gounardes
5-
S#’s Bay Ridge, Dyker Hgts, Bklyn, District 22
(718) 238-6044 Albany Office — Rm 902L
(518) 455-2730 *NOTE: Senator Gounardes is the new
Chairman of Civil Service and Pensions Committee. All the
above Bills must come out if his committee to move forward.
Assemblyman
Peter Abbate
5- A#’s Brooklyn, District 49
(718) 236-1764 Albany Office — Rm 839L
(518) 455-3053 *NOTE: Assemblyman Abbate is the
Chairman of the Government Employees Committee. All our
Bills must also come out of his committee to move forward. Senator Neil Breslin
1-S# Albany Office — Rm 430C
(518) 455-2225 Assemblyman Phil Stec
1-A# Schenectady, N.Y., District 110
(518) 377-0902 Albany Office — Rm 702L
(518) 455-5931
VARIABLE SUPPLEMENTS FOUND-TEMPORARY
TASK FORCE SPONSORED BY:
Senator Joseph
P. Addabbo, Jr.
S-268-21 Howard Beach Area, District 15
(718) 322-5760 Albany Office — Rm 409L
(518) 455-2322 Assemblywoman Aileen M. Gunther
A-3716-21 Middletown, N.Y., District 100
(845) 342-9304 Albany Office-Rm 826L VARIABLE SUPPLEMENT FUND FOR ALL Senator James Sanders, Jr.
S-5107
Ozone Park & Far Rockaway, District 10
(718) 523-3069 & (718) 327-7017 Albany Office-Rm 711L **Senate: President and Majority
Leader: Senator Andrea Stewart Cousins, Yonkers
(914) 423-4031 Albany Office — Rm 907L
(518) 455-2585 ** Speaker of the Assembly: Assemblyman Carl E. Heastsie, Bronx, N.Y.
(718) 654-6539 Albany Office — Rm 932L
(518) 455-3791 **Senator Stewart Cousins and
Assemblyman Heastie must approve all bills to move forward
for Governor Cuomo to sign the bills into law. Some of the above-mentioned Bills have not
yet been numbered or gone through the Committee process. At
this point, the only way we will see these Bills voted on
and sent to the Governor, is if we make the sponsors of the
Bills aware of how important the Bills are not only to our
membership but to all retirees and veterans.
WE NEED YOUR
SUPPORT!! In
order to make the sponsors aware, we ask that each National
NYCPD 10-13 member CALL the individual sponsors,
Senator Stewart-Cousins and Assemblyman Carl Heatsie. The
call can be "short and sweet". Just mention that you are a
member of the National NYCPD 10-13 Organization, as well as
a member of the Alliance of Public Retirees Organization of
New York. State the importance of the Bill to all retirees
and veterans and the need of the sponsors' support. In addition, we ask that you call your
district Senator and Assembly Representative and ask them to
co-sponsor the above Bills. Please make the calls. The more calls the
sponsors receive the better chance we have in getting the
Bills passed. Remember, there is strength in numbers! These
Bills will benefit all of us. If we do not actively stand-up
for ourselves, Who Will?? If you have any family or friends
that reside in the above Senators and Assemblymen's
districts, please ask them to also call them at their
district offices. Fraternally,
Frank
Martarella email: cicheech@aol.com |
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AUGUST 2020
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August 17, 2020 Dear Future NYPD Retirees: I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your dedicated service as a member of the greatest Police Department in the world, the NYPD. We wish you a healthy and happy retirement. We open the doors of the world of the retirees, and invite you to become a member of a Chapter (of your choice) of the National NYCPD 10-13 Organizations, Inc. Being a chapter member is an offer of the camaraderie enjoyed by your fellow NYPD retirees, and the pride of belonging to NYs Finest. It also helps retirees who decide to move to other areas of the country. We have 12 great chapters and are expanding. The National is the parent organization whose main objective is to protect and enhance the hard earned benefits that you deserve. After you retire, the only way to gain, enhance and protect your benefits is through legislation. The National NYCPD 10-13 has been in the forefront as the leading and most recognized go-to entity respected by the legislators of New York City and New York State. Some of our accomplishments include: COLA, Medicare Reimbursement and Surviving Spouse Legislation. We are working hard to attain improvements to the COLA, Health Insurance Protection and gain a supplement to Veteran's who are unable to buy back their time. I encourage you to get involved and join one of our national chapters, to enjoy the friendship of other NYPD Retirees, to become aware of what retirees face and to become an active voice as a proud member of the National NYCPD 10-13. Take a moment to look at the National's website: www.nationalnycpd1013.org, Read the History, the President's Message (the current page you're reading now), and Chapter Links. This is a sad and somber time for any civil service retiree. In particular, for NYPD active and retirees. We must remain strong and remain together to protect and enhance our hard earned benefits now more than ever. Strength is in numbers, get the word out. Join a 10-13 Club and get involved. All members in good standing are entitled to enter their college bound children or grandchildren to win one of three (3), $1,000.00 Scholarships each year. Each member receives a courtesy card, and may attend our Annual Convention (we just celebrated our 30th). Enjoy your retirement knowing that the National NYCPD 10-13 and its Chapters are looking out for you and your families. As President, I am available 24/7 to answer any questions you have about our organization and will try to assist you in your concerns. See list of National 10-13 Chapters. Sincerely, Frank Martarella Cell#; 718-637-1684 email: cicheech@aol.com |
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JUNE 2020
Download President's Message - PART 1, PART 2, VILLA ROMA FLYER
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June 20, 2020 Dear Board Members, Presidents, Members
and Friends: With summer and warm weather upon us, I
think there has never been a more dangerous time for our
active brothers and sisters, not to mention that there is a
nationwide assault against law and order. In addition, let's
not forget the officers throughout the country that gave
their lives or were injured during the recent riots. For the 2019-12020 New York State
Legislative sessions, we worked very hard to move forward
with our Legislative Agenda. We were able to obtain
additional co-sponsors for legislative bills and this was
achieved without our Annual Lobby Day trip to Albany due to
the Coronavirus pandemic. We had also received verbal
commitments from numerous legislators. It appeared that we
were going to have a successful legislative session. Then
"BOOM" the coronavirus comes upon us and Albany shuts down. After the New York State budget was
approved, eventually we started communications again with
Albany. I mailed 35 Thank You and Request to Co-sponsor Our
Bills letters to legislators who had already co-sponsored at
least one of our bills. As the legislative session was
moving along, "BOOM" the George Floyd incident happens which
starts riots throughout the country. But as usual, New York
City is at the forefront of the craziness and the
anti-police movement. It is crazy the anti-police bills that
the state legislators and city council members are
proposing, needless to say our 2020 Legislative Agenda went
nowhere. We have started preparing for the 2021-2022
legislative session by sending out more than 25 Letters of
Support, as has our Hudson Valley chapter. In addition, the
NYPD Retired Sergeants Association, of which I am their
Legislative Representative, has sent out the same Letter of
support. After the June 23rd primaries, and as the November
New York elections approach, we will start distributing
"PAC" funds to our key legislative supporters. This is a sad and somber time for any
civil servant retiree, in particular police related bills.
But we will not give up and surrender. We must remain strong
and remain together to protect and enhance our hard earned
benefits, now more than ever. On another note, I am truly honored to
have been re-elected President of the National NYCPD 10-13
Organization. I would like to thank you all for your support
and trust in me to lead the National in its future
endeavors. I would like to thank my Executive Board; Rich
Molloy, Marie Zolfo, John McLoughlin for continuing to stay
on with me. I also want to thank Hudson Valley President
John Briganti for accepting the first vice-President
position and Rich Morrill who was appointed Chairman of our
Committees. I would like to especially thank President
Emeritus, Anthony V. Perrone for his many years of
dedication and service to all of us. Tony will remain active
with the National. I still cannot believe how lucky we are
to have such a knowledgeable and dedicated team to continue
the work of the National. On behalf of the Executive Board, I
want to thank all of our Chapter Presidents, Executive
Boards and their members for their dedication and continued
support of the National 10-13 Organization. SAVE THE DATES: Our 31st national
Convention will be held at the beautiful Villa Roma Resort
on September 13th to 15th, 2020. I recently spoke with the
management of Villa Roma and was advised that the facility,
including all amenities will be operational on June 22" and
all coronavirus safety issues have been addressed and all
precautions will be adhered to. Please make every effort to
attend our convention this year. Again, I want to say "Thank You" for
your support. I look forward to seeing many of you at the
National Convention this September.
Sincerely, Frank Martarella |
MARCH 2020
Download President's Message - PART 1, PART 2, VILLA ROMA FLYER
March 25, 2020 Dear Chapter President & Members: Another winter has passed, we are in Springtime and summer quickly coming upon us. Usually, at this time of year, our snowbird members are returning from the warm weather of the south and we are busy preparing scheduling of our annual Lobby Day and scheduling Legislative Agenda meeting. However, the Coronavirus pandemic is upon us and, at this time, most of our snowbird members are staying in Florida. Our Lobby Day Albany trip has been postponed. The 2020 legislative session looked very encouraging to us. We had numerous meetings with key legislators, our attorney and other organizations, and we had received commitments and support for our Legislative Agenda. However, "Puff", utter chaos when the Coronavirus created massive shutdowns, particularly New York. The state budget has not been passed, as of this letter, and at this time, the budget and not Legislative Bills is Albany's main priority along with attempting to control the Coronavirus pandemic. In my lifetime I have been seen anything like the disaster that is upon us. This is an election year for state senators and assembly members, and the members that we have contacted are reluctant to meet in their district offices at this time. Based on conversations and feedback, April 20th, when schools are scheduled to re-open, we will have a better picture as of what will transpire in New York. I have been told that May 1st is the earliest that the Legislators anticipate that they will be returning to Albany. Keep in mind that the 2020 Albany Legislative session will end in June. As you can see it does not leave much time to move our Legislative Bills forward, not to mention that Governor Cuomo is already crying poverty. Your National Executive Board will continue to aggressively communicate through letters, telephone conversations and hopefully future visits with our state legislators. As we know, retirees, when they were active negotiated for and earned benefits for their future, and sometimes gave up pay increases and other benefits. Not having the ability to vote or negotiate regarding our benefits leaves us to look to our elected officials to protect the benefits that we fought for and earned. Once we have a clearer picture of what is happening in Albany as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic, we will give you an update. REMINDER: SAVE THE DATES, our 31st National Annual Convention (flier enclosed) is scheduled for September 13-15th at the beautiful Villa Roma Resort & Spa Hotel in Calicoon, New York. This year I am requesting that all of our Chapter President or their designee attend. Remember, All family and friends are welcome…..the more the merrier, making a successful convention. Stay Sage during the Coronavirus Pandemic. Fraternally,
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