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Advocates for COLA Restoration and Pension Reform

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Advocates for COLA Restoration and Pension Reform

About

Contact Our Team

Get Started

About

Contact Our Team

Get Started

THE LEGACY OF RISRA 2011

Welcome all Rhode Island

Retirees - Active Teachers - State Workers - MERS

Mission Statement

The functioning of our Advocate group represents the founding of a meeting place and platform for those of us (retired and current state workers and teachers, as well as members of the Municipal Employees Retirement System) who were so brutally robbed of our Cost of Living Adjustment in 2011 by then State Treasurer, Gina Raimondo, in what appears to be her quest for National recognition. We continuously make known, by way of news media, that this aspect of our retirement plan had been contractually guaranteed, as well as having been purchased by us for approximately 10% of our yearly salaries for the entirety of our careers.

Because of the inflationary increase in the national cost of living— over 40% since 2011— what began as an injustice has morphed into a crisis. Our efforts also involve the undoing of the unnecessary pension reforms instituted through RIRSA which have undermined worker morale and created a significant shortage of those qualified to enter state and teaching positions.

Our efforts include returning Pension regulations and practices to their pre 2011 status, removing age requirements for retirement, future COLA percentages based upon the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and applied to full pension increments, with the elimination of caps in determining payment.

Sandra Paquette - Founder, Advocates for COLA Restoration and Pension Reform (Registered, Non-Profit)

WHAT HAPPENED TO R.I.’s COLA’S ?

RI’s retired and current teachers and state workers have been dealing with the aftermath of the 2011 Pension Security Act, causing them to lose their contractually binding Cost Of Living Adjustment, a provision instituted to offset the trauma of inflation during their retirement years. For 13 years this group of lifetime workers have been struggling to remain financially solvent in a time of historically rising inflation, responsible for a drastic undermining of purchasing power.

Through the efforts of the current General Assembly, urged on by Advocates for COLA Restoration and Pension Reform, an initial breakthrough was at last achieved pertaining to the COLA in June of 2024. Legislation was unanimously passed to initiate the process of a reinstated Cost of Living Adjustment.

The Advocates group will continue our efforts until full reform is achieved.

Meet your Advocates planning team !

Sandra Paquette, Founder

M.Ed Boston College

BS.Ed RIC

Aldo Palazzo CDR USN (Ret)

M.A. National Security Affairs / Strategic Studies

M.S. Managment

Debi Catamero, M.Ed. U.R.I.

M.Ed. Admin Providence College

Retired Elementary School Principal

Brian Kennedy, M.Public Admin.

John Breguet

Former Labor Relations Administrator, State of R.I.

A Message from ;

The Board of Directors, Advocates for COLA Restoration and Pension Reform.

Dear Advocates, we have now begun meeting and planning ( January 2026) as we have entered this year’s legislative session.

Our goals remain intact, and we are committed to working to restore the COLA for ALL Advocates. We will be updating information on our website, and Facebook page so check in often.

Feel free to contact us via email at: advocate4cola@gmail.com

We CAN make it happen !

Continuous meetings with our General Treasurer and his staff:

WHO DO I WRITE TO ?

State Legislators Information

Click on the blue link below

for all pertinent information to find your local representative;

including email addresses!

https://www.rilegislature.gov/representatives/default.aspx

VERY ENCOURAGING MEETING WITH GOVERNOR MCKEE, NOVEMBER 2025

Dear Members of Advocates for COLA Restoration and Pension Reform: Members of our Board of Directors, Sandra Paquette, Aldo Palazzo, and Brian Kennedy met with the Governor on November 14th.

Here are Sandra's opening words to the Governor.

"WE ARE NOT HERE TO ASK YOU FOR MONEY. YOU SEE THREE PEOPLE SEATED HERE , BUT LOOK BEYOND TO THE THOUSANDS WHOM WE REPRESENT. WE ARE HERE TO RESTORE THE INJUSTICES CREATED BY RIRSA 2011. AND, WE HAVE A PLAN.”

Join our “Advocates” email list to receive the most current, up to date information. Simply send us an email to: advocate4cola@gmail.com and leave your name.

Member Resource Hub

Find your legislators emails, and other important information here: To find your legislator, click on the blue links below. Find your Rep, or Senator and click on their photo. Scroll down and you’ll see their information including the email address.

https://www.rilegislature.gov/senators/default.aspx

https://www.rilegislature.gov/representatives/default.aspx

Employees’ Retirement System of Rhode Island

https://www.ersri.org

https://www.ersri.org Click on this blue link which will bring you to the ERSRI website. Once there, click on Publications and Reports, then: ERS Actuarial Valuations

Category

http://www.ersri.org
Link Two
Link Three

Thank you to our Advocate, David Fontaine for his contributions.

The Time is NOW

Letter #1

To: Honorable Members of the State of Rhode Island Legislature

Subject: Urgent Request to Reinstate the Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) for Retirees

Dear Members of the Legislature, [Personalize with their name]

I am writing to urge you to support our 5 goals and to make them your top priority for 2026.

This legislation will at long last put an end to the injustice and hardship brought about by RIRSA 2011. This is where you should be very specific in regards to how your current pension income impedes your purchasing power.

A binding legal contract was broken, our Constitution was violated, and General Assembly members were deceived. (ADD YOUR PERSONAL COMMENTS HERE)

The time has come to take action. The problem was brought about through legislation, and the solution must come through the same source.

Sincerely,

[Your full name ( and contact info)]

Letter #2

To: [ INSERT YOUR LOCAL REPRESENTATIVES/SENATORS NAME HERE]

Subject: Urgent Request to Reinstate the Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) for Retirees

Dear Members of the Legislature,

[Personalize with specific names, including your Senator and Rep.]

I am writing to respectfully urge you to support the reinstatement of our COLA.

COLAs are not bonuses; they are vital protections that ensure retirement benefits retain their value in the face of inflation. Without them, retirees are effectively receiving less each year—struggling to afford groceries, prescriptions, utilities, and housing on fixed incomes that have not kept pace with economic realities.

These retirees dedicated themselves in careers that serve our communities. They upheld their end of the contract by working diligently, often under difficult and demanding conditions. It is only fair that the state honors its commitment to them by ensuring their pensions provide real economic security—not just in name, but in value.

The absence of COLA has become a matter not just of fairness, but of dignity. Reinstating the COLA would demonstrate the state’s respect for its retired workforce and restore trust in the retirement system for current active workers and future employees.

I ask you to act decisively and compassionately by supporting our 5 goals to reinstate the COLA for our retirees. Your leadership can make a tangible difference in the lives of those who gave their careers in service to the public.

Thank you for your attention and your commitment to the well-being of all citizens.

Sincerely,

[Your Full Name]

The time is NOW….. to write or email representatives in 2026, THE GOAL IS; To flood them with your requests .

Urge them to support our 5 goals to reinstate the COLA. You may begin this ASAP, and repeat as often as you like to remind them, or update them on our progress.

Just 1 letter from each of our ADVOCATE members = 5,000 letters/emails. Let’s make sure they cannot ignore their responsibility to their constituents.

Guidelines (suggestions only)

Introduce yourself and note if you are a constituent, tell about your personal hardships since RIRSA, using detail where relevant.
Discuss the unfairness of both 2011 and 2015 and why neither was morally, ethically and even legally appropriate.
Note that the situation has evolved into an increasing crisis with each inflationary year
Make them aware that the solution must come though the General Assembly
Note that we are not seeking taxpayer money, but rather that the ERSRI Pension Fund be used for its contributing members

All Senate and Representative addresses and committee information can be found at:

www.rilegislature.gov

State of Rhode Island General Assembly

Every voice matters!

Include members of the House and Senate Finance Committees, Speaker Shekarchi, and your own Representatives and Senators. Our team was informed that legislators must not only say they support us, they must personally tell the Speaker that he must make our goals are his #1 priority. This injustice has gone on for much too long.

EXAMPLE LETTERS

The letters below are meant to serve as guidelines.

You may copy and paste to use them as your basic format.

*We encourage you to then personalize them,

especially by adding YOUR STORY! and how this has affected you and your life!*

https://www.ersri.org

email@example.com

ERSRI

BOARD UPDATES

Sandra Paquette & Aldo Palazzo

-

Sandra Paquette & Aldo Palazzo -

Our 5 Goals 2026

Restore COLA to ALL Retirees.
Eliminate caps on base amount of retirement income.
COLA based on CPI
Reduce Rule of 95 to 90
Utilize our Pension Fund to cover the costs of benefits.

ERSRI Information

401-462-7600

ERSRI Retirement Board Mtgs.

2nd Floor Conference Room

50 Service Avenue Warwick, RI

Meetings are open to the public.

Next meeting:

February 18, 2026

9:30-11:00 a.m.

Upcoming meetings: 9:30-11:00

March 11, 2026

April 8, 2026

June 10, 2026

July 15, 2026

September 9, 2026

October 14, 2026

November 18, 2026

December 16, 2026

TESTIMONIALS

UPDATES

June 24,2025

Dear Advocates,

Although this year the GA has offered no additional benefits to pre 2012 retirees- our compounded COLA will definitely continue. Of concern is the fact that they have not extended this to post 2012 retirees ,something for which we strongly fought. It is also troubling that our major bill: H-6238, never made it out of Committee.

What the GA did succeed in accomplishing, is to strengthen and increase our determination to come up with new plans and strategies, and to to unlock the stumbling blocks impeding our progress .

Our first Planning Committee/ War Council meeting of the summer will take place on Friday, June 27. We are also planning to hold informal get togethers in several locations around our state, to meet our Advocate members in person and to receive your input. We will put out dates shortly so you may plan accordingly.

We have a continuing commitment to over 5,000 advocate members, and we will vehemently fight for our now- 5 stated goals:

1. Restore the COLA to ALL Retirees. Reform the pension for future retirees.

2. Eliminate caps on base amount of retirement income.

3. COLA based on CPI (or 3%)

4. Reduce Rule of 95 to 90

5. Utilize the Pension Fund to cover the costs of benefits.

Sincerely,

Sandra Paquette

President, Advocates for COLA Restoration and Pension Reform

Join our cause

to fully restore ALL COLA’s

Updates: 11/15/2025

Debi Catamero

advocate4cola@gmail.com

Email us here with your name to enable us to add you to our mailing list.

THE LEGACY OF RISRA 2011

Welcome all Rhode Island

Retirees - Active Teachers - State Workers - MERS

Mission Statement

We CAN make it happen !

We CAN make it happen ! We CAN make it happen !

Dear Members of Advocates for COLA Restoration and Pension Reform: Members of our Board of Directors, Sandra Paquette, Aldo Palazzo, and Brian Kennedy met with the Governor on November 14th.

Here are Sandra's opening words to the Governor.

Letter #1

Letter #2

Every voice matters!

EXAMPLE LETTERS

The letters below are meant to serve as guidelines.

You may copy and paste to use them as your basic format.

*We encourage you to then personalize them,

especially by adding YOUR STORY! and how this has affected you and your life!*

email@example.com

Sandra Paquette & Aldo Palazzo

-

Sandra Paquette & Aldo Palazzo - Sandra Paquette & Aldo Palazzo -

Our 5 Goals 2026

advocate4cola@gmail.com

We CAN make it happen !

Sandra Paquette & Aldo Palazzo -