The Thirty-Ninth Annual Convention of the Retired Public Employees Council of Washington was held at The Yakima Convention Center.
Convention committee meetings were held on Monday morning September 20, 2010 and the convention general session was conducted on Monday afternoon, Tuesday and Wednesday, September 20, 21 and 22, 2010.
The Yakama Tribal School Indian Dancers presented a spectacular performance at the banquet on Tuesday night and was attended by approximately 200 people.
Board members voted to honor John E. O’Brien with the Norm Schut Award for distinguished service. John has served as RPEC president, vice-president, his chapter president, and is the RPEC representative to the Alliance for Retired Americans as well as serving as the ARA’s vice-president. John is also active in his community helping out at the food bank and heading up a project that paints the homes of low-income and elderly people.
2010 Constitutional Amendments:
Constitutional Amendment 1 - Passed
Article X – Chapters – Annual conventions shall be two days duration in odd-numbered years and one day during even-numbered years.
Article VIII – Election of Officers – Officers and district board members shall be elected in off-numbered years, except that in 2010 board members shall be elected for a one-year term.
All Resolutions were submitted from the floor:
Resolution 1 (Chapter 2) – Did Not Pass
Refocus of SSB 6584 – That RPEC Convention 2010 go forward with legislation hold HCA accountable to OIC regarding all PEBB benefits.
Resolution 2 (Chapter 2) – Refered to Executive Board
That on and after January 1, 2011, the Chief Lobbyist of the Retired Public Employee Council shall be its Executive Director, and the Executive Director position shall be fulltime.
Resolution 3 (Chapter 3) – Did Not Pass
Oppose ID Requirements and Racial Scapegoating in Arizona
Resolution 4 (Chapter 3) – Did Not Pass
Fixing Social Security by RPEC advocating taxing all wages, even those above the ceiling, and or an additional tax of 5% high income households.
Resolution 5 (Chapter 3) – Passed
Limiting Usury Rates by Banks, Credit Card Cos. & Retail Stores by capping these default rates at no more than twice the median rates of current home loans and that a copy of this resolution be sent to the President and to the Washington State Congressional Delegation.
Resolution 6 (Chapter 3) – Did Not Pass
Vehicle License Plates – That Washington only require change as needed.
Resolution 7 (Chapter 3) – Did Not Pass
Revising the Tax Code – That RPEC supports simplifying the tax code classifying all income equally, and that a copy of this resolution be sent to the President and to the Washington State Congressional Delegation.
Resolution 8 (Chapter 3) – Withdrawn by Chapter 3
Washington State Income Tax – That RPEC actively support and lobby for the enactment of a state income tax system.
Resolution 9 (Chapter 2) – Passed
Adopt RPEC Lobby Day 2011 to be held during the third week of January 2011 and that the RPEC Legislative Standing Committee work with the RPEC board and RPEC staff to ensure that this Lobby Day take place each year.
