Cost of Living Adjustments for Public Retirees

Policy Committee    March 21, 2023

HARRISBURG, March 21 – House Democratic Policy Committee Chair Ryan Bizzarro (D-Erie) and State Senator Katie Muth (D-Chester/Montgomery/Berks), Chair of the Senate Democratic Policy Committee,  today joined Sen. John Kane (D-Chester/Delaware), Rep. Steven Malagari (D-Montgomery) and Rep. Dan Deasy (D-Allegheny) to co-host a joint public hearing on legislation that would provide a cost of living adjustment (COLA) for retirees in the Pennsylvania State Employees Retirement System (SERS) and the Pennsylvania Public School Employees Retirement System (PSERS). The hearing featured two panels of testimony that focused on the increasing cost of living and the struggle of retirees living on state pensions in Pennsylvania. 

• Hosts: Rep. Steven Malagari (D-Montgomery), Rep. Dan Deasy (D-Allegheny), and Sen. John Kane (D-Chester/Delaware)
• Testifiers:
  • S. Thomas Curry- Retired Educator
  • Arthur G. Steinberg- President, Pennsylvania American Federation of Teachers
  • Aaron Chapin- Vice President, Pennsylvania State Educators Association
  • J. David Henderson- Executive Director, AFSCME Council 13
  • Stephen Catanese- President, SEIU Local 668

Agenda + Testimony

• Hearing agenda and testimony: Cost of Living Adjustments for Public Retirees

Media Release + News Coverage

• Senate, House Dems discuss need for COLA for PSERS and SERS retirees, March 21, 2023
• CBS 21, PA Democrats push support for COLA increase for retirees, March 21, 2023

Photos

• Click here to view photos from this hearing
• Click here to watch the full hearing