Legislative Update

by

Crystal Ward - John Kosinski

Legislative News for April 2022

The Maine Legislature voted on April 19,2022 to acccept the Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee  supplemental budget by a 2/3 majority, now to the Governor for signing.  This means it can go into effect immediately!!!   Current and future retirees will have some pension protections to help keep up with inflation. Current retirees received the maximum COLA of 3% last summer, but inflation during this same time was 5.4%.

MEA is pleased to report that in a unanimous vote, the Appropriations Committee made threeimportant improvements to the pension:

1.Voted to increase the base amount for cost-of-living by 2.4%. This is critical. In 2011, then-Governor LePage and the Legislature pushed through a cap where the COLA only applies to the first $20,000 in earnings, later adjusted for inflation. Lifting the base amount by 2.4% will help make sure those with less in pension earnings will be able to keep pace.

2.Instead of a one-time payment, as originally proposed by the Governor, the Committee increased the COLA for all benefits going forward by 1%. While this is not the full 2.4% increase MEA advocated for, the 1% cumulative COLA and the increase in the base amount represents real progress for current and future retirees.

3. Under the proposal, the first $25,000 in pension benefits will be tax free, starting next year. This is big change-before this vote, pension benefits were subject to state tax after $10,000 in benefits.Additionally, the tax-free exemption will increase $5,000 per year going forward until it is in line with the tax-free exemption of Social Security benefits, which is currently $35,000. This gives retirees the same tax-free exemptions as those who collect Social Security. Please contact Representative Jan Dodge ,the author of this bill.

Rep. Jan Dodge

7 Vine St.

Belfast,Me. 04915

Jan.Dodge@legislature.maine.gov

The improvements passed  do not make up for the steep cuts to our pensions made in 2011 under Governor LePage, and are not everything MEA advocated for, but they represent real progress for current and future retirees .  

THANK YOU to all the MEA members who reached out to legislators to make their case about how educators are disadvantaged in retirement.  This was a unanimous vote of the Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee.

It is time to say Thank You to all the people you contacted --- please email, write, phone ASAP. If you need any info contact me at cward10@roadrunner.com  or 786-7084

There is also some tax relief for retired and $850 stimulus check to be sent to most Maine residents will go out in June.  

Respectfully,

Crystal Ward / John Kosinski

 THE QUIZ - Spring Flowers False Facts

1. Which of the following facts about the Lilly of the Valley is false?

A. Legend has it that Lily of the valley sprang from Eve's tears when she was exiled from the Garden of Eden  

B. It actually  belongs to the asparagus family

C. It is fatal if consumed

D. It is the national flower of Finland and Yugoslavia.

2. Which of the following is false about the peony?

A. A peony represents wealth and honor. It also embody romance and love

B. Peonies can live to be over 200 years old and still produce flowers

C. The white peony is one of the oldest remedies in traditional Chinese medicine.

D. Legend has it that Zeus saved  the Greek Paeon from the wrath of the god Asclepius by turning him into the peony flower.

3. Which if false about the Tiger Lilly?

A. The Tiger Lily, bears large, fiery orange flowers covered by spots. The name tiger probably refers to the spots on thepetals

B. The Tiger Lily is also known as the Ditch Lily as it is found in and around ditches in large parts of America.

C. These spotty lilies are associated with wealth and pride. Because of its vibrant colors, it symbolizes positivity and  confidence.

D. Tiger lilies are non-toxic if ingested by humans and pets.

4. Which is false about carnations?

A. Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is the carnation capital of the world.

B. Carnations are known as the “Flower of the Gods.”

C. Due to the many colors of carnations, they were used as currency in ancient times

D. The name “carnation” comes from “coronation” or “corone” which means flower garlands, since carnations were commonly used in Greek ceremonial crowns, hence “carnation.”

5. Which is false about hydrangeas?

A. They are Madonna’s favorite flower.

B. The color of the flowers are affected by aluminum ions in the soil.

C. The flower was first discovered in Japan.

D. There are between 70 – 75 species of hydrangeas

6. Which  is true about grape hyacinths?

A. It is called Grape Hyacinth because its flowers look like bunches of grapes and they are similar to Hyacinth

B  It is known as muscari  in Greece which means musk which is fitting for these scented flower

C. In Holland at the Keukenhof Gardens, there is a an area called the “Blue River,” where an overwhelming mass of grape hyacinths are planted so densely and vast, it looks like a river running through the trees, shrubs and other spring flowers.

D. All of the above

7. Which of the following is false about delphinium’s?

A. Delphinium was commonly used by Native Americans and European settlers to make blue dye.

B. In ancient times, delphinium was used to repel scorpions, lice, and other parasites

C. Delphinium is very poisonous to both humans and animals, and can lead to severe illness, paralysis, or death.

D. The name is derived from a Roman word meaning dolphin

8. Which is false about asters?

A. There are over 600 species of aster

B. The aster is related to the daisy.

C. The aster is associated with patience, lasting love, good luck and feminine energy.

D. Asters were burned and smoked in ancient times as a means of warding off negative energy.

9. Which is false about roses?

A. The world's oldest living rose is believed to be 1,000 years old. It grows on the wall of the Cathedral of Hildesheim in Germany ad its presence is documented since A.D. 815

B. They can be eaten raw, mixed into various fruit or green salads or dried and added to granola or mixed herbs.

C. Roses also grow a berry-shaped fruit commonly referred to as ‘rose hips’. The fruit can be orange, red, dark purple, or even black.

D. Rosehips are packed with vitamin C. or The most recent popular rose is the black rose.

10. Which of the following is false about petunias ?

A. Petunias originated from South America.

B. Petunias are related to tobacco.

C. The Maya and Inca believed that the scent of petunias had the power to ward off underworld monsters and spirits.

D. Offering petunia as a gift sends message: "I'm in love.

Answers

1. C – While not fatal, ingestion can cause abdominal pain, blurred vision, drowsiness and reduced heart rate.
2. B – Peonies can live for over 100 years under the right conditions.
3. D - Tiger lilies are not poisonous to humans. In fact, some parts of the plant, like flowers and bulbs, are edible. But when it comes to pets, tiger lilies can be poisonous to both dogs and cats. However, the level of toxicity is different.
4. A – Bogota, Columbia is the Carnation Capital of the World.
5. A – Apparently the hydrangea is Madonna’s least favorite flower.
6. D – all are true
7. D – the word is derived from the Greek meaning dolphin.
8. B – the aster is cousin to the sunflower.
9. E - Sorry to disappoint, but there is no such thing as ‘black’ roses. What might sometimes be referred to as a black rose is actually a dark red rose.
10. D. – offering petunias as a gift sends the message, “I’m furious.”

Treasurer's Report - March 2022

from Gina Fuller

Treasurer's Report

 As a reminder - Our meetings have ended for this year, but will resume in September/October.

Recipe -  EZ-CUISINE  - EEEEEE-Z  KWEEEZEEN

It's time for the garden and lawn and all things outside. This month is easy, easy cuisine. 

Dump Cake from MSN

https://www.msn.com/en-us/foodanddrink/restaurantsandnews/dump-cake-is-the-perfect-lazy-weekend-baking-recipe/ar- AAWfYE8

How to make dump cake

Here’s how dump cake works:

Now, not everyone likes the syrupy texture of store-bought fruit pie filling, and that’s fine. You can swap it out for freshly sliced fruit if you desire. But the pie filling syrup in this recipe (alongside the butter) is performing the crucial function of hydrating the cake mix so that you don’t end up with a bunch of cooked powder. So if you want to use fresh fruit instead, you’ll have to add another hydrating element. May we suggest… lemon-lime soda?

Great recipe from MSN.  Get outside!

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