The recent inflation spiral has made us more aware of public policies that in normal times pass unnoticed. State policies, particularly retirement programs, loom particularly large in Massachusetts because we are one of only seven states that do not participate in Social Security for public employees.

State retirees who did not enjoy second jobs in the private sector are entirely dependent on the commonwealth’s retirement program, which provides minimal adjustment for inflation. Max Page, president of the Massachusetts Teachers Association (MTA) charitably calls it “totally ridiculous.” He’s referring to the cap of $13,000 on a recipient’s retirement income used as the basis for annual cost of living assessments, regardless of a recipient’s income. This means that a retirement income of $50,000 with a COLA of 3% annually will be worth only $53,900 a decade later; while the real value of the pension slips to $40,106.67, a loss of nearly $10,000, per UMass Boston economist Prof. Arthur MacEwan.

What’s to be done? The best solution would be apply COLAs at the current rate of inflation to a retiree’s total benefit. But most informed observers agree that such reform is devilishly expensive and arguably utopian. Instead, the MTA now proposes legislation (S 1638 and H 2505) to increase the COLA base to $18,000 from the current base of $13,000 and continue increases over time.

When public pensions were invented in the United States in 1935 life expectancy stood at 60 years for men and 64 years for women). Today they are 73 and 79, respectively. The typical worker who leaves today’s workforce at age 65 can expect to spend around 15 years in retirement.

It’s time to begin to bring the retirement system in line with the modern life cycle of employment-retirement. The MTA has prioritized pension reform and won support from the Boston Teachers Union and the American Federation of Teachers/Massachusetts. Their worthy effort deserves the support of every citizen, whether or not a union member. We, the Pelham Town Democratic Committee,urge our state representatives and senators to vote for H 2505 and S 1638.

Jane Porter, Bruce Laurie, Anne Nugent, Gayle Barton, Barbara Cooper, Ralph Faulkingham, Diane Gray, Abby Jenks, Linda Smirchich, Nancy Rose Weeber

Pelham Democratic Town Committee members