It has been four months since the convention and many things have happened. First, I was able, with the support of the FLFED Executive Board, to split the Federation membership position into two positions, a Recruitment Chair and a Retention Chair. The basis for this decision is that both positions justify a full time chair when we consider the problems facing membership. Membership is a top concern for the Florida Federation. We need the new members to contact us and let us know how they feel about our legislative initiatives, what initiatives they think we should introduce and generally let us know what they expect!

Many of our new members, when they retire, continue to work, some start their own businesses or have other priorities. We need to hear from them, how we can address their interest. To be responsive, new members have to tell us what they want. Some chapters have evening meetings or Saturday meetings to accommodate retired, but working members. Another possibility is to establish a virtual web site or blog that could be monitored to respond to inquiries or, simply, to interact with members who cannot or do not want to attend meetings. PLEASE CONTACT ME AND LET ME KNOW HOW WE CAN BETTER SERVE YOU! DEJS33149@AOL.COM! There are many things we can do. If you are currently employed and cannot get away for lunch to attend a meeting, a chapter can be established in your work place and you can have brown bag, informal meetings. This is being done successfully nationwide! You may have other ideas! Please share them with me!

LOBBY MONTH
NARFE National instituted National Lobby Month where we have been asked to contact our two Senators and our congressional representative and ask them to support key legislation supported by NARFE. Specifically, in the Senate we ask you to call the NARFE hotline or write asking the folks WE put in office to cosponsor and help get to the floor for a vote the Legislation that seeks to get retirees, as a matter of fairness, Premium Conversion in the Senate, S.773 and in the House, H.R. 1110 And, also as a matter of fairness, the repeal of the WEP/GPO in the Senate, S.206 and in the House, H.R. 82 and also the GPO Modification Bill, in the Senate, S. 1254. In each of these issues, a simple call to the NARFE Legislative Hotline, Toll free, 1-877-217-8234, will connect you to your congressional representative and you can ask that they support OUR Legislation. Senator Bill Nelson has supported all of NARFE’s legislative bills. Senator Mel Martinez has not! You can go on the National web site, www.narfe.org, log on as a member and go to the legislative web page. Follow instructions on how to find your representative. She/he will come up, click on their picture and you will be given an option to send an e-mail. Once you have that page, it will tell you whether they have cosponsored our legislation or not. Click on ask for support and submit your e-mail or thank them if they have cosponsored. FOLKS, IF YOU DON’T ASK FOR SUPPORT, WHO WILL? If you do nothing, what can you expect? Don’t be afraid, act now! You can go to our web site, www.narfefl.net and see who cosponsors and who does not. Stand up for your rights! You earned and paid for those benefits! DO NOT LET ANYONE TELL YOU IT IS A GIFT FROM THE GOVERNMENT!

REGION III BIENNIAL LEADERSHIP SEMINAR–2 to 4 October 2007

This is a fantastic opportunity to learn and develop great strategies to strengthen your chapters. It will help train future leaders and help us work together to achieve benefits taken from us that should be restored as a matter of fairness. The training is designed to meet the needs of our area. REGISTRATION FEE IS $40.00 AND INCLUDES TWO LUNCHES AND A BANQUET! THE LOCATION IS THE QUALITY INN, 1325 VETERANS PKWY, Columbus, GA., 877-424-6423, Room Rate- $63.00+tax. RESERVATIONS MUST BE MADE BY 15 SEPT ’07. Please plan to go! It will be a great experience, fun and meet folks with your interests at heart!

ALZHEIMER'S CRUISES: 2 – 9 DEC. AND 9-16 DEC. 2007
While the deadline has come and gone, we can still accommodate last minute passengers. We sent out fliers to all chapter Presidents. But, if you want, here is how you can get information on the possibility of going on one of the cruises at the last minute.
2 – 9 Dec: Leaves from Tampa!
9- 16 Dec: Leaves Port Everglades
For information, Call Phyllis Bernstein, 813-839-4233
or Fax 813-835-6701
Each person earns NARFE Alzheimer's $25.00
Join us on the cruise and help a worthy cause!

LOCAL ISSUES:
Tax Portability –
Petitions are being signed to get tax portability on the ballot in November. Have you thought about downsizing from your present home, but decided because your taxes on your lower cost new residence would be higher than on your present home even though it costs half of what you can get for your present property? The Tax Portability may be for you. This would allow you to carry over into your new property the same tax level you have on your current home. Contact your local Tax Appraiser’s Office and find out where you can support a petition to get Tax portability on the Ballot.

Homestead Exemption –
Here, we are being offered a choice of whether to keep our present Homestead Exemption or to take a substantial reduction on our property taxes except that under this second option, your taxes would not be capped. I have looked into this matter and recommend that if we do get the option of keeping our Homestead Exemption or taking the more generous non Homestead Exemption, that you consult an expert before you
decide. Once you make a choice, it is my understanding that it is irreversible.

Home Insurance –
Some of you may have already received you premium notice for your Home Insurance. Some of us have received small or no increases, while others of us have received increases of up to 100%. I received a small decrease, but the year before, my premium increased by 100%. I consulted a trusted insurance broker who recommended ways I could reduce my premium. His recommendations resulted in a premium reduction of 40%. The reductions that he recommended at first would have resulted in an even greater reduction in premiums, BUT, in the event of severe losses and damages, I would have been left with unaffordable out of pocket expenses. I asked him what levels of insurance he had and that is what I opted for. While I would be left with higher out of pocket expenses, they are affordable.
Whatever, you decide, the choice must be based on what you can afford.

There are many local issues that we should concern ourselves with that go beyond our interests in NARFE. We are members of a larger community that includes NARFE, the community of seniors. I know many if not most of you are involved in community affairs. Please share what you do. This is great PR for NARFE. You may be doing things no one has thought of doing. You won’t be bragging, you will be helping!

I hope all of you have had a great summer! Your Florida Federation elected and appointed Executive Board members have been working hard on your behalf. If you have any suggestions or ideas, please share them with me! Again, you can contact me at dejs33149@aol.com. I sincerely look forward to hearing from you.