Protect Our Benefits, Inc.
Protect Our Benefits, Inc. (POB) is a nonprofit volunteer corporation, formed in 1998, as a watchdog group dedicated to protecting and enhancing the health benefits of retirees in the San Francisco Health Service System (HSS) and the pension benefits of retirees in the San Francisco Employees Retirement System (SFERS). None of our members or directors are compensated for their services.
POB works with our fellow City and County of SF Employees (CCSF retirees) and their spouses to preserve and protect their earned healthcare, pension and other earned retirement benefits from illegal, unlawful, and inequitable attacks, intrusions, and erosion as a result of legal, administrative, and judicial actions.
The organization was formed by a group of motivated San Francisco retirees and their families who were ready to fight against a movement that was threatening their hard-earned pensions and benefits. Their mission was to provide information to public service retirees, elected officials, and policy makers on issues affecting the weakening of public employee retirement benefits, including legislation and administrative or judicial actions.
As volunteer watchdogs, we attend public meetings to monitor and report on what board members are discussing and how to deal with upcoming issues that can affect our benefits. We meet with CCSF Supervisors to explain our positions and attend Retirement and Health Board Meetings.
Today, our pensions and benefits continue to be under constant attack. Unfortunately, politicians and individuals with personal financial and political agendas have tried to spin the truth about how our benefits originated, who contributes to their costs, and if their costs adversely affect the budgets of our City and County. We strive to share the truth with the public about how our pension system works, where our benefits come from (the voters of CCSF through the Charter), the fiscal stability of both our Retirement and Health Systems, and that a pension is really a deferred compensation for work performed. We fiercely advocate fiduciary responsibility among the SFERS Board, Directors, and Trustees.
We depend on the generous contributions from our retired supporters to fund our operating costs and legal battles. Any San Francisco retiree may attend our meetings. We welcome CCSF retirees to come and observe our meetings and join us to fight for fairness for all retirees.
POB represents more than 40,000 retirees, widows, widowers of retirees, disabled retirees, and followers. We provide up-to-date information concerning retiree issues, collect donations, and share informational articles for public distribution. We invite everyone to join us in our fight!
Our Board of Directors
Fred Sanchez
President
Lois Scott
Vice-President
Larry Barsetti
CFO/Treasurer
Skip McKinney
Secretary
Directors
Joe Asaro
Karen Breslin
Elmer Carr
Robert Cutone
Rudy Faltus
Rich Kosta
Leo Martinez
Jim McCoy
Mary Anne McGuire-Hickey
Terry Wallace
Herb Weiner
Claire Zvanski
POB’s Historical Highlights
26 Years of Helping Retirees
POB began in 1998 when a number of CCSF retirees got together for a meeting at Nancy Gin’s home. (Nancy was Chair of the committee.) The purpose of this meeting was to organize a political action committee in order to be a political force at City Hall. John Lehane, Tony Sacco, Gail Wright, and Jean Thomas were present. They conferred with campaign consultant, Tony Fazio, and Dee Hermann, retired City Attorney, for guidance. Their initial meetings were held at the Taraval Police Station meeting room and then moved to Gail Wright’s basement. Barney Crotty, Gerald DeRyan, Tim O’Brien, Leo Martinez, and John Madden were some of the original members.
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Participate with Protect Our Benefits
If you are a retiree or beneficiary of the City and County of San Francisco and would like to participate with Protect Our Benefits, please e-mail us at information@protectourbenefits.org. Be sure to let us know where you reside and what you are interested in doing. Since POB is an all-volunteer group, please allow a few days for us to respond.