January POAM updates in 2024
POAM President Jim Tignanelli penned a letter to share important January POAM updates in 2024, including legislative and the Annual Convention in Grand Rapids. Learn more, and reach out to your Business Agent or our contact page for more information or comments.
Legislative Changes
As I examine 2023 through the rear-view mirror, it was quite a year. In fact, there were several changes that I would definitely define as positive legislative accomplishments for our members. Let me begin by stating, with some certainty, that your POAM legislative team was at the table on each of these items. Some are life-changing for many of you, and, much of the time, our team was the only labor organization before the legislature. Many thanks must go to our Lansing lobbyist, Matt Sowash from Michigan Legislative Consultants, our legislative director Ken Grabowski, board member Dave LaMontaine, Vice President Jon Pignataro, and Secretary John Graver.
First would be the long-sought inclusion of Corrections officers into PA312. That seems to have been on the agenda for twenty years or more! Finally, we were able to get legislative support and a signature from the governor’s office on this very important legislation. An added and well-deserved bonus was the inclusion of MCOLES-certified University Police Officers! POAM is proud to provide representation to a large number of Michigan’s university police departments and a great majority of the corrections locals throughout the state.
The repeal of PA54, which prohibited members from receiving step increases and retroactivity of wages for contracts that were past expiration when a successor agreement was ratified, was significant. Employers were often “holding hostage” those groups that were handcuffed by PA54 and forcing them to take a deficient deal.
PA4, which repealed the tax on pensions for 312 eligible members, is one that has generated the most conversation and phone calls to our office. This repeals the tax on pensions back to January 1, 2023! Because most online tax services do not include a question about the tax on pensions paid in 2023, our best advice is to call the person you trust to do your income tax. This could amount to a significant return of tax dollars that have already been withheld from your pension annuity.
Check our website for more information on these and other legislative achievements from the past year.
POAM Convention
The annual POAM convention will be held in Grand Rapids May 22-24. Wednesday will be our seminar, and we are very excited to have the inspirational story of an officer seriously injured while on duty and the challenges he faced in the time after the incident. Our Frontline Strong team will follow the presentation and will provide some background on what Wayne State University and POAM have worked on to provide peer and critical incident training to our members. Meanwhile, check Frontline Strong’s website for information on the program, which is fully operational on a 24/7/365 basis right now. There will also be a presentation from our Lansing and Washington, DC, lobbyists on legislation affecting our members.
Wednesday night will be the Poker Run, which always provides a good time for all. Thursday will be our business meeting and presentations awarding our Police Officers of the Year. There are some heroic incidents to recognize this year! If you have others to report, please send them to our email, and we will get them to our committee for review. We really need these before February 15th!
Thursday night’s cocktail party is an opportunity for us to relax and enjoy the company of friends and others. The entertainment is already lining up for a very fun evening.
****Note: All registration will be completed online. Rooms at the Amway are already being reserved. See our website for the link! Emails are going to your local president. Keep informed.
CLOSING NOTES FROM THE PRESIDENT
Keep an eye on our website or, better yet, download the POAM app. When you do, register with your department’s email address, and you will get push notifications as they occur on the convention, legislative, or other newsworthy matters.
I cannot sign off without thanking our controller, Lynn Singer, for her 38 years of service to POAM. She was here for all of it, and her skills and attention to detail in the controller’s office were incomparable. Enjoy retirement, Lynn and Bob! Thank you for your dedication to our company and all its members!
Welcome to Danielle Pomaville! She’s at the reigns now, and we are looking forward to working with her!
-JT
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