[Nfbmo] State owes over $26 million to 3,000 blind Missourians

Tue Oct 10 18:51:51 UTC 2017

Originally the suit went back to underpayment from 1992, but because of statute of limitations, the ruling is for underpayment from Feb. 16, 2001 through 2009.

-----Original Message-----
From: Nfbmo [mailto:nfbmo-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Roger Crome via Nfbmo
Sent: Tuesday, October 10, 2017 1:44 PM
To: NFB of Missouri Mailing List
Cc: Roger Crome
Subject: Re: [Nfbmo] State owes over $26 million to 3,000 blind Missourians

What was the period of underpayment?

Sent from my iPhone

On Oct 10, 2017, at 1:31 PM, Gene Coulter via Nfbmo <nfbmo at nfbnet.org<mailto:nfbmo at nfbnet.org>> wrote:

The actual amount is $23.3 million plus 9% simple interest  according to CaseNet which is growing each day the state  fights the ruling. The $26 million takes into account the interest so far. My best guess is the interest figures to cost the state about $5,700 per day.
Persons will be paid dead or alive based on the months they were actually on the pension during the underpayment period. The state has basically lost every round but has until November 6 to appeal once more So, do not counton any money yet..

HTH
Gene

-----Original Message-----
From: Nfbmo [mailto:nfbmo-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Coccovizzo,Linda A via Nfbmo
Sent: Tuesday, October 10, 2017 11:01 AM
To: NFB of Missouri Mailing List <nfbmo at nfbnet.org<mailto:nfbmo at nfbnet.org>>
Cc: Coccovizzo,Linda A <Linda.Coccovizzo at MCCKC.EDU<mailto:Linda.Coccovizzo at MCCKC.EDU>>
Subject: Re: [Nfbmo] State owes over $26 million to 3,000 blind Missourians

Somewhere around 2004 or 2005 blind pension recipients were sent a letter giving them an opportunity to opt out of the lawsuit if they so wished. I'm not sure if this letter was sent to all recipients at the time, or only those who were eligible for the settlement. If I remember correctly, some things changed as time went on, such as how far back they could go asking for restoration of funds. So, it might be incorrect to say 3000 people who receive the BP now are eligible for the settlement, because many current BP recipients weren't even living in the state when the lawsuit began, let alone when the funds were being misappropriated.
Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

The text from the article follows the link:
HTH

http://www.stltoday.com/news/state-and-regional/judge-rules-missouri-owes-million-to-blind-residents/article_13b1e3f0-e8e3-59da-86af-5a1cbbf4b652.html

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — A judge has ruled that the state of Missouri owes $26.3 million to more than 3,000 blind people who were underpaid by the Department of Social Services' blind pension fund.

The fund was established in the 1920s to provide a social safety net for the blind. It currently pays 3,000 Missourians roughly $728 a month from a special levy on property taxes. In 2006, the Missouri Council of the Blind sued the state for using money from the fund for other expenses, The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported .

In her ruling, which was entered last month but made public Sunday, Cole County Circuit Judge Patricia Joyce noted that the state could have saved $7 million if it had settled the lawsuit five years ago because she ordered the state to pay interest at 9 percent annually.

"The state will be paying over $2 million a year in interest until they pay people, so it's in their interest to get the judgment satisfied," said attorney John Ammann of St. Louis University Legal Clinics, who helped litigate the case.

Attorney General Josh Hawley's office has until Nov. 6 to decide how to respond

.



Chris Gray, executive director of the Missouri Council of the Blind, said the state is "putting off the inevitable" by delaying payments.

"We just need to get on with this and get closure," he said.

Some of those affected will have the payout added to their monthly checks, while others will receive a lump sum ranging from a few dollars to an estimated $3,000, Ammann said.
-----Original Message-----
From: Nfbmo [mailto:nfbmo-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Stan Magoon via Nfbmo
Sent: Monday, October 09, 2017 4:13 PM
To: NFB of Missouri Mailing List
Cc: Stan Magoon
Subject: Re: [Nfbmo] State owes over $26 million to 3,000 blind Missourians

Not sure who is doing the math but $26 mil divided by 3000 is $8666 not $3000. Unless the layers are taking two thirds of it.

Joy!

On Oct 9, 2017, at 4:07 PM, Stan Magoon via Nfbmo <nfbmo at nfbnet.org<mailto:nfbmo at nfbnet.org>> wrote:

http://www.kansascity.com/news/state/missouri/article177888661.html

Joy!

On Oct 9, 2017, at 4:01 PM, Cory McMahon via Nfbmo <nfbmo at nfbnet.org<mailto:nfbmo at nfbnet.org>> wrote:

Please try this link:

http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/state-owes-over-m
illion-
to-blind-missourians/article_e7b3c25a-a855-56af-8c52-8902b0ca8984.htm
l

-----Original Message-----
From: Nfbmo [mailto:nfbmo-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Sharon Klug via Nfbmo
Sent: Monday, October 9, 2017 3:54 PM
To: NFB of Missouri Mailing List <nfbmo at nfbnet.org<mailto:nfbmo at nfbnet.org>>
Cc: Sharon Klug <sharonklug9304 at gmail.com<mailto:sharonklug9304 at gmail.com>>
Subject: Re: [Nfbmo] State owes over $26 million to 3,000 blind Missourians

This link does not work.

Sent from my iPhone

On Oct 9, 2017, at 3:25 PM, Cory McMahon via Nfbmo <nfbmo at nfbnet.org<mailto:nfbmo at nfbnet.org>>
wrote:

Please see below an article regarding the Blind Pension lawsuit:

http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/state-owes-over-
mi
llion-
to-blind-missourians/article_e7b3c25a-a855-56af-8c52-8902b0ca8984.ht
ml
#tncms
-source=home-latest-3

Sincerely,

Cory McMahon

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