The R-UTN Annual Picnic, was once again held at the beautiful Vanderbilt Mansion on Tuesday, September 12. Over 80 of our colleagues gathered to enjoy the perfect weather, the views of Northport Harbor and the great food from Anderson’s Deli in Kings Park.  Our Executive Board members were given a round of applause in appreciation of their hard work on our behalf. Our new members Angela Mislowack, Pam Waldroup and  Margaret Minardi were given a warm welcome as well. The Vanderbilt graciously invited attendees to view the new Planetarium Sky Show in the afternoon. Thanks to Teddy Emanuel for taking photos of our picnic. Visit our Photo Gallery to see more picnic photos.

The Picnic opens a new year of activities for the R-UTN. Our Winter Luncheon will be during the first week in December. Details will appear in our newsletter and on our website. To keep up to date with all the R-UTN activities and projects, members should visit this website regularly.

There is still time before the Oct 1^st deadline to send in your membership renewal forms and dues checks – do it today if you have not responded yet. The 2017-2018 Membership Form can be downloaded here if you have misplaced the one mailed to you.

Our next Executive Board meeting will be Monday Oct 2^nd at the Northport Public Library at 10 am – all are welcome.

In an effort to engage the R-UTN membership, from time to time the website will feature Letters to the Editor in response to articles published in the R-UTN Newsletter and online. This is the first such letter, in response to the Social Security/Medicare Update by Hank Kasven in the October–December 2015 issue of the newsletter (online here).

RE: HANK KASVEN’S SOCIAL SECURITY FAIRNESS ARTICLE

Dear Editor,
In a previous life, I worked for the Social Security Administration, so I am quite familiar with the original concepts.  The most essential one is that this is an INSURANCE program, originally designed to provide “a floor beneath which no one can fall.”  Contributions were to be proportional to income until a maximum was reached, because the benefit amounts were also capped.  Low earners could receive no less than a minimum benefit, and high earners were capped at a maximum, those amounts being proportionate to their income.

If you can accept that this is an insurance program, not a welfare program, then it makes eminent sense.  To say it is “not fair” is tantamount to saying that you could justify my having to pay a different amount for my life, or home, or auto insurance than someone else for the same coverage, based upon our respective incomes.  I do not think THAT would be fair.

Lastly, realize that all income IS taxed, (at least in theory.)  Those taxes are where subsidies, if appropriate at all, should come from, not an insurance program.  If the Social Security system had adhered to its original concepts, and if the trust fund had not been repeatedly raided, the program would have endured just fine.  Fairness has never been a concern for those who have manipulated the system to death.

Bob Cerabone

The R-UTN Executive Board wants to thank everyone who attended the Spring Luncheon on Thursday at the Northport Yacht Club. The weather, view, food and company were excellent — a perfect spring afternoon and a good time was had by all!

Many, many, many, thanks to the generous members who donated beautiful gifts for out raffle. We raised $275 for the scholarship fund.

Welcome to the  Retired – United Teachers of Northport website. Over the next several weeks we will be adding content of interest to our members. The site is optimized for mobile devices, and works equally well on tablets and smartphones. Check back frequently and watch us grow!

If you have any ideas, comments or encounter any problems, please email the webmaster, Linda Quinn.