The TVARS Board has yet to meet to discuss and approve the actual rules to implement the pension changes. I suspect TVA is dragging their feet as long as they can because they might want something different if the appeals court rules before the end of August. TVARS must give 30 days’ notice before the new rules take effect October 1, and I do not believe that can be done until the actual rules are finalized. I believe it is likely that Allen Stokes, Suzan Bowman, et al. will go along and rubber stamp any change requests that TVA might make. All COLAs are now in jeopardy. TVA is trying to use the TVARS approved changes as evidence that COLAs are not vested benefits. That is very clear from TVA's last filing with the court.
The TVARS board is required to recommend a contribution from TVA to be made in fiscal year 2014 prior to the end of the current fiscal year. (See Section 9B on pages 51-53 of the rules here .) Since TVA sets its budget months before the end of the fiscal year, it is imperative that this recommended amount be: decided upon by the TVARS board as quickly as possible; sufficient to adequately fund TVARS; and consistent with the amounts charged to ratepayers for pension expense. All seven TVARS board members have an obligation to come together to accomplish this. (See TVARS board members here .) I sincerely hope we will be able to accomplish this without further rule changes suspending TVA contributions, or further claims that legitimate accrued benefits are not really vested and must be reduced. I hope we will be able to put an end to our failure to insure that amounts paid by TVA ratepayers for pension expense are used for their intended purpose. As a TVARS board member, I
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