Group seeks meeting with LaMalfa on retiree issues

Feb. 17--A group of concerned residents gathered at Rep. Doug LaMalfa's Redding office Friday afternoon to express their concerns about the future of Social Security and Medicare, among other topics.

The group of 16, the majority of whom are members of the California Alliance for Retired Americans, a nonprofit advocacy organization for retirees, is urging LaMalfa, R-Richvale, to either sit down with them or hold a town hall meeting to clarify his stance on issues that affect Shasta County's elderly population.

"We want to hear from our congressperson. Where does he stand on these issues?" said Jodi Reid, 60. "It gets mixed up in all this hyperbole about the Affordable Care Act, but these are programs that actually work. They're popular, they're bipartisan.

Reid's biggest concern is that in the next few years, the retirement age may be raised in an effort to reform Medicare and that Social Security may be privatized.

LaMalfa was not in his Redding office Friday, but Erin Marie Ryan, district representative for LaMalfa, met with the group and jotted notes, saying she would bring it to the congressman's attention. She added that a town hall meeting is scheduled for April, but a location has not been chosen.

"Right now, everybody I know is freaked out," Reid said, especially since people had paid into Medicare and Social Security programs their whole working life.

"It was a contract, that these programs would be there for us when we retire," she said.

Ron Lute, 64, added that in order for him to just get by, he relies on Social Security money. He hopes he can save more money once he's on Medicare, but right now he's got his own health insurance, which also has a high deductible.

"I can't imagine if anything serious happened to me right now," Lute said. "I'd be in a lot of trouble."

A call placed to LaMalfa for comment was not returned by Friday evening.

Outside of his office on Churn Creek Road, about eight people showed for a nationwide general strike that's been labeled as Strike4Democracy and was planned nationwide.

People held signs in support of Planned Parenthood and women's rights. Others held signs that read "Resist" and "We the people politefully(sic) request a town hall."

Organized by Redding Women's March organizer Elizabeth Betancourt, she held her waterproof sign "Stronger Together."

Betancourt said they chose to be on the street in front of LaMalfa's office because "it's a little bit hard to find."

"We hope that being out here will encourage people to realize that he's in there," she said.

Betancourt added that they made their own sign to show where LaMalfa's office was, and placed it on Churn Creek Road, so people wanting to voice their concern could do so. But like many of the people inside, Betancourt, too, said they wanted their voices heard.

"We're here asking for him to listen to us," she said. "A town hall is a place where we can hear everyone's viewpoints. We're not here to disparage other people, we just want to make sure he's hearing us too. We're a part of this community and he can't just govern for the people who voted for him.

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