Kennedy targets Social Security, retirement benefits

State Treasurer John Kennedy is stumping for federal legislation that would ease "pension offset" restrictions on government retirees and thus give them better retirement benefits. It's the kind of issue a U.S. Senate candidate might bear hug, or the sort of wonkish idea that naturally appeals to a guy like Kennedy, a Democrat for now (he has been courted heavily by the GOP for more than a year). So what's motivating Kennedy to promote federal legislation? At this time he clearly is not running for governor, but he may well have his eyes on the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Sen. Mary Landrieu, a Democrat who is squarely in Republican crosshairs. Landrieu comes up for re-election next year, and Kennedy hasn't been sheepish about the possibility his candidacy. Taking a loud stance on the proposed change to the Social Security law allows him to reach out to a Democratic base that could easily be transferred if election conditions were right.

A good session for retirement sector

With the Washington Legislature winding down, retirement-industry experts were predicting last week that the industry would reap far better legislative gains than it had expected when the session began. Even those gains, though, would fall short of what the industry needs, they say. Budgets passed by both the House and Senate included about twice as much money for nursing homes and assisted-living facilities as the increases that had been proposed by Gov. Chris Gregoire in her preliminary budget. Meanwhile, a bill that would protect senior citizens from living-trust scams has passed both chambers, as has a measure that would grant guardianship services to low-income seniors. This is a good start, says Gary Weeks, executive director of the Washington Health Care Association. Still, the additional money earmarked to fund nursing homes and assisted-living facilities wont come close to covering the Medicaid reimbursement shortfall that retirement facilities suffer, says Weeks.