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Sections Home Page Local News AP News Blogs Archives Business Classifieds Event Calendar Forums Life Opinion Obituaries Multimedia Photo Gallery Readers Photo Gallery Sports Tempo Weather Road Cams Special Coverage 2006 Britt Festivals --> Shop Our Valley AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Search Our Valley Special Sections Distinctly Northwest Women in Business Homelife Magazine Joy Magazine Oregon Golf Info Oregon Wine Info Other Publications Local Links Ashland News eSouthernOregon Newspapers In Education Personals Moving Here Movie Listings TV Listings Volunteer Customer Service Advertise With Us Media Kit Place Classified Ad Contact Us FAQ's Home Delivery Site Map --> Email Story to a Friend July 1, 2005 A coalition of groups protesting James Lockhart�s visit and the Bush administration�s proposal to privatize Social Security gathers in Alba Park in Medford Thursday. Some also objected to taxpayers� money being used to promote the proposal. Mail Tribune / Roy Musitelli Coalition protests private accounts plan By ANITA BURKE Mail Tribune About a dozen people gathered at Alba Park Thursday morning to protest President George W. Bush’s Social Security plan and an administration official’s visit to Medford to discuss it. Oregon United to Protect Social Security, a state coalition of unions — including the one representing Social Security Administration employees — and other groups organized the gathering and news conference. The group wanted to counter a presentation to the Medford-Jackson County Chamber of Commerce by Deputy Commissioner of Social Security James B. Lockhart III. "James Lockhart is here in Medford at the invitation of the chamber to attempt to sway voters while on the taxpayers’ dime," said Mark Cole, who works at the Medford Social Security office. "He’s trying to say there is a crisis just so people will think that private accounts are the answer." Cole, a 20-year Rogue Valley resident who has worked for the Social Security Administration for 25 years and been active in the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, stressed that he was speaking out as a private citizen. Cole said, however, that his job experience has showed him both the truth about the Social Security system’s solvency and its importance to people. He pointed out that the Social Security trustees’ report for this year indicates that the program is financially sound until 2042. Advertisement The report said the program cost will exceed tax revenues starting in 2017 and if no action is taken, the trust funds supporting payments to retired workers and their families, to survivors of deceased workers, and to disabled workers and their families will be exhausted in 2041. That leaves plenty of time to create a plan to shore up Social Security for generations to come, said Walt Conner, a retired electrician from Sams Valley. Conner described himself as "one of the lucky ones" who will begin collecting his full Social Security benefits next year. Bush’s push to privatization wouldn’t affect current retirees or anyone 55 or older. Still, Conner said he didn’t want to see benefits cut by the time today’s young workers retire. Carol Bennett, a Central Point resident and a business representative with the electrical workers union, IBEW Local No. 659, said Bush’s proposal could hurt women. She said the plan would provide less in benefits and make widows wait longer to claim help than under the program now. "My mother is a widow on Social Security and my aunt is," she said. "I know how it affects women when pensions dry up after their husbands die." Social Security Administration statistics show that, on average, widowed, divorced or never-married women 65 and older rely on Social Security for 71 percent of their income, while it makes up only 64 percent of men’s retirement income. "There’s a saying in gambling that you should only gamble what you can afford to lose," Cole said. "We can’t afford to lose this program and the benefits it provides." Reach reporter Anita Burke at 776-4485, or e-mail Coalition protests private accounts plan ">[email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback online casinos news Home Security Systems Online Casino Reviews Trunks, Footlocker Fundraisers UK Homeowner Loans Casinos Canada Cord Blood Banking Discount Hotel Reservations Texas Electric Choice Compare Electric rates in Texas Windermere Van Vleet Men's Clothing Debt Help New Hampshire Primary Advertisement s