Your not kidding...we, or better yet our children, are the "people that matter".  However, getting others to see it that way is the problem.  I  find that most Senators and Reps that I have contacted "say" that they are in favor of a "save" for us, but actions sure do speak louder than words (or LACK OF ACTION IN MOST CASES).  I would love to hear them come up with ideas that sound solid..like your suggestions.

HEARTBREAKING!!!!!!  Makes me sick at my stomach as well.

I have emailed several senators and representatives.  I have copied each response below.  My email to each of the senators and representatives simply asked them for their opinions on saving P.A.C.T., while explaining to them that I had a daughter in highschool who would enter college in the year 2013.  I also asked them if they would differentiate between contracts dated pre 1995 and post 1995.

Below is response from Senator Larry Dixon:

Thank you for your email dated May the 24th in which you express your support for the PACT program.  I am in total agreement with you.  I have been in constant contact with the Director of the PACT program.  All options are still on the table as far as I am concerned.  We need to keep our word.

Bet wishes!
Sincerely,
Larry

Response from Senator Tom Butler:

thanks for your e-mail and input on the PACT program. I am fully supportive of the State of Alabama honoring PACT contracts. I think the state has a moral obligation to do this. The Retirement Systems of Alabama is reviewing the PACT program fully and will propose solutions to the Legislature and the Governor soon as to how to save the PACT program. There possibly will be a special session of the legislature this fall to address the PACT problems.
Best regards,
TOM BUTLER

Response from Senator Ted Little:

I appreciate your correspondence with me regarding the Alabama PACT Program. 
We were advised by the Legislative Fiscal Office that PACT investments made prior to 1994
were stated by the PACT Board to be guaranteed.  Following 1994, we've likewise been
advised by the Legislative Fiscal Office that the PACT Board advised new enrollees (after 1994) that their investments were not guaranteed.
As I have stated in the past, I believe the Alabama Legislature feels the good faith and credit of the state will honor all investments at least by the time they come due.  In a recent article in the Opelika-Auburn News, the PACT Board accounted that even the present fiscal status of the program will allow for all tuitions to be paid at least through 2014.  I believe the PACT Board and/ or the Legislature will have this problem solved long before then.
I hope you will continue to give me the benefit of your thinking.

Sincerely,
TED LITTLE
State Senator

Response from Senator Roger Bedford:

It is a sad fact of life that Kaye Ivey and Bradley Burns ran a great program in the ground with out asking for any help as they should have 2 years ago.

  Neither the Gov. nor the Legs. created this problem, nevertheless I want to fix it.

  I introduced a bill to do  that which did not get passed  and  no other  bills  got passed either about PACT.

  I did succeed in getting a joint resolution, with Gov. support, passed asking Dr.Bronner to do a study as soon as possible on the PACT program and give the Gov. and the legislature a written report on his solution.

  Some of the problems we will have to deal with ,besides stock market bad investments:

1. Higher Ed, especially Alabama and Auburn refuse to cap future tuition increases.

2. Higher Ed refuses to allowed the needed funding to come off top of higher Ed. share of Ed. Budget.

3. K-12, refuses to allowed their share of Ed. Budget to be used to pay higher ed scholarship cost.

4. So far no new taxes available to generate tax dollars to pay for PACT shortfall.

5. Many taxpayers not in PACT opposed to their tax dollars being used to bail out PACT program when their own college savings plans are hurting because of increased tuition cost and stock market down.

  I support PACT.  I am not interested in argument about wether they are all legal contracts or not. People bought these PACT contracts expecting the State to Honor them. I believe we should !!

  Hope this help answer your E and shares with you more info on issue.

  Roger

Response from Senator Quinton Ross:

Thank you for your comments and concerns regarding the PACT program.  I am totally committed finding a solution to ensuring that all contract for this program are honored. Thank you again for contacting me .

Take care!

Response from Senator Erwin:
I am committed to doing what is needed to save PACT.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Response from Senator Harri Ann Smith:
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this subject.  I think that the State should stand behind these contracts.  I hope that the Governor will call a special session to fund the PAC Program. 

Harri Anne

Representatives:

Representative Mike Curtis response:

  I agree with you on the pact program.  Dr. Bronner is reviewing solutions to the problem and hopefully will have information to the legislature soon on resolving and keeping the pact program.  Thank you for your e-mail. 
Mike

Representative Randy Davis response:

I have co-sponsored legislation to fund the PACT.  The governor and Pact Board want to wait and see if the Market rolls back or if there is a way to fund this without legislation.  Bottom line we owe this to our citizens. 
    Let me also say that not all of my constituents agree with my position.  Some have said they lost their children's money in the stock market and no one is bailing them out.  My counter to them has been that if the trillion dollars loan doesn't help them then they must have had some mighty bad stocks.
Sincerely,
Randy Davis

Representative Mike Ball response:

Thanks for the email.  I believe should (and will) honor the committment made to those participating in the PACT program.  The program is stable for the next few years, at least.  There were several hastily-crafted bills addressing this issue during this session, none of which had been properly thought out.   There is strong sentiment among most legislators (including me) that the state has an obligation to keep its promise to those who participate in this program.  I believe a solution will be forthcoming and it will be taken care of before anyone loses what they were promised.  If the Governor doesn't call a special session, I believe it will be addressed expeditiously during the next legislative session next year.

    Mike

Representative Owen Drake response:
  Thank you very much for contacting me.  Please be assured that I am committed to doing all  I can to correct this unfortunate situation.
I feel that Governor will call a special session to correct the PACT program problem.  If he does not, it will be a top priority during the next legislative session in January.
Thank you again.
Owen Drake
1008 Kings Forest Dr.
Leeds Al.   35094
205-699-6655

Representative Bobby Denton response:

I will do all within my power to keep the program running fully funded.

Best wishes,
Bobby Denton

Representative Tammy Irons response:
Thank you for your email.  I am committed to passing legislation that will fully fund the participants in the PACT program.  In fact, I co-sponsored a bill this session for this very purpose.  We actually voted on and passed a bill in the House this session to fund the PACT program. However, it did not pass the Senate and was not signed into law by the Governor. 

We also passed a resolution this session to have Dr. David Bronner and his group study the PACT program and make recommendations to the Legislature before the start of the 2010 legislative session.  As I understand this study should be complete within 1 to 2 months.  Many of us have requested that the Gov. call  a special session to address this important issue. 

Bottom line, I feel that this will ultimately be addressed by the Legislature and the program fully funded.  The study is important as there are many issues to resolve and work through prior to actual legislation being put into place.  The Board did vote to fund the participants for the upcoming year.

Please feel free to contact me for an update and I can assure you that you have my vote on this important issue.

Tammy