The barn door is open and the cows are gone: John Curry sounds off

We at CORE have been saying that increases in both employer and employee contributions have been needed for years. Finally, the HCA (Health Care Advocates, chaired by the OEA) is going to break the news to the active teachers!! We at CORE broke the "news" about outrageous monthly HC premiums (especially compared to the other 4 state pension systems) to STRS retirees and active teachers years ago!

Many active teachers were too busy teaching or chose to ignore the warning documents that CORE distributed about the ungodly high rates charged by STRS and the dropping of all subsidies for the retirees' spouses (spousal trashing). Now, these actives will get the "bad news" from the very same organization (OEA) who allowed the mismanagement, misspending, and entitlement mentality to exist at STRS when the OEA dominated (5 out of 9 members) the "old" STRS board.

Of course, OEA won't tell their dues payers about that part of the ugly STRS history -- will they? Wonder if they'll tell their members about the ethics violations that Dyer copped a plea to or about the former OEA endorsed STRS board member (Hazel Sidaway) who is currently fighting ethics charges against her? Will the OEA tell their actives about the additional ethics violations that will be coming into the headlines during the weeks and months to come against current and former STRS board members and associates?

It has been said that the newest tactic that is being used by the OEA is to impart the idea to the active teachers that the "new board" is planning to trash the 35 year benefits procedure that was initiated six years ago. This is not and has not been presented to OR discussed by the STRS Board (either the "new" one or the "old" one).

Additionally, the host of OEA coached speakers at the September Board meeting were telling the current board that they wished the current board to *maintain* the current excellent health care program BUT THEY FAILED TO MENTION ANYTHING ABOUT THE CURRENT HIGHWAY ROBBERY RATES CHARGED FOR THE SPOUSE OF A RETIREE DUE TO DROPPING THE SPOUSAL SUBSIDY!

Were those same OEA endorsed speakers really aware of the current STRS HC monthly premium rates and the STRS rates as compared to the other systems? Either they were and chose to ignore this aspect or they didn't have the slightest idea of what has been going on with their retirement system.

Soon, however, the majority of active teachers will find out the real truth behind the multiple reasons for the failure of STRS to offer a competitive HC rate schedule as compared to the other Ohio public retirement systems. It wasn't just the stock market dive during the early 2000's -- OPERS and the other state retirement systems suffered major losses in that VERY SAME MARKET. It was the lack of planning by an OEA majority STRS Board and a lack of political courage by the OEA to apply political pressure on legislators to initiate a bill for significant contribution rate hikes by both teachers and school boards all across the Buckeye STATE when economic times were good.

Well, the times now aren't so good, the barn door has been left open, the cows have left, and we all will be hard pressed to find a state legislator who will have the political courage to introduce a bill calling for a significant rate hike of contributions by BOTH the employer and the employee -- especially since Coingate and the STRS ethics charges that have come to bear and will in the future.

To be realistic, the public isn't in any too good of a mood right now for a "hard sell" concerning additional monies that will be needed to assist a retirement system that hasn't been able to successfully run their own ship. Do I wish to see this happen? NO! Am I being politically realistic? YES!

John, a Proud CORE member

ORC 3307.15 - not just a wish,
IT'S THE LAW!