Tom Curtis to Lou DiOrio: Candidate Tom Hall and history and intentions of CORE

From: Louis P. DiOrio

To: Thomas Curtis

Sent: December 11, 2005

Subject: Re: 120905 Curtis To DiOrio; Candidate Tom Hall

Hi Tom;

Thanks for the update. Much of this information I am aware of and I will share it with the ORTA Executive Committee and OCHER representatives. At this time I am not ware of qualifications, interest , energy etc. of any of the candidates. Also I will do all I can to get CORE members and ORTA (leadership) together so that we can move forward. I believe that all are interested to have this happen. I am also certain that all parties have more in common than they have differences about STRS, health care, mandatory social security, defined contributions, etc.

Lou

From Tom Curtis

December 10, 2005

Hello Lou,

It was good talking with you Thursday. I was glad we had an opportunity to talk a little and gain some insight about one another. You always have seemed to be a very upbeat and positive person to me. I had no knowledge of your background and areas of expertise and enjoyed learning of such. Thank you for sharing that with me. I hope our communication can continue and we can both help, along with others to bring these two organizations together.

Lou, I would first like to express to you that most in CORE are desirous of collaboration with the ORTA leadership. That is, as long as we are recognized as an organization that has shown that we have become an equal force in helping to bring about reform at the STRS. If the leadership of ORTA at this time cannot, or will not change their attitude towards CORE, then we will have to continue on separately, until those currently in leadership roles in ORTA are replaced by those that desire such a collaboration. We have no problem standing on our own, that is how we started, a simple grassroots organization.

I assure you, others and I have indicated to the leadership of ORTA, that we never had a goal of replacing ORTA, yet there seems to still be some underlying thought of such. In 2003 many retired educators simply felt we were not being represented effectively by the ORTA leadership, especially those of us who lost the spousal and dependent child subsidy.

Consequently, a number of us started attending the STRS board meetings. We found that the ORTA leadership rarely addressed the board at the monthly meetings. We saw no support or leadership from ORTA, period. Therefore, those of us individuals attending the board meetings came together as a group of e-mailers at first. We gained much support through this mode of communication and evolved into CORE, sometime in the fall of 2003. Had it not been for emailing, we would have never come together as we have today. In my opinion, this is something the older ORTA leadership does not appreciate, as most of them do not rely on that mode of communication very much. Most of us in CORE are of a younger orientation and were the leading edge of the usage of computers as we came into the second and third decade of our careers.

It is our feeling that we can accomplish much more together, then separately. However, we will not be treated as though we are of lesser value to this movement then the ORTA leadership. ORTA has certainly accomplished many things. ORTA works in areas CORE does not. However, CORE was the motivation for moving some things that ORTA started off of the shelf and allowed them to become a reality. SB133 is a good example of such. The ORTA leadership was remiss due to this. I was asked to speak at the signing of SB133 and was thanked for what I had to say to the Governor and legislators involved in that final bill and signing. The ORTA leadership was there. When it came time for pictures, I was actually talking with Dave Travis. He simply walked away from me and made sure he was in those pictures representing ORTA. I am a life member of ORTA and yet you will find no picture or mention of my presentation on behalf of retirees. Now if that was not a kick in the teeth, then I do not know what it was.

The leadership of ORTA willingly addressed and decided not to support Dennis Leone's 13-page document, "STRS Organizational Matters and Spending Practices" in 2003. That angered many ORTA members. When they did not endorse Dennis Leone that was a major mistake. Dave Speas openly told them this. I am sure the decision had a lot to due with Joe Endry's continued influence on them. It is really very sad to me that a man of his influence and dedication to retirees for so many years allowed himself to bend to the OEA control of the board. He was simply not strong enough to keep the convictions he once held concerning what is just and right for retirees. He had a great influence on why the leadership of ORTA found CORE members offensive and labeled us as not being "diplomatic". Then their esteemed leader went one step further and labeled us as "malcontents". This was utterly pathetic for a man of his intelligence. He permitted his own jealousy and ego to supersede his common sense.

I will always remember and totally agree with what Dennis told Joe at his last board meeting. He told Joe he should be thanking the people he called "malcontents" for bringing about what we did, albeit in a forceful manner, the time for diplomacy was over and the Joe Endry types had served their purpose. He essentially retired his efforts once on the STRS board. He himself languished in the opulence of the STRS hierarchy. Unfortunately, he will probably be indicted and charged with ethics violations as well what a sad ending to a career in education and service to retirees.

Even though Herb Dyer is gone, the continued leadership of the STRS is one of a feeling of entitlement and will not change until those leadership positions are changed. They still feel that all money gained by the investment of our contributions is their money to do with, as they see fit. I understand that feeling and appreciate that I could have the same feeling, if I were in there position. When retirees such as myself are suffering financially from their mistakes and poor judgment, they should have had the foresight to remedy that suffering for those of us they are supposed to represent. They have the power and knowledge to have done better, they simply chose not to. Here is what Herb Dyer explained to one retiree that raised his complaints about missing out on the advantage of SB190, by retiring just prior to the implementation of such. "Anytime something changes like this, some people have to fall through the cracks, your just one of those people that happened too." Wouldn't that anger you slightly? This did not have to happen. They should have never implemented a change that did not provide for all retirees equally. I feel guilty asking for a "grandfathering" situation for myself and others recently retired, because that does not then treat all retirees equally. That will create an unequal situation as well. The STRS was set up to provide for retirees. That is their number one purpose. If they are going to institute change, that change should benefit everyone equally. Many retirees have well received all contributions they and their employer ever deposited on their behalf. But, that is what we were promised, a pension and health care for life. Take that away and how many will remain in education for a career of 30 years?

I've gotten off track here. The majority of the initial members of CORE are life members of ORTA. We came together after our initial contacts and recommendations with the ORTA leadership were almost totally ignored and given little consideration. We received almost no communication from the ORTA leadership. Would that not anger you? Had your efforts to bring OCHER together with ORTA been ignored, would you have persisted?

We first attempted to communicate through the proper channels. ORTA was simply unresponsive. I believe you were involved in the process of assessing the feedback from the local RTA's after the regional meetings this past year. I am sure you realized that CORE members were not the only people critical of the ORTA leadership. Having worked with several RTA presidents over the past two years, I can tell you that the communication between the ORTA leadership and the local leadership does not seem to be near what is expected, this is why so many local RTA's aligned themselves with CORE. We communicated with them on daily bases if they wanted such.

Well, enough said for now. I just would like you to understand why CORE came about, though after reviewing the feedback you received from the regional meetings, I would be sure you received that message.

I have attached Professor Hall's vita and statement of why he is running for the STRS board. I am hoping to gain support for this candidate, as I believe he will bring some insight and value to the STRS board. I first met Professor Hall in 2004, when he placed his name in the running for the replacement of Jack Chapman's term on the STRS board. I hope you are as impressed with Professor Hall's vita as I was and can garner support not only at the college level, but with ORTA as well.

There are likely to be at least six candidates running for the two active seats to be elected this coming spring. I will assume the OEA will endorse two, I already know the OFT has endorsed two. With the addition of Conni Ramser and Tom Hall, that will make six. There maybe others as well, so there will be a need for much support for the candidates we desire to be elected.

My only hope is that we continue to have many strong candidates. The STRS board needs members who can add value to the discussions and not just be there as a learning process. Four years will slip by quickly and those without much prior knowledge will be just getting their feet on the ground. I will leave you with this thought. Steven Buser, Jeff Chapman and Mary Ann Flannagan have each stated to me, that if they had realized what they were getting into work wise, they would probably not have placed their names into the election process.

Thank you for your time and effort you provide on behalf of all STRS retirees,

Tom Curtis

STRS Life Member

ORTA Life Member

Stark Co. RTA Life Member

CORE Life Member

AARP Life Member