Tom Mooney, Molly Janczyk: Thoughts on STRS issues

From: Molly Janczyk
Sent: Tuesday, February 07, 2006
Subject: Re: Mooney on Issues: STRS BOARD:

Great

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From: Tom Mooney, Tue, 7 Feb 2006

I will get back to you with date.

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From Molly, Wednesday, February 01, 2006

Thank you, Tom. I appreciate your thoughts and will forward them. I hope you can plan to speak to CORE sometime this Spring. We 'd love to have you and discuss issues.

Sincerely, Molly

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From: Tom Mooney; Subject: Re: 1/30/06: Damon: STRS BOARD: WILL THESE EVER BE DISCUSSED Date: Wed, 1 Feb 2006

Molly,

A few thoughts...

We are not in favor of making teachers work longer to retire. That will certainly drive more people away from the field. We have very high attrition rates in the first five years. Most people aren't thinking about pensions in those early years, but when they get to where they are paying some attention to that, more will leave if they see the years to retirement getting longer. Too much teacher turnover is bad for students. And, actives will certainly oppose it.

I think we really need to put all our energy into plan A for now. If we sound like 'we know it won't pass so let's go to plan B, then no legislators will take it seriously.

Plan A includes not only increased contributions earmarked for health care, but also some form of tax sheltered health care savings accounts and AGGRESSIVE cost containment, which STRS is still too timid about. There are a number of recommendations from HCA that STRS has not implemented or is moving too slow to implement.

Pooling with other retirement systems to get best rates from insurance carriers is important.

We agree that career educators should get priority, but we must also take into account that women are more likely to leave the work force for periods of time to raise children. I don't think drastic moves in this direction are called for yet.

We don't want to fuel the fires of certain legislators to cut pension or health care benefits. We need time to bring down the funding period and stabilize health care funding.

And, all of us need to put al lot more focus on reforming health insurance nationally. All of the issues we are debating within Ohio and STRS are just band aids. The system is in crisis nationally; the economy can;to stand it much longer. Bush and co. are letting the pharma. cos. and the oil industry bankrupt the rest of the industries as well as the public sector, and the Dems are all too quiet and incoherent.

Tom

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From: Molly, Tuesday, January 31, 2006; Subject: 1/30/06: Damon: STRS BOARD: WILL THESE EVER BE DISCUSSED

Tom, I have been sending this for 3 yrs. Does OFT feel any of it makes sense?

Damon says on Wed these issues could be discussed. If any of this makes sense, Jeff and Mary Ann can bring it up and or support that which makes sense. IF NONE of it holds ANY value, then what solutions does OFT wish to see addressed? We cannot put all our eggs in the legislative basket-that very one which Dyer and STRS laughed and said, good luck getting legislators to help educators when they feel we retire too young and haven't helped ourselves. Now suddenly, that is IT! Well, maybe a few a listening to Terry B., and Damon etc., but do you think a bill is going to be passed on this issue by the bulk of legislators. I hear they hate OEA or at least some. We need other plans.

Suggestions? Hopefully OFT will present some of this or their own formulated positions. We're desperate out here! Next yr. brings Catastrophic coverage only and that means the same for all of you. We need input and constructive planning for PLAN B and PLAN C should our only PLAN A fail! Respectfully,

Molly J.