John Curry's commentary on Fisher's resignation: Some Board members need to read/reread ORC 3307.15

"Dr. Leone didn't win the Ohio Ethics Award, the First Amendment Award and the title "Catcher of Thieves" by choosing to leave the battle when the going got tough and the chips were down. He continued to speak up and fight for the rights of both actives and retirees -- he continued to press for reform, as he is currently doing, to and for the betterment of over 400,000 people who have monies and lives invested in a multi-billion dollar operation whose mission is clearly stated in 3307.15 of the Ohio Revised Code. Some of the current crop of Board members should review this section-or-maybe read it for the first time!"

July 13, 2006

It's a sad day in Columbus when some on the STRS Board don't realize that reform is taking place right under their very eyes and that they don't understand that with reform come differences of opinion and disagreements. Taking one's football and leaving the game due to disagreements in formulating policy and procedure is not helping those retirees who have to decide on whether to spend their meager retirement checks on food, Rx, or healthcare.

Both Dennis Leone and John Lazares have walked the walk and talked the talk for cleaning up the entitlement mentality, mismanagement, and misspending that has plagued the STRS Board (and the system's leadership) for years. Some members to the Board still don't realize the devastation that STRS retirees continue to be plagued with on a daily basis. We all don't have the bankroll to live on as do some of those who make decisions on how and where our monies are spent - like the proposed one million dollar carte blanche blank check that some wanted Damon to be able to spend without prior board approval. A corporate mind-set has no place on a board that makes humanitarian decisions re. the welfare of its fiduciaries.

Dr. Leone didn't win the Ohio Ethics Award, the First Amendment Award and the title "Catcher of Thieves" by choosing to leave the battle when the going got tough and the chips were down. He continued to speak up and fight for the rights of both actives and retirees -- he continued to press for reform, as he is currently doing, to and for the betterment of over 400,000 people who have monies and lives invested in a multi-billion dollar operation whose mission is clearly stated in 3307.15 of the Ohio Revised Code. Some of the current crop of Board members should review this section-or-maybe read it for the first time!

John Curry - a Proud CORE member and STRS retiree