Kathie Bracy to Betty Montgomery: Will you do the right thing or not?

August 30, 2006

Dear Ms. Montgomery,

My condolences on the death of your father. I know you've had a rough way to go between this and your health problems. I wish peace and better health for you.

We need your help. STRS is spending OUR money to pay legals fees for employees who went out on their own and hired private attorneys when they were subpoenaed to court (and granted immunity) in Hazel Sidaway's trial. Now the executive director and the Board (not Dennis Leone or John Lazares) think it's OK to pay for those lawyers, even though prior approval was neither sought nor granted.

Now four more people are being hauled into court (1 current and 3 former Board members) on ethics charges. I am afraid STRS will try to pay THEIR legal fees, too, and then those of senior staff members yet to be charged. Where will it all end? It is OUR money!! This is WRONG, WRONG, WRONG!!!!! What about the thousands of retirees living on a mere pittance of a pension check and forced to pay increasingly out-of-control, exorbitant health care costs? THEY didn't do anything wrong -- ALL THESE OTHER PEOPLE DID -- AT OUR EXPENSE!!!

Please, please, please -- our system is hemorrhaging badly, morally, ethically and economically. You can help (hey, weren't you part of it?). You MUST help. What will your choice be -- to Do the Right Thing -- or not?

Kathie Bracy

37.7 year STRS retiree