Nancy Hamant: Some notes on STRS Board meeting 5/18/06

From Nancy Hamant, May 19, 2006

10:00 am--Reden & Anders, Ltd. Presentation of Health Care Study

The research presented to the STRS Board focused on the impact of Adverse Selection to the STRS Health Care Fund specifically looking at the increases to STRS Benefit Recipients" (Non-Medicare and Medicare) monthly premium payments for years 2003 and 2004. Results indicate that the increased monthly premiums caused the "youngest" and the "healthiest" STRS Benefit Recipients (both STRS members and spouses) to look for coverage elsewhere at a better rate.

Reden & Anders, Ltd. indicate that replenishing the risk pool is critical. The following overall principals for ensuring viability of the STRS risk pool for the long term, include: (1) increase the number of new entrants;
(2) limit/restrict late entrants, especially for non-Medicare; (3) retain existing members; (4) continued subsidy for teachers having 15 years service or greater.

STRS Board members had many questions about the adverse selection data. STRS Board members felt it was crucial to understand the analysis before making decisions regarding the STRS Health Care Plan for 2007. STRS Board members requested additional information for the next STRS Board meeting.

The Board broke at 11:30 am for lunch and an Executive Session.

CORE members met from 11:45 to 1:00 pm. (CORE minutes of meeting will be forwarded in a separate email.)

1:20 pm--STRS Board Meeting Reconvened

Damon Asbury (STRS Executive Director) presented his 2-page update.

STRS Board members had many questions regarding the STRS presentation on May 10th to the Ohio Retirement Study Council (ORSC) as to STRS's plan for reducing the pension fund's unfunded liability to 30 years from the current 55.5 years. ORSC responded negatively to any increase in employer contributions to the STRS fund. Changes to age and service benefits of Ohio teachers were not mentioned by the ORSC.

Dr. Leone and Dr. Buser both pressed Dr. Asbury about STRS being "open" to all possible avenues as STRS works with the Legislature to obtain changes necessary to improve STRS. Dr. Asbury responded that you "don't lead with a compromise position." Dr. Leone and Dr. Buser stated STRS needs to be ready to answer the ORSC's questions regarding the research STRS has completed on all possible changes, if STRS is going to be successful in obtaining positive legislative change for the STRS fund.

Dr. Asbury also reported that the first Medicare D payment for drug purchases by STRS Medicare recipients, $7,508,537.18 for the self-insured Caremark and $128,886.58 for Aultcare was "in the bank." The next Medicare D payment is projected to be larger, then the Medicare D payments will be made monthly.

Also, payroll growth is falling below actuarial assumption. Based on member contributions received through April, total member payroll in Ohio has increased about 2.1% compared to last year. Anything less than 4.5% creates an actuarial loss for the fiscal year.

2:10 pm--Public Presentations to the STRS Board (Two Speakers)

Nancy Boomhower

Good afternoon. My name is Nancy Boomhower and I am a retired first grade teacher from Medina County. I retired with 31¾ years of credit. I also am a part time rehire who teaches the GED program at our local county jail. Quite a change, but one that I am enjoying.

The reason that I chose to speak today is because of the childcare. I have been asking questions and gathering information about child care. The conclusion that I have come to is that our facility is overstaffed and overpaid.

The fees being charged are about in line with other local, profit-making facilities. So, the answer is not to raise fees but to reduce the number of employees and lower their salaries.

With the latest information that I have, the ratio of teachers to students is about one teacher to every 3.5 students. The state regulations call for a 5-to-1 ratio for infants, a 12-to-1 ratio for 3-year-olds, a 14-to-1 ratio for 4-year-olds and a 16-to-1 ratio for 5-year-olds. The state requires two types of employees, lead teachers and associate teachers. A lead teacher is required to have a 2 year associate degree and an associate is required to have a high school diploma with a couple of courses in child care. As I have said before, it does not take a college degree to change diapers.

The pay for a lead teacher starts at about $10.50 to $11.00 and the pay for an associate starts at less than $8.00 and goes up to about $11.50. Yet we have a person with the title of Director of Childcare Services whose salary in 2004 was $63,280. She has an Administrative Assistant whose salary is $35,760 and there is another person with a salary of $50,550 whose title is Child Care Coordinator. These are duties that are covered by lead teachers in other facilities.

I figured a salary for an individual who was earning $10.00 an hour and working 40 hours a week for 50 weeks. The reason that I did not figure in the other 2 weeks is that on the information that I was given, it appears that vacation time is in a separate category. That figure comes to $20,000. All of our employees exceed that figure by half again and much more. We have a part time employee who has a high school diploma and is earning $17.89 an hour. Something is wrong!

I spoke with an employee of a Columbus area day care facility and she said the STRS child care is known as a premiere facility. No wonder! Our employees are given service awards, educational assistance and all sorts of insurance benefits. These are not the norm for child care employees in the real world.

I have attached the charts, etc., from which I took my information. Please look them over and I am sure that you will come to the same conclusions that I have. Thank you.

Tom Curtis

Congratulated Connie Ramser and Mark Meuser for being elected to the STRS Board in this past election. Tom commended the STRS Board for the hours they spend on STRS business each month.

Tom explained his feeling that some on the STRS Board were not listening to the questions brought to the board by himself and others. Tom expressed concern that members questions were ignored, that it appeared no one was listening. He asked that past agendas be reviewed to determine if members' requests have been answered.

Tom asked that the Board makes sure that its actions take in the needs of all STRS populations--particularly both those of retirees as well as actives. (Please read Tom's email of his full address to the STRS Board.)

Tom expressed concern over OSBA's objection the proposed employee/employer increase (5% over 5 years) in contributions to STRS.

In addition, Tom asked STRS Board members last month to review Dr. Leone's 2003 report of misconduct/mismanagement at STRS. Tom reflected that each STRS Board member was provided a copy of Dr. Leone's report and only one STRS Board member had contacted Tom about the report.

Tom Curtis' speech to STRS Board, May 18, 2006

Good afternoon board members, executive staff and guests. My name is Thomas Curtis. I am speaking today on my own behalf. I am an STRS disability retiree with 27 years of service.

May I first congratulate Connie Ramser and Mark Meuser for their victory in the recent STRS election? It is my sincere hope they will represent the membership to the best of their ability and follow the true spirit of ORC 3307.15.

Next, I wish to again commend the board for the countless hours you devote each month to the enormous amount of business at hand. I do realize this is a daunting task and appreciate your efforts.

This is nearly the 30^th time I have addressed the board from this podium since June of 2003. I know each of you has a very busy schedule, but with all due respect I will tell you I have received very little response from board members to requests made during previous presentations, and have seen even far less action on those requests. Can this somehow be addressed?

In March of 2004, after one of the monthly CORE/STRS meetings we were holding with the executive staff at that time, I met in private with former board member Joe Endry. During that meeting, Joe very seriously asked me why we retirees keep coming to the board meetings and keep asking the same questions?

That stunned me, because the answer was and still is so obvious. We feel no one is listening to many of the legitimate concerns voiced by retirees. We feel we are repeatedly and continually ignored! This in itself is a grave issue with retirees.

It has been documented that the Board can agree by majority vote, to pay consulting firms to justify almost any expense that would benefit individual board members or employees of the STRS. However, you do not agree to do the same for the membership. Actually, you have agreed by majority vote to take away from the membership. In my opinion, this is because your monthly agenda is most often driven by staff concerns and does not permit time for membership concerns. Please review your past agendas and find where you have dealt with retiree requests. My hunch is that you will find few instances of such. Please correct me if I am wrong.

As stipulated by SB133, less then 20% of the board represent the retiree, and greater then 50% of the board represent the active teacher. This is out of proportion considering the true make-up of the membership. The active teacher leadership would argue that active teachers make up the majority of the membership and should be represented by at least 50%. Now I ask you, is that truly the case? Please look at the various classifications of members and the numbers of each? I do not find that to be true, if you consider only those who are active teachers and are paying into this system; disallow all others. This does not justify the high ratio of active teacher seats. This issue needs to be addressed and changed.

Example: The OSBA has strongly objected to any increase in employer contributions. Ohio school boards pay in the greatest percentage of money to this system, yet are not represented on this board. Is it any wonder the OSBA does not understand why the employer contribution rate needs to be increased after 20 years at the same rate? This board is not truly representative of those contributing to the system. Please show me a study that identifies equal representation of all parties paying into this system. The structure of this board does not represent fairly all parties paying into the STRS. That should be reconciled. This is only one issue that needs to be addressed.

Next, would you please find a space within your meeting agenda to address the retirees’ concerns? In my opinion, once this starts happening, far fewer of us would show up each month to complain to the board. A much greater number might show up and praise the board, as we would like to do.

Last month I requested a review by each Board member of Dr. Leone’s two position papers from 2003. It is my understanding that each of you now has copies of both in hand.

To date, I have received only one response. The rest of you have again ignored my request for a response to a legitimate issue. Is this how it is always going to be? If the requests of the STRS retirees are not considered legitimate, then perhaps it is time you tell us why?

Thank you for time to speak today.

Tom Curtis: Letter to Lew Bachtal, Ross County RTA president

May 19, 2006

Hello Lew Bachtal, (President Ross Co. RTA)

Thank you for asking me to speak on behalf of CORE to your retired teacher association in Ross Co. on Wednesday.

The very personal welcome I received by you, Don Gatchell and so many of your members upon arriving was greatly appreciated.

At your next meeting, would you please thank all of the lovely members that spoke with me while I was there? Also thank them for their interest and support of CORE. I hope I was able to adequately answer any questions they asked. If I did not, please provide them with my email address tcurtis2@neo.rr.com and ask them to write me. They were all truly a wonderful group.

I found out after the meeting, that some of your members were not aware of CORE and have now been placed on my email list, as they requested. One member, Mary Lou Thompson, provided me with a check for a contribution to CORE, which I gave to our financial person on Thursday during our CORE meeting at the STRS.

Again, being asked to explain how CORE came into existence, what its mission and goals are was most appreciated. I am sure the information I presented concerning the projected increases in our health care coverage for 2007 was not anything anyone wanted to hear. However, every retiree should know what he or she is facing, in the event that they have a non-teaching spouse to insure in 2007. They will likely look elsewhere for much more affordable coverage.

Sincerely,

Tom Curtis, CORE Member

Nancy Hamant: Minutes of CORE meeting 5/18/06

MINUTES OF CORE MEETING-THURSDAY, MAY 18, 2006

Dave Parshall chaired the CORE meeting for Mary Ellen Angeletti Who is ill due to disc deterioration in her neck. Minutes are in bold following each Agenda item. Respectfully submitted by Nancy Hamant

A. Tom Curtis introduces Ohio State Auditor Betty Montgomery - 11:45 - 12:15

Tom Curtis announced that Betty Montgomery was unable to Attend the CORE meeting due to illness and hospitalization. Tom stated that Ms. Montgomery's staff indicated that she Would be will to reschedule.

B. CORE Financial Fund - Dave Parshall

Dave Parshall stated that campaign costs were very cost effective and that all printing and mailing costs submitted to Date have been paid. Donations to CORE have slowed. It is suggested that contributions be requested again at Local meetings to replenish the CORE fund in preparation For future STRS Board member campaigns and to fund any Future CORE activities.

C. CORE Website Update - Dave Parshall

Dave Parshall stated that the Website would be updated by Removing the 2006 campaign information and by adding A proactive statement (approved by CORE) regarding support Action for the proposed STRS Health Care initiative (5% increase In Employee and Employer contributions over 5 years).

D. A discussion of the fact that no one speaks for CORE or represents CORE. There are no leaders per se. Nancy Hamant's reading for CORE three years ago, "THERE ARE NO LEADERS IN CORE."

Clearly CORE members have stated that no one person, no "chair", no "elected officer" can do all of the work. Most people speak as an individual. CORE general membership approves annual goals which determine annual action. It is still important to work as a Team, striving to achieve annual goals and also to monitor STRS to ensure safety of STRS Pension and Health Care and to alert CORE members when action is needed.

Dave Parshall will draft a statement for the Website and submit to CORE Advisors for approval for adding to the website.

E. Motion - Personal references ban

Discussion indicated that most people speak as individuals. Professionalism should be the guide. However, it is important to continue to monitor STRS as a Watchdog.

F. Status of the STRS HC Legislation - Damon's report to the ORSC

It was noted in Damon's report to the ORSC, there was some resistance to increasing Employer contributions to STRS. Recommendation is to talk to your own local legislators citing the need and importance of such an increase to both retirees and actives (who will be future retirees). The next few months, as legislators are in their home district areas, are perfect times to encourage their support for the proposed legislation.

H. June 5th Retreat-Tom Curtis reports details

CORE Retreat will be held at Jan Hansen's house at 9:30 am until done. Tom will send out specifics and directions to Jan's house. Please bring Your lunch. There are still a few openings-contact Tom.

I.Old Business

None discussed

J. New Business

Way to even out STRS Board compensation/support. Provide possible CORE Recognition, plaque, desk weight for service. Much discussion ensued, with Ann Hanning (ORTA) responding to CORE questions-that there is STRS money available to reimburse STRS staff, STRS Board members, and the Executive Director for travel expenses to attend local meetings. Discussion also indicated that paying for "food" providing "gifts", etc. would be under much scrutiny since SB 133 and most would probably not be acceptable.

G. STRS Election for 2007 - Planning - We did not have time last month to discuss Kathie Bracy's suggestions for future STRS Board election Campaign

See Kathie's ideas below. Kathie presented the key ones. Most CORE members indicated that CORE is most effective In email campaigning and is certainly able to get information On the internet faster than organized groups. So the Recommendation is to develop a statewide network of receptive Folks to whom to send CORE emails. It is most important to Have at least one email contact in each county-with the Possibility of building to one contact in each school district In the future.

Ideas for future STRS Board Election Campaigns

1. Include website(s) on campaign literature (candidate flyers) to help "spread the word" to those who may not be "in the know".

2. Enlist help of superintendents. They can:

~ Inform the schools we will be distributing literature

~ Enlist the support of principals

~ Have principals inform faculty reps we will be there and that we have the right to be there & distribute literature

~ Provide basic information on schools:

+ Location, driving directions (CPS has a booklet with this info.)

+ Approximate number of certificated personnel in each building.

+ Best way to get literature to specialists (music, art, PE., psychologists, supervisors, etc.) without duplicating efforts in multiple buildings

~ Assist us in getting one permanent teacher liaison (volunteer or appointed) in each building who is NOT OEA rep

~ Statewide, assist with contacts where we need them

3. Arm us with an official statement of our legal rights to enter a public building and disseminate literature to present if/when necessary. We should have the same access as OEA. We should NOT be treated as outsiders.

4. Establish with other endorsing groups spending caps for campaigning (in our dreams!!)

5. If promoting two candidates, print flyers back-to-back, in black and white, unless cheaper to do otherwise.

6. Get help from Gene Harris, Supt. of Cols. Schools, and Susan Zelman, State Dept. of Educ.

7. Get ORTA's authorization to distribute literature at RTA meetings. We should NOT be getting hassles from RTA officers or ORTA people or anyone else. We should also be given an opportunity, whenever needed, to speak for 3 minutes on STRS topics pertaining to all.

Distributing literature to schools: Since CORE does not have huge numbers in force, it is NOT feasible to limit our efforts to certain times of the day and certain parts of the building in order to have direct access to teachers, such as faculty lounge and parking lot during non-teaching hours. This is inefficient use of our time, as we have wasted time in between, plus it takes extra time to ask each individual if they're certificated personnel (as opposed to aides, other staff people). If done in a parking lot, ten people can walk past you while you're dealing with one, who may or may not be certificated. Buildings have many doors: can't always catch people.

[Note from Kathie: These are just ideas that came to me during the time I was distributing flyers to Columbus schools. They wouldn't necessarily apply to other situations, and many things have changed since the election.]

The next CORE meeting will be on Thursday, June 15th at 11:45 in the cafeteria room behind the Sublett Rm.

Betty Montgomery hospitalized with rare nerve disorder

Montgomery suffers rare nerve disorder

By Catherine Candisky, Alan Johnson and Matthew Marx

The Columbus Dispatch

Friday, May 19, 2006 1:40 AM

Ohio Auditor Betty D. Montgomery's recovery from a rare nerve disorder that was diagnosed this week could take weeks or longer than a year, experts say.

Montgomery, 58, was in the intensive-care unit at Ohio State University Medical Center yesterday after a preliminary diagnosis of Guillain-Barre syndrome. She reportedly was on a respirator.

Her staff said she was “in good spirits and resting comfortably,” although staff members refused to discuss her condition otherwise.

Doctors were still doing tests yesterday, but Montgomery's office said she is being treated for Guillain- Barre.

An expert reached last night described the disease as “friendly fire” from confused antibodies that kill nerves and cause paralysis and breathing problems.

The range of recovery is extremely variable, depending on the severity of the underlying nerve injury, neurologist John T. Kissel said last night.

One-quarter to one-third of Guillain-Barre sufferers are placed on respirators and the need for one has little bearing on the rate of recovery, said Kissel, professor and acting chairman of the OSU Neurology Department.

“It is strange. You can have two patients in the same room, both of whom are on ventilators," he said. “One is on a rapid recovery and 90 percent back to normal in three to four weeks and the other can be hospitalized for months.”

After Erin Tully contracted the disease in 2004, she spent six weeks in a hospital, followed by two months in a nursing home before returning to her Bexley home in a wheelchair. She spent a week in the ICU, she said. Three weeks after the diagnosis, the paralysis was at its worst, leaving her unable to sit up in bed, much less get into a wheelchair.

“It's rough, but you can get through it with support of family and friends and, hopefully, a positive mental outlook,” Tully said.

Tully, 59, completed outpatient therapy in July and returned to her job as a librarian at Montrose Elementary after missing one year of work. She still has some paralysis in her right foot.

“I have four toes that don't want to bend and it alters my gait a bit,” she said last night.

She visits people in the hospital who are recovering from the disease. Tully knows of one man who recovered in two weeks and another who was paralyzed for 18 months.

Montgomery was admitted to the hospital Wednesday afternoon after a visit to her personal physician for a lingering chest cold and cough, spokeswoman Jen Detwiler said.

“We're glad that Auditor Montgomery is getting the treatment she needs,” said Deb Hackathorn, her chief of staff.

She said work at the auditor's office “will continue uninterrupted and we look forward to her speedy recovery and return to the office.”

Montgomery's staff said she will be hospitalized “for an indeterminate amount of time for treatment and observation.”

Montgomery is the Republican nominee for Ohio attorney general against Sen. Marc Dann, D-Youngstown. She was elected auditor in 2002 after serving two terms as attorney general.

ccandisky@dispatch.com
ajohnson@dispatch.com
mmarx@dispatch.com

Nancy Boomhower’s speech to STRS Board, May 18, 2006

Good afternoon. My name is Nancy Boomhower and I am a retired first grade teacher from Medina County. I retired with 31¾ years of credit. I also am a part time rehire who teaches the GED program at our local county jail. Quite a change, but one that I am enjoying.

The reason that I chose to speak today is because of the childcare. I have been asking questions and gathering information about child care. The conclusion that I have come to is that our facility is overstaffed and overpaid.

The fees being charged are about in line with other local, profit-making facilities. So, the answer is not to raise fees but to reduce the number of employees and lower their salaries.

With the latest information that I have, the ratio of teachers to students is about one teacher to every 3.5 students. The state regulations call for a 5-to-1 ratio for infants, a 12-to-1 ratio for 3-year-olds, a 14-to-1 ratio for 4-year-olds and a 16-to-1 ratio for 5-year-olds. The state requires two types of employees, lead teachers and associate teachers. A lead teacher is required to have a 2 year associate degree and an associate is required to have a high school diploma with a couple of courses in child care. As I have said before, it does not take a college degree to change diapers.

The pay for a lead teacher starts at about $10.50 to $11.00 and the pay for an associate starts at less than $8.00 and goes up to about $11.50. Yet we have a person with the title of Director of Childcare Services whose salary in 2004 was $63,280. She has an Administrative Assistant whose salary is $35,760 and there is another person with a salary of $50,550 whose title is Child Care Coordinator. These are duties that are covered by lead teachers in other facilities.

I figured a salary for an individual who was earning $10.00 an hour and working 40 hours a week for 50 weeks. The reason that I did not figure in the other 2 weeks is that on the information that I was given, it appears that vacation time is in a separate category. That figure comes to $20,000. All of our employees exceed that figure by half again and much more. We have a part time employee who has a high school diploma and is earning $17.89 an hour. Something is wrong!

I spoke with an employee of a Columbus area day care facility and she said the STRS child care is known as a premiere facility. No wonder! Our employees are given service awards, educational assistance and all sorts of insurance benefits. These are not the norm for child care employees in the real world.

I have attached the charts, etc., from which I took my information. Please look them over and I am sure that you will come to the same conclusions that I have. Thank you.

Betty Montgomery ill; will not be addressing CORE on May 18

The word is that she is sick in bed this week and will not be able to speak at the CORE meeting on May 18.

Lima News: Betty Montgomery in hospital

From Paul Boyer

May 18, 2006

The newspaper said that she did not appear in Lima yesterday because of illness. Then the latest radio news stated that her doctor has put her in the hospital for tests.

Shirlee explains more about Medicare A & B to a retiree; some good info for all of us

From Shirlee Zerkel

May 17, 2006

I would like to address your comments to my information. I agree that Gary Russell can, if he would, explain the benefits through STRS, but what gives him the authority to speak about what the real Medicare has in benefits?

I would like to give this little example of a hospitalization. If a retiree has the Government Part A Medicare and NO other coverage and has a $10,000 necessary hospital bill. In 2006 that retiree will pay $952 and Medicare will pay the rest. If a retiree has STRS or OPERS equal coverage to Part A, that retiree will pay the deductible of the STRS policy which is either $500 for Plus or $1500 for Basic coverage and then 20% of what ever the hospital bill was.

Let's use the $500 deductible policy,for example, and figure what a retiree pays on a $10,000 hospital bill with STRS Part A coverage: The retiree will pay the $500 deductible and then 20% of the $9,500 that is left. That comes to $1,900. The STRS out-of-pocket max says that a retiree only has to pay $1,500 after the deductible. So we will add the $1,500 and the $500 deductible together and the retiree on STRS Part A will pay $2,000 for his hospital stay, but the retiree on real Medicare Part A has only paid the $952 for the same services. For that particular hospital bill a person on real Medicare would have $1,048 in his own wallet that the person covered by STRS Part A would have to pay out to the hospital.

I agree with you that Medicare A covers hospital, skilled nursing home stays up to 10 days and Medicare B covers doctors, test, and outpatient.

Your quote: "STRS is your primary payor for Part A: overnights in hospitals and convalescent and nursing homes with Medicare as your secondary." I do not agree. Medicare will pay no part of a person's Part A expenses if they do not have Part A listed on their Medicare card. This is listed in Medicare books and I have talked to Medicare persons also on this issue. Medicare is never secondary!

I agree with your comments about Medicare B: "Medicare is your primary for Part B...with STRS as your secondary. Yes, everyone has Part B.

I believe that you may have added to the confusion by stating that "STRS is your primary payor for Part A. There are many of us out there that have or will have the real Medicare so STRS is not our main source of benefits. We are not all the same but we do all pay the same premium to STRS after reaching 65. Some of us have real Medicare coverage and some have STRS coverage.

Molly, I guess according to you I did lay out the differences. But evidently they were not clear enough. You had to clarify and in the process change some of my points. I also did not ask you to call in Gary Russell on this issue. If I had depended on him in the past, this couple that I was helping would have had to pay over $20,000 in Medicare Expenses and they had STRS Part A. STRS was willing to let them pay the hospital!

I also have a spouse on Medicare, other relatives who are, and I took care of my mother's medical things until she passed away. I also from my own experiences have some knowledge of how health insurance works. In one 5 year recent period of time I had seven surgeries -- 5 of them major. I also have 3 chronic conditions I think I know of what I speak.

Do you still say there are no differences between real Medicare and STRS Medicare, except the precert. and in network providers?

Shirlee

A Cathartic Digression by Jim Kimmel

From Jim Kimmel

Wednesday, May 17, 2006

Subject: Re: Dream on, Bobby, maybe you can get a loan from Tom Noe to fund this one!

Nothing will really change in Ohio education until schools are funded by something other than real estate. If politicians really had guts they would use a mandatory sales tax of some kind. People are still buying gas at $3.00 per gallon. so a couple of % points for schools would be very acceptable to most Ohioans-except the tight fisted Plutocrats who believe that their manhood is in their wallet instead of down where it should be. Maybe that is the problem.The good thing about a sales tax is that if you have a bad year and earn little you will buy less and pay less tax. Next year when Taft leaves and you find a better job (sorry I just had to be sarcastic) you would spend more and thus pay more taxes. Right now all our "fearless" leaders are rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic and pointing their fingers at each other. Of course those at the bottom of the food chain(schools, teachers, students, homeowners) get hurt the worst. Yes, some companies would not want to come to Ohio to have their home office or factory- or would they mind IF we had a good sensible system of educational financing and well funded schools.? Too many business leaders do not think things through but act on negative reflex because they only see the near term.Or maybe they are just greedy and have things JUST FINE for themselves and want to keep the status quo.

A Cathartic Digression

by Jim Kimmel

_____________

----- Original Message ----- Sent: Tuesday, May 16, 2006

Subject: Dream on, Bobby, maybe you can get a loan from Tom Noe to fund this one!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted on Tue, May. 16, 2006, Akron Beacon Journal

Fedor noted, 10,000 teachers have been laid off statewide this past year as districts such as Akron cope with inadequate resources. It is cruel to watch schools slash their budgets, and then demand that they pull together the money to pay for new classes in foreign languages.

Core subjects

Strengthen school curriculums and repair the funding system? If Ohio wants to pursue excellence in education, it must do both

State Sen. Teresa Fedor welcomed the ``beautiful rhetoric'' last week at a joint hearing of the House and Senate education committees. The Toledo Democrat had in mind the broad and necessary consensus supporting tougher curriculum requirements for high school graduates. Business leaders were particularly vocal in backing the ``Ohio Core'' initiative of Bob Taft. The governor, among other things, wants to beef up math, science and foreign language courses.

The business community, including the Greater Akron Chamber, has joined with foundations, education and civic organizations to form Tapping Ohio's Potential, a coalition dedicated to winning legislative passage of the governor's proposal. Hard to imagine a duck more lame than Taft, his approval rating having fallen into single digits at one point not long ago. Yet the governor, to his credit, has gamely pressed ahead, making the case for an advance that Ohio must make.

The legislative hearing provided a forum, in part, for revisiting discouraging trends, for instance, a mere 19 of 100 Ohio ninth-graders moving forward to complete a college degree on time. As things stand, 35 percent of first-year college students in the state require remedial coursework in math and English. The governor rightly wants to set the bar higher. So do business leaders in the thick of global competition, grasping keenly the importance of a skilled work force. As the president of the Ohio Business Roundtable put it, ``nurturing talent is job one.''

One element of the Taft initiative involves a $20,000 signing bonus and loan forgiveness for teachers who focus in needed areas. That promising incentive highlighted a concern, one articulated by Teresa Fedor. If the state senator applauded the soaring words, she also pointed to the hard realities.

The state must strive for excellence, or as the governor stressed: ``We must be serious about developing Ohio's young people for the competitive world economy.'' Yet, as Fedor noted, 10,000 teachers have been laid off statewide this past year as districts such as Akron cope with inadequate resources. It is cruel to watch schools slash their budgets, and then demand that they pull together the money to pay for new classes in foreign languages.

In that way, Fedor correctly emphasized the need to repair a school funding system that punishes districts. The truth is, Ohio can both fix the funding mechanism and strengthen its core curriculum. What shouldn't be assumed (as one business leader did) is that voters will look more kindly on school levies because the state has improved course requirements. The essential nurturing of talent isn't so easy. What is required is a broad and influential coalition articulating honestly the case on both counts, marrying beautiful rhetoric to sufficient resources.

Shirlee Zerkel: Medicare Parts A and B and the STRS retiree

From Shirlee Zerkel

May 17, 2006

Teachers in the state of Ohio have paid and still do pay Medicare taxes from their teaching wages if they were hired by a school system after 1986. If an Ohio teacher was employed by a school before 1986 and worked for them until retirement or still does work for the same system, no Medicare taxes are deducted. I received this information from the treasurer of the system where I worked. That system still has 13 employed teachers who have never had Medicare taxes taken from their wages.

In Ohio if a teacher has not paid into Medicare for regular Part A, the only way they can have Real Government Medicare Part A free is if their spouse is eligible for Medicare A from their employment or they pay the $393 monthly premium. If you are retired from teaching and are 65 or over, you have a Medicare card; look at your Medicare card. It will state on the card if you have both Medicare A and B. If the card states Medicare A, then you are covered by the government and you will not cost STRS nearly as much.

Medicare charges their clients one up front fee for hospitalization which is $952 for a stay of one to 60 days and then Medicare pays the remainder. If your card states only Medicare B, then you are dependent on STRS covering you for the Part A. Figures are from the 2006 Medicare and You booklet. STRS states that your coverage is equivalent. It is not because in real traditional Medicare you can go to any facility, with STRS coverage, you can not. Skilled nursing home care, short tern is also different.

On the other side of the coin, those retired teachers who do not have the real Medicare are costing STRS a lot more than teachers who have paid into Medicare taxes when they are hospitalized or need tests. All Medicare eligible retirees can sign up for the real Part B and STRS requires their members to do that.

Another note:

I know that STRS pays a portion of all members' Part B premium. I feel that STRS should pay for the entire Part B premium for members who have the real Medicare Part A. I would never recommend that STRS take away their coverage of Part A for the older retirees, but please, since STRS is really subsidizing those who can not get Medicare A without cost, give a better subsidy on Part B to those of us who are not costing you as much in coverage. Make your retirees equal in benefits.

Comments from Leonard Myers and John Bos on HC legislation

May 17, 2006

From Leonard Myers

I think both legislators and school bd. members should be made to realize that if the HC is not saved by new and increased contributions, current teachers will stay as long as they can and will not retire because they will not have health care.This will put more of a burden on local bds. Of education. Another possibility is that teachers will try to negotiate health care coverage from local bds. When they retire. Some school districts in California do this now. Another possibility is that teachers can pay in to medicare while they are working.

I have a friend in California who has both part A and B of Medicare. He said they had taxes that were deducted from their pay checks for both parts A and B, even thought their pensions are not under social security. STRS should look in to this. Also, I have an acquaintance in Defiance who worked for the city water dept. and his wife worked for the county auditors office. Both draw their pensions from PERS. His wife went back to work for the county and paid in to Medicare from her county employment. He went to the local social security office. He claims that since his wife is now covered by Medicare, that he is also STRS should look in to this possibility. Damon Asbury is coming to our RTA in Defiance County in June and I will bring this up at this time.

Leonard Myers,
Pres. Defiance County Retired Teachers

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May 17, 2006

From John Bos

School Districts in New York (State) are responsible for medical insurance for all retirees until they are 65. They also pay the premium for their Medicare. The coverage and any premium is generally the same as the active employees. This keeps active and retired on the same page. That is something that we do not have in Ohio.

I have several winter friends that are retired from other states that can provide significant information regarding their insurance. They could not believe what we are paying for STRS coverage.

Article 10/10/05: Costco nearing deal for 1st Columbus Store

Commercial Real Estate Beat

October 10, 2005

Kathy Showalter

Business First

Costco Wholesale Corp., the nation's leading warehouse club retailer, has its sights set on Columbus.

The merchant is planning to build its first Central Ohio store at the northwest corner of Gemini Place and Lyra Drive near the Polaris Fashion Place mall, Business First has learned.

The company, known for selling a mix of high-end and everyday merchandise at discounts to club members, has its only Ohio stores - four of them - in the Cleveland area.

Jim Sinegal, Costco's CEO, declined to confirm the company's interest in Columbus.

"We don't put ourselves in a good position from a negotiating standpoint by talking about deals before we close," he said.

Columbus officials, however, confirmed the suburban Seattle-based retailer is seeking zoning permits to sell gasoline on land owned by NP Ltd., the developer of the Polaris Centers of Commerce.

Franz Geiger, NP's managing director, declined to comment.

Turning up the heat

Costco's arrival in Central Ohio would mean the region's retail competition among discounters would heat up another degree, not just for Wal-Mart Stores Inc.'s Sam's Club operations but also for other drugstore and supermarket chains, said retail analyst Burt Flickinger III, managing director of Strategic Resource Group, a New York consulting firm.

"It will slow Sam's down in Central Ohio," he said, "but it will also be an interesting test for Kroger Marketplace."

Kroger Marketplace is a grocery and home goods store operated by Cincinnati-based Kroger Co. and designed to compete with Wal-Mart and Meijer Inc. superstores.

Kroger opened its first area Marketplace last year at Graceland Shopping Center and plans to have as many as five of them opened by the end of next year.

Wal-Mart operates four Sam's Clubs and multiple supercenter stores in Central Ohio.

An established Columbus Costco could generate sales of $2 million a week, roughly twice that of an average Sam's Club, Flickinger said. About 60 percent of Costco's sales are in groceries.

"It's long overdue in coming to Columbus," Flickinger said. "Cleveland has been one of Costco's best markets in the eastern half of the United States. They should have been smart enough to come into Columbus as soon as Big Bear was buried."

The Big Bear grocery chain was shuttered in early 2004.

Costco's pricing would test "category killer" retail specialists such as Office Max, Flickinger said, and its broad grocery offerings would compete with Columbus supermarket newcomer Whole Foods Market Inc., which focuses on organic and upscale offerings. Costco's pharmacy program is considered one of the most competitively priced in the nation, he said.

An Ohio expansion fits into the company's plans. Costco recently announced it is increasing its capital spending by more than 40 percent in 2006 to more than $1 billion. It plans to open 34 warehouse stores next year.

Furthermore, trade media report Costco executives expect to grow the company from 327 warehouse stores to 600 in the next eight to 10 years, partly by opening warehouse clubs in closer proximity to one another.

A site near Polaris Fashion Place is probably a good location for the retailer because its merchandise is typically of better quality than Sam's Clubs and its consumer electronics and home-entertainment lines include higher-end goods.

"Costco isn't afraid of premium price points," Flickinger said. "It will import diamonds, platinum and precious gems from South Africa and Israel and (give) consumer savings half or more as compared to a jeweler."

Still, the stores typically sell milk and eggs at prices lower than Sam's Club, he said.

Flickinger thinks Kroger, which dominates Central Ohio's grocery sales, will likely maintain its position and Whole Foods will gain market share. But other retailers would be vulnerable to Costco's competition, he said.

http://www.bizjournals.com/bizspace/columbus/local_column/?story_id=1174648

RHJones: Costco Rx prices good but better prices elsewhere

May 17, 2006

These prices are good, but for us STRS retirees we can get our prescription drugs out-of-our-pocket cheaper through the mail at CAREMARK, or for us veterans: the VA. In emergencies, my Ritzman Pharmacy has shown to be less expensive than COSTCO. There are also inexpensive drugs at Sam's Club. This is what I've found by comparing prices.

RHJones

Jeff Lewis: How does Brennan get away with it?

Sent: Monday, May 15, 2006
Subject: Re: CORE ALERT - 5-12-06 - re. Hazel Sidaway sentencing

I still am naive. I don't condone this breach of ethics violation, but how can the whole David Brennan situation move on and seemingly under radar? Brennan makes huge sums of $ from White Hat Management, gives notable contributions to lawmakers who approve and ballyhoo more charter schools. It's flat out wrong!! JKL

Dr. Jeff Lewis
Superintendent
Xenia Community Schools
(937) 376-2961

RHJones: Publish names of Ohio politicians bent on cutting education

From RHJones

May 16, 2006

To all:

All active/retired teachers need to ask their respective unions to list the names of all politicians that oppose funding of our public schools and to publish these names in their newsletters by this coming October. It has been noted by election boards that many absentee voters MAILED their ballots in weeks before this last primary election. Many were thrown out due to improper postage. We can not wait until the last minute to get this info out to the members. This November election is extremely important to all who value children and their teachers. Actives and retirees will never be able to have adequate HC in retirement without defeating these shortsighted politicians.

Sadly, where I went to school during the worst of times in the Great Depression, Akron is having to cut programs that I enjoyed during those terrible years. An increase in local property taxes was defeated by a small margin of voters. Corrupt politicians who back funding of Charter Schools, while cutting state funding to the public schools, have got to be replaced -- our public schools have kept us free! And, unfounded attacks on public education are driving off business from our beloved State of Ohio, weakening it.

A Colorado Republican State Rep., Mark Larson, wrote a letter to the editor of today's Beacon May, 16, 2006 mentioning the short sighted fiscal policy of TEL and TABOR (Taxpayer Bill of Rights) as "---just being wrong". As Ohio's Republican Candidate for Governor, Ken Blackwell, backs the unworkable TEL, Colorado's Mark Larson writes, "Putting TABOR in Colorado's constitution, knowing how harmful it is, and how expensive it is to fix, is an even worse idea."

My friends of children, it is not only important to keep governors unfriendly to education out of office, we need to keep their back-up state reps and state/local board of education reps out of office, as well.

As one dues paid-up Life Member of OEA/OFT, OEA-R, ORTA, CORE, I ask you to do the right thing, and do it now: PUBLISH THE NAMES OF THESE ANTI-PUBLIC SCHOOL POLITICAL CANDIDATES.

Thank you for your consideration of this.

RHJones, Retired STRS Ohio Member

Warren County RTA thanks Judge Glaeden

The Honorable Carrie E. Glaeden

Franklin County Municipal Court

General Division, Courtroom 13A

375 South High Street

Columbus, OH 43215

May 15, 2006

Subject: Sidaway Penalty

Dear Judge Glaeden:

On behalf of Warren County educators, I am thanking you for your ruling regarding Hazel Sidaway’s penalties. Two hundred hours of Community service will hopefully remind Ms. Sidaway that she was not fiduciarily responsible with STRS’s members’ money. It is too bad that Ms. Sidaway is not serving her jailtime.

Warren County does feels that Ms. Sidaway’s penalties are appropriate and lenient considering that she served as an STRS Board member for over seventeen years—with, it appears, a growing feeling of entitlement for each year served. Warren County educators are still trying to understand how Ms. Sidaway could spend over $200 for one beach bar bill!

Warren County teachers are anticipating further action by the Ohio Ethics Commission to bring ethics charges against those STRS Board members, STRS staff and STRS contractors who have violated Ohio’s ethics laws. In addition each of those cases will be followed assiduously.

Respectfully,

Nancy B. Hamant

WCRTA Legislative Chair

Letter from Sen. DeWine to Tom Curtis

From: Correspondence_Reply@dewine.senate.gov

Sent: Monday, May 15, 2006

Subject: Correspondence from Senator Dewine

May 15, 2006

Dear Thomas:

Thank you for contacting me about cuts to education programs in the fiscal year 2007 budget. As a strong supporter of education funding, I appreciate knowing your views on this important issue.

As you may know, I supported Senator Kennedy's amendment to the fiscal year 2007 Budget Resolution that would support college access and job training by restoring program cuts slated for vocational education, TRIO, GEAR UP, Perkins loans, and other student programs. This amendment also aimed to increase investment in student-aid programs, including increasing the maximum Pell Grant to $4,500 and restoring cuts slated for job-training programs. Unfortunately this amendment was not agreed to in the Senate.

Another amendment that I supported would have raised the discretionary spending cap by $3 billion to allow for additional funding for Title I education grants, however this also was not agreed to in the Senate.

I voted in favor of an amendment that would allow for a $7 billion increase in funding for health, education and training, and other low-income programs. The Senate adopted this amendment by a vote of
73-27.

The Senate passed the fiscal year 2007 Budget Resolution on March 16, 2006, by a vote of 51-49. As amended, the resolution would allow approximately $882 billion in discretionary spending for the upcoming fiscal year. I voted against its adoption, in part, because of my concerns that the resolution did not provide enough funding for these important education programs.

As the fiscal year 2007 appropriations process moves forward, I certainly will keep your views in mind and work with my colleagues to make sure these programs are properly funded. Again, thank you for contacting me. If you have any additional questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me anytime

Very respectfully yours,

MIKE DeWINE

United States Senator

In her district she's known as Hazel 'Skip-a-day'

Kudos to judge, Schuring in Sidaway, barber cases

Canton Repository

May 15, 2006

Generally Speaking

By Michael E. Hanke

Among some teachers, she became known as Hazel “Skip-a-day” because she took off so much time from the classroom for retirement board “duties.” It probably won’t be a good idea if Hazel Sidaway skips any of the 100 hours of service she has been ordered to perform for her former employer, Canton City Schools.

Copley Ohio Newspapers Columbus Bureau Chief Paul Kostyu reported last week that Sidaway “was sentenced to 200 hours of community service, 100 of which must be performed in her former school district. The other 100 hours must be spent working in a nursing home or retirement facility, where a Franklin County judge said she hoped Sidaway would have to help retired teachers.” She also was sentenced to two separate 180-day suspended jail terms and was placed on two years’ probation.

Sidaway, in her role as a board member of the State Teachers Retirement System, took some expensive tickets, in violation of state ethics laws. She apologized. But the judge didn’t buy it, partly because Sidaway hid tickets by reporting them as “meals.”

The judge also was disgusted with Sidaway’s “long list” of trips at the expense of retirees, teachers and school districts. Good for the judge.

SCHURING TRIED TO FREE FRANKLIN

State Sen. Kirk Schuring took some time from his busy day last week to make the patrons of Matt’s Barber Shop in Canal Fulton a little happier. Schuring pounded out a deal with the stuffy Ohio Barber Board that will allow Franklin the basset hound to return to the barbershop, where he delights the patrons with his basset-like inertia.

Franklin, 3, greeted customers at Matt Schwendiman’s barbershop until an Ohio Barber Board state inspector, with apparently little more to do than be grumpy, cited the shop on Feb. 7 for — shudder — violating the board’s pet policy, which bars pets from barbershops.

The state board, the apparent source of this grumpiness, would not budge, even though Schwendiman has been bringing a dog to work for 10 years, and presumably in front of other less anti-dog inspectors.

Schuring, noting that dogs are allowed in such places as hospitals, urged the board to reconsider its own inertia, and the board president agreed to present the board with a deal hammered out with Schuring. The Barber’s Board, however, decided on Thursday to send the agreement for an attorney general’s opinion. Apparently, some of them fear that barber clients will start bringing dogs to the shop. Maybe these board members had guppies for pets when they were kids.

So, here is a tip of my basset Charlie’s canine cap to the pet-friendly senator. And thanks from the rest of us dog lovers, too. Let’s hope the attorney general is one of us.

WHY IS CANAL FULTON COUNCIL HIDING PROCEEDINGS FROM CITIZENS?

Now that Franklin the basset is back in the barbershop (see above column item), perhaps he could drop by the Canal Fulton City Council meeting and take a chomp at the collective political posteriors of the group that has decided not to tell everyone in the city about its gambling conversations.

Council members decided to meet in secret session last week with a lawyer they hired to represent them in negotiations with the Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma about a possible casino agreement.

Frankly, I think they violated Ohio’s open meetings law in going behind closed doors. But even if they didn’t violate the law, they violated their trust with the residents of the city. The law doesn’t require them to go into secret session; it only offers them the opportunity. What is it that they wouldn’t want their constituents to know?

Michael E. Hanke is general manager of The Repository. He can be reached at (330) 580-8301, by writing 500 Market Ave. S, Canton, 44702 or by e-mail at: mike.hanke@cantonrep.com

http://www.cantonrep.com/index.php?ID=286215&r=0&Category=14

Riley of Alliance (Stark Co.); owned by STRS retirees Cynthia and Chuck Kreiner (and daughter, Allison, of Case Med School, who is trying to study as this photo is snapped by her Aunt Kathie)

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Dave Speas on the political realities of funding our health care

From Dave Speas

May 14, 2006

Hello,

ORTA is in full ahead mode working on this. We are meeting with legislators, working with STRS, OEA, and all other healthcare advocate parties. We are talking to our reps and senators in our local areas as retired local organizations until we are asked to do so state wide.

A presentation was done by Terri and the OEA rep at all of our four district meetings. ORTA is working on this every day and we are doing so locally too as some of us have talked to our state legislators as they leave church, shop, and go about their daily lives in our community. Sometimes it is more fruitful to let the locals do some of the work.

As a school board member, we are going to ask Terri to come and talk to us at our local. We are inviting the other county board members to come if they wish. We want to find out if there is a win - win we can find to sell this to our communities.

I taught in the community I serve since 1966 and have served it for 41 years as a teacher, coach, and board member. As board members, we must be able to tell our local citizens why, after we used up a million dollars in carry over, cut 450,000 dollars from our budget this year, will have a ballot issue in 07 to renew a five year one, and have gotten only a slight, less than one percent, raise from the state, why the money they vote us will have 5% not go to their students.

We have to have the answer because I have already been asked by some of my former students who attend our meetings how I can justify giving that amount to retired teachers and not to their kids over the five years and into the future with no end.

We must have answers that will satisfy them, like boards will have to negotiate with teachers for healthcare for teachers after they retire, etc. If not, there will be a backlash here in our community as Springfield City district is under state supervision and the surrounding communities are aware of the financial crises brought on by healthcare, charter schools, larger personal tax bills, and cost of fuel to run buses and heat buildings.

Our district paid $750,000 for our share of the 14% in 1995-96 and 1,400,000 dollars in 04-05. Our residents are aware of these numbers and remind us that local board members are to take care of the tax payers money in a way that is positive for the citizens of our community. As a sworn member of our board, it is my duty to do so.

As a board, we have not come out either way but we must be swayed by a win win other than attracting the best teachers as we already have the highest salary base in our vicinity as do so. It must be a long reaching and strong point or points that we can sell our voters as they carry more and more of the tax burden. If this cannot be done, legislators will be hearing from the citizens of the local areas across the state of Ohio and there are a lot more of them than there are retired teachers.

Dave