Jim N. Reed to ORTA re: Dennis Leone's STRS Report

Jim Reed to Ann Hanning and Tom Seamon, March 21, 2007
Subject: One Step Forward And Two Steps Back!

Dear Ms. Hanning and Mr. Seamon,

I have been closely following over the past few days the issue regarding the publishing of Dr. Dennis Leone's STRS report for ORTA's magazine. I have tried to digest the reasoning proffered by ORTA officials for their decision to refuse to publish Dr. Leone's summary of recent STRS Board policy. I keep coming up with indigestion!

I am offended, insulted to be condescended to with the feeble excuse that Dr. Leone's report would be stale published in the ORTA magazine a few weeks after the article was released as a "CORE Alert" to members of Concerned Ohio Retired Educators.

I would have more respect for the rejection decision if ORTA would have the fortitude to simply admit it was not in support of the approval of the litany of policy alterations approved by the current STRS Board. Hiding behind a frivolous, arbitrary timeline as rationale for non-publication of Dr. Leone's quarterly review is senseless and should be totally unacceptable to all retired Ohio teachers.

Common sense, alone, begs to be heeded. It is not more likely that far more retirees have access to disseminated information through ORTA's magazine than through a CORE Alert? Is ORTA ethically in a position to promote censorship? Are not all retirees and stakeholders entitled to know how their caretakers are performing? What's incorrect about transparency and what harm is done by learning of this critically important information twice? Many have never learned it once! And what about those retirees who do not have access to, nor the willingness to use, the inter-net? Is ORTA suggesting it is acceptable to withhold this invaluable information simply because a retiree is unable or unwilling to use a computer?

Many of us were so pleased to see Dr. Leone's quarterly report in the previous ORTA publication. It restored some faith and trust and it seemed new ground had been broken. It appeared there may be a joining of the retiree ranks to stand together to demand our retirement system continue to clean up its act and be more accountable to its membership. A closing of the gap between ORTA and CORE looked promising. And now ORTA has taken two steps back.

Is ORTA's main purpose for being not the betterment of the lives of all of Ohio's retired educators? If yes, can that goal be reached by being nothing more than a social organization, quarterly meetings where the luncheon and entertainment are the keynotes of the afternoon? Would not the membership's insistence that their STRS Board strictly adhere to ORC 3307.15 produce a more promising path to a secure and affordable retirement for members and their families? What is more important than a thorough understanding of how those three decades of contributions are being used by the STRS Board? What issue trumps affordable healthcare for retirees?

Has ORTA recommended to its county units the recruitment of and invitation to its members to appear before the STRS Board and participate in the "Public Speaks" segments that are part of monthly meetings? If yes, I have not heard nor seen any of them lately. If no, simply, why not?

If ORTA does not support Dr. Leone's findings of fault at STRS through his award-winning, STRS-based research in 2003, than why not legitimately challenge specific allegations with your own research? Certainly, ORTA does not support the unacceptable position of Chairwoman Ramser that past offenses have no relevance so there is no need to be knowledgeable of the roster of abuses and waste of retirees' pension funds. That continues to be a slap in the face to retirees, especially the less fortunate ones.

It seems to me that CORE and ORTA have the potential of forging a formidable partnership for the advocacy of an affordable and secure retirement for all of Ohio's retirees. But first we must get on the same page as to what are our preambles for existing are.

There is an ongoing Renaissance at STRS and I invite your leadership to encourage a more proactive participation by ORTA and its county units in supporting this enlightenment and literacy of STRS issues.

I challenge you to reconsider your recent position of blacklisting Dr. Leone's excellent summary of STRS policy changes and forecasts of future concerns for your publication. Your members deserve no less.

Thank you in advance for your serious consideration of these issues.

Jim N. Reed