Tom Curtis re: STRS Newsletter

Tom Curtis to Damon Asbury, March 27, 2007
Subject: 032707 Curtis To Asbury, STRS Ohio Newsletter

Hello Damon,

Congratulations! I have just finished reading the latest spin on words in the STRS Newsletter I received today. As usual, the newsletter indicates just how happy the membership is with the direction of the STRS and just how much you are doing for us. Blah! Blah! Blah! What a bunch of expensive manipulated information! You should be so proud of yourself for doing such an outstanding job. Not!

You must truly consider yourself to be a master at deceiving people. I understand from others that have worked under your authority that this has been your paradigm for much of your career. How pitiful, but then if not you, it would probably be someone other greedy person? Remember one thing Damon, you can fool some of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time.

Why is it you fail to ever mention the members that have grave issues with your operation? You know the ones that show up at the board meetings and are allowed a whole 3 minutes to speak, which it appears you totally their concerns. You know the ones that are so tired of your foot-dragging, lame excuses and failure to follow the ORC 3307.15, ones that have no faith or trust in much of anything you say or do. These are all things you have taught us. But then you already realize this, don¢t you?

It is unfortunate that the vast majority of teachers are so lacking in business knowledge and are so complacent that you and others like you at the STRS are permitted the latitude you are extended.

Thank God for Dennis Leone and John Lazares. Their contribution to the board, which you rarely and truly do not support, has been the stakeholders' only saving grace. Dennis is someone both you and Herb totally underestimated, as you often do with most of your stakeholders.

What the STRS membership does not seem to understand is just how much money your type of management costs our retirement fund. You never seem to acknowledge that aspect, do you?

...• Why don't you print the truth and tell your stakeholders that the cost of management at the STRS is far greater then any of the other four retirement systems?

...• Why don't you tell them that you are still grossly overstaffed?

...• Why don't you tell them that most employees have benefits that far out-shadow what the stakeholder could ever conceive?

...• Why don't you tell them that upper management and many other employees have never gone without a substantial raise each and every year, regardless of the $12.3 billion loss at the end of 2002?

...• Why don't you tell them that you have far more space in the building then you need and find no need to utilize it more efficiently?

...• Why don't you tell them they are still paying for the subsidy of the children of employees in the child care program, when you promised years ago that would be cost neutral?

NO, we are never going to see that kind of printed information, are we? That is truly pathetic on your part. What a disservice you have permitted to be done to your fellow educators, all in the name of greed.

God bless you,

Tom Curtis
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