Flashback, 3 years ago: Incumbent loses spot [to John Lazares] on State Teachers Retirement System board

Flashback -- Canton Repository, May 9, 2004
By PAUL E. KOSTYU Copley Columbus Bureau chief

COLUMBUS — In a stinging rebuke to the leadership of their unions, Ohio teachers elected Superintendent John Lazares to the board of the State Teachers Retirement System.

Lazares, who leads the Warren County Educational Service Center, defeated incumbent and current board chairman Eugene Norris of Columbus. He won by just 274 votes among the 44,976 that were cast by mail during the past several weeks.

The Ohio Education Association and the Ohio Federation of Teachers had endorsed Norris and reportedly spent tens of thousands of dollars on his re-election campaign.

Lazares, on the other hand, was supported in large part by retired teachers, who were not eligible to vote because the seat belongs to an active teacher. Supporters stuffed teachers’ mailboxes at schools with fliers when they were not blocked by local union representatives.

The hotly contested election was prompted in part by news media accounts late last year about questionable spending at the pension system on artwork, staff bonuses, expenses and travel.

“I have to give credit to Ohio’s retired teachers,” Lazares said. “I knew it would be difficult to beat an incumbent, but teachers have always been my biggest supporters over the years.”

Lazares said he called Norris last week to wish him good luck and to thank him for running a clean campaign. “I can’t say that about OEA or OFT,” he said.

Norris said he accepted “the will of the people,” but didn’t have an explanation for his defeat. He said the board faces “complex issues with no simple solutions.”

He said he would continue to work on health-care issues and engaging system members during his remaining months on the board. “The system is in sound and good shape,” he said.

The closeness of the vote prompted one official and multiple unofficial recounts by 56 STRS employees who were paid $80 each to come in on Saturday to count the ballots in a very deliberative process, overseen by representatives of Norris, Lazares, the Ohio secretary of state and an internal auditor from STRS.

Ballots were mailed to 302,453 STRS members, but just 14.9 percent voted. After the first count showed Lazares ahead by 260 votes, Pamela Ennis, who represented Norris, asked for a recount. Lazares picked up four additional votes and Norris lost 10. The final vote was Lazares, 22,625, and Norris, 22,351.

Throughout the day, questionable ballots were pulled and sent to STRS Executive Director Damon Asbury, the candidates’ representatives and Cheryl Stewart from the secretary of state’s office. Of those ballots, 214 were rejected, many because no vote was cast. One ballot was ripped in half, and others had votes cast for write-in candidates including Daffy Duck, Yogi Bear and Gov. Bob Taft.

Lazares, who will take office Sept. 1, said he plans “to make sure STRS money is used efficiently. I will be very fiscally responsible.”
He said the effect of the retirees on this election should serve as a warning to incumbents or others who seek election to the board in the future. “They’re a very important force,” he said.

Lazares also said active teachers are more aware of how the pension system is operating. “They used to take it for granted,” he said. “I was one of those. Now they know they can’t be complacent.”

You can reach Copley Columbus Bureau chief Paul E. Kostyu at (614) 222-8901 or e-mail:

paul.kostyu@cantonrep.com