RH Jones: Kent State professor union handout

From RH Jones, November 3, 2007

These highly educated citizens (most with Ph.D.'s) offer their opinion in support of HB 315:

“There is no such thing as a secure retirement without affordable health care. HB 315 would create a dedicated revenue stream, funded by active teachers, to ensure long-term solvency of STRS health care benefits.

This plan is endorsed by a coalition of employees, employers and retirees with a goal of providing access to affordable health care for current and future retired teachers.

The STRS health care plan provides affordable coverage for over 114,000 retired teachers. It makes sense to secure this program for the future rather than risk adding to the ranks of uninsured Ohioans.

Active teachers support this proposal. Current law does not allow any portion of the employee contribution to go towards securing health care. We would rather pay a manageable amount of money while we are working than be saddled with the entire cost of health care coverage in retirement.

This proposal has benefits for employers. Without access to affordable health care, teachers will be forced to work longer and longer. The aging teacher workforce drives up salaries and health care costs for school districts.”

District and State College School Boards need to take notice of: “Current law does not allow any portion of the employee contribution to go towards securing health care.” The OASBO & OSBA want STRS to pick up the cost. How can they? Law restricts them. But, if HB 315 passes, the STRS, in a way, will pick up the costs of this due to the teachers retiring sooner. Conversely, the Ohio School Boards will pickup the tab if HB 315 fails and teachers fail to go into retirement. This is quite obvious to any reasonably educated person.

Robert Hudson Jones, a retired Ohio STRS member