George Doyle to Lima News: Teachers earned their HC in exchange for low pay under difficult, sometimes hazardous conditions

Setting the record straight on teachers

Lima News
Letter to the Editor - Feb. 25th, 2008
GEORGE V. DOYLE, Lima

I would like to comment on the Feb. 20 article in The Lima News, “Retiree bonus draining coffers.”

We have not had the 13th check for at least five years. The purpose of those checks was to help those who retired at a time when salaries were very low so they could have extra money to help with expenses that were not covered by insurance. This 13th check was based on a formula involving how long a teacher had been retired and how much the monthly retirement checks were.

Kenneth Clemens referred to trouble we had with a previous State Teachers Retirement System board wasting our money. Most of the retirees were not aware what was going on until we elected Dennis Leone, who exposed the corruption. Since then, those board members were prosecuted and revisions of policies at STRS have been made to ensure this cannot happen again.

As to the comment about taxpayers paying for our insurance, a retiree paid into the fund from his or her salary while teaching. During that time, the active teacher contribution kept rising, while administrative contributions stayed the same. Administration has not contributed one cent more than 14 percent for the past 20 years. However, the active teacher portion went from 5 percent to 8 percent to 10 percent. The additional 5 percent increase would come from 2.5 percent from active teachers and 2.5 percent from administrations over five years. That still brings administration’s contribution to only 16.5 percent.

I feel, as most teachers do, we have earned our health benefits for the years we have put in teaching for low wages under difficult conditions and sometimes even hazardous conditions without a bonus or perks.

George V. Doyle is president of the Allen County Retired Teachers Association.