Jim N. Reed: Letter to Lancaster Eagle-Gazette in support of Dan Vincent

From Jim N. Reed, March 17, 2008
Subject: STRS Board, Educators, and Taxpayers ("Lancaster Eagle-Gazette" Letter to Ed.)

During April every active, contributing member of STRS Ohio will have an opportunity to vote for a representative on the STRS Board. This new Board member will join ten others, either elected or appointed, to make critical decisions that will affect 440,000 current and prospective retirees.

Active educators will choose between two men who have met the petition requirements. Each candidate is offering his education experience, philosophy and other credentials.

Concerned Ohio Retired Educators believe Dr. Daniel Vincent offers the best credentials to continue the Renaissance initiated at STRS following the 2003 award-winning investigative report of the retirement system's mismanagement by Board members and its Executive Director. Dr. Vincent has been an educator since 1978, beginning as a sixth grade teacher and speech therapist before becoming a middle school principal, assistant superintendent and serving currently as Director of Curriculum with the Medina County Educational Service Center.

Dr. Vincent pledges to educators "to stop the return to a 'rubber stamp' Board and to be a guardian of your pension and healthcare in accordance with ORC 3307.15, and continue the reforms."

Taxpayers from each local school district also have a stake in this election. Local Boards of Education send 14% of educator salaries annually to STRS as provided by law. This contribution comes from the property taxes in each of the local school districts. Taxpayers are certainly entitled to transparency and accountability of the expenditure of these monies. Board members need to be professionally qualified with the utmost personal integrity.

Active educators have a most important choice to make in April. Their choice not only will directly affect the future of 440,000 fellow educators but the credibility of their profession in the eyes of an ever inquiring public.

I strongly encourage your support of Dr. Daniel Vincent for the contributing members' representative seat on the STRS Board. As a professional educator, take time to be STRS-literate and make an informed investment in your future and that of the public taxpayer.

For further information reference www.kathiebracy.blogspot.com.

Jim N. Reed Concerned Ohio Retired Educator
Baltimore, Ohio