Jim N. Reed: STRS PBIs Go Front and Center at Dispatch

Jim N. Reed to Columbus Dispatch reporter James Nash, January 19, 2009

Dear Mr. Nash,

As a 42-year public school educator and STRS member I want to express my gratitude to you and whoever else at the "Dispatch" were responsible for reporting on and publishing the STRS Board's decision regarding the alteration of the staff's Performance Based Incentive policy.

The fact the article appeared front and center in the Metro section was most gratifying to those of us who have been witness to much general public inattention and apathy and the loss of sympathetic investigative reporters.

A relatively small group of retirees and the persistent watchdog approach of current Board member Dr. Dennis Leone (and former member John Lazares) have continued to hold the Board accountable to ORC 3307.15. Needless to say, it has not been an easy or popular task.

We realized from the onset of Dr.Leone's research and publishing of his 2003 whistle blowing at STRS that our best chance of getting attention for our attempts to bring about a Renaissance of STRS literacy and intercept the entitlement philosophy of the Executive Director and Board rested with investigative reporters and their willingness to help us unravel and publish the truth.

CORE President Dave Parshall along with members Kathie Bracy, John Curry, Molly Janczyk, Tom Curtis and other charter members deserve much credit for their relentless insistence that the STRS Board not be permitted to mismanage retirement funds for 450,000 active and retired educators and beneficiaries.

Again, thank you for staying on top of the STRS story and reporting it to educators, boards of education, and taxpayers. You have provided an invaluable service, a prime example of the power of the pen.

Jim N. Reed