RH Jones re: Investment Staff Base Salary Increases

From RH Jones, March 9, 2009
Subject: STRS Investment Staff BASE Salary INCREASES from 2008 - 2009

To all:

May I ask: Number one, how in the world can these Ohio STRS investment staff employees of ours expect a substitute for HB 315 (The employer/employee increase for a dedicated funding for retiree health care) to ever get approved by the legislature, when they are getting raises that would shock the sensitivity of the average person? Once again, I must say that these raises are "beyond the pale". And, number two, in all common sense, how can the STRS board ever approve such a shocking raise in pay. And at the same time expect the Ohio School Board Association and the Ohio Association of Business Organizations ever to back this sorely needed legislation? Please. We retired educators really need this legislation, and so will the actives. One can only hope that the legislature will be courageous enough to realize that Boards can change, and will change.

As a footnote: it seems to me that some Board Members have been ignoring simple realities and have no appetite for disclosing the truths. As a consequence, I think that none of us retired educators can accept the severity of this continuing problem. What a disgraceful legacy is now being perpetuated. The Board Members need to carry out the great traditions of those who created our STRS. It most certainly is not pleasant to be critical; one would much rather be happily complimentary. But, how can it be when there are such staggering losses.

This is my individual opinion,

RHJones, a concerned retired STRS member