Tom Curtis: Response pending from Senator Schuring

Tom Curtis to Rachel Near, September 13, 2010
Subject: 091310 Curtis, Re Near, Re: 082710 Questions From a STRS Retiree

Thank you kindly for your note Rachel. I look forward to a favorable response from the Senator and not the wait and see response I have received from most others I have written.

This is going to be an important election year and STRS retirees can no longer afford to wait and see. If that is all I can be offered at this point in time, I will not support those candidates that will not commit to what they will support prior to the election.

The majority of all cut backs to date have been placed squarely on the STRS retirees back. When looking at the changes being recommended for the actives, most are not to be implemented for years to come, whereas a reduction in our COLA is recommended to start as soon as the legislation is passed. Our HC fund is rapidly drying up and we will be left with no secondary coverage, as we were promised at retirement.

Medical coverage and physician care have been rising unchecked. My out of pocket HC costs since 2004, when my spouses subsidy was eliminated and mine was reduced by 25%, have been in excess of $14,000 per year. Little of that has been able to be recouped on my Federal Tax return. I would have never dreamed that better then 1/3rd of my pension was going to be lost to HC costs.

If things continue as they have gone for many years now, you will find that when you reach retirement, many of the promises you were given during your working years will be abruptly withdrawn without regard for your concerns. This is a shameful quagmire we find ourselves in. It seems to me, as though only our politicians remain unscathed in the process, as OPERS is calling for very little change. Their system is solvent and they grandfather their retirees. The STRS management has just dumped on us with seemingly little concern. Fortunately for them, all STRS employees retire with OPERS benefits, as do all politicians. Very sad.

Thank you for your email,
Tom Curtis

From: Senator Schuring
To: Thomas Curtis Sent: Monday, September 13, 2010 12:53 PM
Subject: RE: 082710 Questions From a STRS Retiree

Dear Mr. Curtis,

Good afternoon. I just wanted to let you know that I have not forgotten about you. Senator Schuring has been primarily working on constituent cases in Canton for the past few weeks and we have still not had a chance to go over your questions yet. I promise you a response in the near future.

Thank you for your patience,

Rachel

Rachel M. Near
Legislative Aide
Senator Kirk Schuring
29th Senate District
P: 614.466.0626
F: 614.466.4250
Rachel.Near@senate.state.oh.us

From: Thomas Curtis
To: Near, Rachel ; Schuring, Sen. Kirk
Sent: Tuesday, August 17, 2010 12:02 AM
Subject: Questions From a STRS Retiree

Sen. Kirk Schuring,

My name is Thomas Curtis. I am a STRS retiree. You and I have discussed issues concerning the STRS several times. I would greatly appreciate your written response to the following 3 questions. Thank you in advance for taking the time to respond.

Thomas Curtis
N. Canton, Oh 44720

1. The Defined Benefit Pension Plan has been proven to be the most cost effective retirement plan for both the State and its retirees (www.nirsonline.org, “More Bang for the Buck”). The STRS Defined Plan is really deferred compensation earned as part of an educator’s salary during his/her career. Will you support the continuation of the Defined Benefit plan in any legislation to “fix” public pensions?

2. The Ohio Revised Code, Section 3307.67 guarantees the payment of a simple 3 % Cost of Living Allowance, COLA, for current STRS retirees. In view of this fact, most other states have grandfathered current retirees from the financial harm of COLA reductions. Will you support the COLA promise by grandfathering current retirees’ 3 % COLA? (States that have not kept the COLA promise are now in litigation).

3. All the financial changes by STRS to date have been directed at the current retirees and these changes happened almost over night. Would you support the phasing out of the current enhanced STRS pension for 35 years of service (the 88% rule) in 2012 and not 2015 as the STRS plan calls for? This would save money and make changes far more fair for current retirees with much lower pensions and already reduced benefits. A higher percentage of the STRS proposed plan is aimed at current retirees who don’t have time to plan for such changes in their 60’s, 70’s and 80’s. Time is not on their side.