Kathie Bracy to STRS Board: Trash the HPA plan

From Kathie Bracy, October 5, 2010

Dear STRS Board member,

I am writing to strongly urge you to trash the current HPA plan immediately and come up with a plan that is fair to both active teachers AND retirees, which their plan is not. There should be NO cuts in COLAs for any retiree whose pension is modest at best and who has no way of improving his/her financial situation, as do active teachers who are not close to retirement.

In addition, to even consider any such cuts in the near future (2011) when the actives, many of whom have comfortable incomes far greater than the vast majority of retirees, get to be "grandfathered" and won't even see any changes before 2015, is a cruel slap in the face to your retired members.

It's time to go back to the drawing board, and I strongly urge you to do so. I also urge you to seek input from retirees other than those whom ORTA professes to represent (as a member of the HPA). I am a life member of ORTA, but ORTA does NOT represent me.

Thank you.
Kathie Bracy
STRS retiree