Monday, February 21, 2011

From STRS: February Message to Pension Champions

From STRS, February 21, 2011
On Feb. 15, we held a training session at STRS Ohio for more than 50 Pension Champions. For those of you who were in attendance, we can't thank you enough for your excellent questions, enthusiasm and commitment to preserving STRS Ohio pensions.
We have already heard from several of you, and welcome your requests for additional materials. Whether you need more materials, have questions, or would like someone to come speak to STRS Ohio members, please call on us.
Since our meeting on the 15th, we have posted new information on the home page of the STRS Ohio Web site [https://www.strsoh.org/]. The testimony presented by Michael Nehf, STRS Ohio's executive director, to the House Health and Aging Subcommittee on Retirement and Pensions on Feb. 16 can be found there. (https://www.strsoh.org/pdfs/Nehftestimony2162011.pdf) We've also posted a comparative chart showing (a) what is in current statute; (2) what House Bill 69 currently contains regarding STRS Ohio; and (3) what changes the State Teachers Retirement Board passed on Jan. 27, 2011, that should be included as amendments to H.B. 69. (https://www.strsoh.org/pdfs/STRSOH_Pension_Hearings_211.pdf) There is also a hearing schedule posted for the upcoming subcommittee meetings; hearings are scheduled for both day and evening hours. (https://www.strsoh.org/pdfs/hearing_schedule.pdf)
Some of you have asked about the timing of outreach to legislators. With hearings currently under way in the House subcommittee, sharing your position with these representatives at this time is certainly important - particularly if one of them is your representative. The members of the subcommittee and a link to their House of Representatives' Web page that includes contact information are listed below.
The members of the Health and Aging Committee should also be hearing from you, and, again, this is particularly effective if one of them is your representative. The committee members are: Chair Lynn Wachtmann, Vice Chair Bruce Goodwin, and Reps. Nickie Antonio, Troy Balderson, John Barnes, Barbara Boyd, Dave Burke, Mike Duffey, John Carney, Lorraine Fende, Randy Gardner, Nancy Garland, Anne Gonzales, Bob Hackett, Bob Hagan, Richard Hollington, Jay Hottinger, Terry Johnson, Todd McKenney, Dan Ramos, Kirk Schuring, Barbara Sears and Ken Yuko. Contact information for the members of the committee can be found at: http://www.house.state.oh.us/index.php?option=com_displaycommittees&task=2&type=Regular&committeeId=111
Eventually, the bill will be presented to the full House, so contacting the balance of the House members will be important at that time. We will continue to use e-mail to keep you abreast of the progression of the legislation.
As we discussed at our meeting, talking to legislators on their "home turf" is particularly effective, but meeting with them in Columbus, calling their offices, and/or sending letters and e-mails is also important. We would encourage you to also present testimony at one of the hearings; if you do this, bring 40 copies of your remarks with you.
For those of you who were unable to attend the Pension Champions training session but would like the toolkit provided at the meeting, just contact Champions@strsoh.org or call toll-free 1-888-227-7877 and ask for ext. 4661.
And, again, please contact us whenever we can be of assistance. Thanks so much!

posted by Kathie Bracy at 12:52 PM

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