Thank you, Molly...now, if Ohio educators (both active and retired) would only have a little intestinal fortitude and BROADCAST these facts.........

From John Curry, February 7, 2011

.....we'd be a whole lot better off AND the public (as well as some lawmakers) would be given an education as to the true meaning of a public pension system and the nature of a "public" servant and their lawful benefits. However....and a big "however," teachers, both active and retired, need to realize that the 88%/35 years was far above and beyond any other Ohio public retirement systems' pay-outs. None of the "other systems" ever paid over 77% for those same 35 years of service. STRS is due a "reality check" on this issue and I think the Ohio legislature will see to it that they will receive it....sooner rather than later. Thanks to this 88%/35, STRS's health insurance premiums for retiree and spouse are 16 times greater than the premiums charged by OPERS for the same non-Medicare aged retiree and his/her spouse.

Yes, there will be some, in the management at STRS, who will say that I am comparing apples to oranges as they are two different retirement systems. I say to them, "30 years (or more) of public service given to the public by a human being is 30 years (or more) of public service....regardless of what state retirement system that the benefits recipient paid into.

John Curry

From Molly Ganz, February 7, 2011
Subject: Stand tall

Hello fellow educators,

This is what some may call "enough is enough" mini-rant.

As teachers in the local public school systems, our salary was paid for by taxpayers in the community so that their children received a free education.

Fellow teachers know well that our salaries and benefits were resolutely earned.

Now, as retired educators, we are members of the State Teachers Retirement System (STRS); it is a Pension Fund. During our service years for the community, part of our pay was contributed to this pension system.

We gave up some of our income so it could be invested for our future.

Retirement money is not a gift from the taxpayers of Ohio, as many politicians are implying. It is our money, just the same as any money they invested in their 401K is their money. Neither is part of the state budget - none.

Our state pension is NOT due to citizens' generosity. It is the result of us working for much less than our skills are truly worth so that we may have a retirement that we deserve and paid for during our working years in the public school classroom.