Post-election comments from retirees

May 12, 2013

Honorable Uecker,

I mentioned to you at the PRC dinner about the voting of candidates for the STRS board.  I think you might be interested in what'€™s going on at STRS.  Many of us retirees are extremely upset at what has been happening.  They (STRS) seem more interested in themselves and their employees than us retirees. If it wasn'€™t for active teachers and retirees, there would not be any STRS and they don'€™t seem to understand this.  Our COLA will be cut; however, STRS  investment people can possibly receive a bonus up to 100% of their salary.  STRS has been given POWER to do about anything they want and we retirees are the ones who suffer. Kathie Bracy has a blog which you might want to check out as to what many are saying about STRS.

It was good to see you at the Chamber of Commerce meeting May 6.  You seem to express yourself in a kind manner for people.  I think you would probably be concerned and upset if you just knew a little about what'€™s going on at STRS.  How could our politicians give so much power to STRS and just a few years ago, one executive director and some board members [6] were indicted and convicted?  I don'€™t think our current board has proven they are worthy of the POWER.

Thanks for listening to me and thanks for reading the email below (Kathie Bracy's blog).

Keep up the good work.

*****

I'm so very sorry Dennis.  It should never have happened as it did and I'll support whatever action the group decides to take to contest the election procedures and results. Enough of OEA's lying, cheating and stealing of elections.  How do I resign my life membership in OEA?  Not that any of them would care.

*****

Enough illegal behavior has been obvious for too many years, and there seems to be no one who can do anything about the crimes.  Powerful people in the world are guilty of kinds of manipulation on all levels, and I have decided there is no justice for the little guy like us.  When the world and the people get this rotten and corrupt, we have lost the battle.

*****

It is indeed disheartening that Dennis Leone came so close...yet lost the election to STRS Board.
This election will go down in history as flawed. 
STRS staff and current Board members "stonewalled" their way through this election to ensure
that they would not have to face a Board member who would question any of their recommendations
or actions.
Sad day indeed!
*****

This was a confusing election due to different language on different ballots when every ballot should have be worded identically.

Many thought they had to vote for two candidates as a result of differing ballots when they wanted to vote only for Leone.  Also, phone and email votes seemed to encourage two votes.

*****

I think STRS has earned itself a new motto for their shenanigans of recent months. How about "Welcome to your windowless STRS board room: a place where the sun don't shine"?

*****

Dear Mr. Nehf and Board:
This is Saturday night; May 11th; I am sure that all of you are dancing your "happy dance".  The intentional confusion on the ballots gained you what you wanted. You also gained by not sending some retirees ballots, so that means that possibly others who were not entitled to vote received ballots.  Also the write in candidate lines were a farce.  Ask any election worker in the state of Ohio. 

You have scorned all of us (retirees) by your lack of of real answers to our questions!  What do you have to hide?  It must really be something big or maybe many, many things as it was a few years ago!  Why are you so afraid of Dr. Leone being on the board that you would stoop to allowing the intentional unfair wording on the ballot and on the Internet?  Stein had 2,231 votes more than McGreevy, but McGreevy only beat Dr. Leone by 778 votes.  That tells me that some 'funny business' was going on either due to the wording of the ballot or in the tabulating of the votes!  Brutus says about Caesar: "It is the bright day that brings forth the adder; And that craves wary walking? Crown him?-that;- And then, I grant, we put a sting in him, That at his will may do danger with." This election has brought forth the adder (STRS) and we retirees must watch carefully the decisions and actions of STRS and the Board.  The winning of this election is the same as crowning Ceasar.  With the election of these two 'yes' men, STRS will have more power to sting the retirees again and again, and don't say that you have not been stinging us!

Remember 2003, many things were brought out in the open.  It WILL happen again! We are watching ALL of you!  You will all someday have to answer for the things you are silent about during your time as executive director and members of the board.
Watching your future action and decisions,

*****

I could spit nails for how angry I am at the results of this "sham" of an election. You deserved and would have won had they not pulled fast ones in language.

I am so sorry for all retirees. Your loss is a huge loss for all of us! I hope there is some recourse that is being planned. STRS's excuses are feeble and totally inadequate and not responding to you is despicable.