ORTA: Ohio's teachers must be represented by STRS Board members who are elected by them and will advocate for them

Posted on ORTA site

July 6, 2024

Ohio's teachers must be represented by STRS Board members who are elected by them and will advocate for them

The recently formed ORSC STRS Subcommittee will meet on Monday, July 8th.

You will be able to watch the meeting on the Ohio Channel at 1:00 PM ET on Monday, July 8: https://www.ohiochannel.org/live/ohio-retirement-study-council.
Click here to read the meeting materials that have been prepared by ORSC for this meeting.
If you trust the ORSC STRS Subcommittee to protect your retirement benefits, do nothing.
If you don't trust the ORSC STRS Subcommittee to protect your retirement benefits, contact the committee members before the meeting. Contact information is posted below.
Talking Points:

•   equity: Teachers pay the contribution that is determined by STRS based on the calculations of the STRS staff and consultants. It's not the fault of teachers if those calculations are wrong, yet teachers are paying the price for those miscalculations.

•   Employer contribution: The employer contribution has remained the same for 40 years, while the employee contribution has increased to 14%. Ohio's legislators should increase the employer contribution to provide the funding needed by STRS to restore benefits.

•   STRS Ohio Board: Ohio's teachers must continue to be represented by Board members who are elected by them and will advocate for them.

•   Active teachers: How is the increase in employee contribution and years of service impacting your life?

•   Retired teachers: How is the suspension of the COLA impacting your life?

Watch the ORSC meeting on June 13, 2024

Sen. Romanchuk created the ORSC STRS Subcommittee at the close of this meeting.

ORSC STRS Subcommittee Members
Senator Mark Romanchuk (R) Committee Chair

•   22nd Senate District, which includes Ashland, Medina and Richland counties

•   Sen. Romanchuk is Chair of the ORSC STRS Subcommittee

•   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mark.j.romanchuk 

•   Twitter: @SenRomanchuk 

•   Email: sd22@ohiosenate.gov 

•   Contact Mark Romanchuk: https://ohiosenate.gov/members/mark-romanchuk/contact 

Representative Phil Plummer (R)

•   Ohio House District 39, Dayton

•   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PlummerforOhio 

•   Twitter: @PhilPlummerOH40 

•   Email: rep39@ohiohouse.gov 

•   Contact Phil Pummer: https://www.ohiohouse.gov/members/phil-plummer/contact 

Representative Beryl Piccolantonio (D)

•   State Representative, Ohio House District 4, Gahanna

•   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BerylBP

•   Twitter: @BerylBrownPic

•   Email: rep04@ohiohouse.gov

•   Contact Beryl Piccolantonio: https://ohiohouse.gov/members/beryl-piccolantonio/contact

Dr. Anthony Podojil, Ph. D.

•   Email: APodojil@AHQE.org 

•   Executive Director, Alliance for High Quality Education: https://ahqe.org/ 

STRS Ohio Board members Rudy Fichtenbaum and Wade Steen are incurring legal fees, defending themselves against the lawsuit brought against them by A.G. Dave Yost. ORTA will use donations from the Pension Defense Fund to help them, if needed, pay their legal expenses. They have volunteered their time to support Ohio's teachers. Now it's time for us to show our support for them! Make a donation today to the ORTA Pension Defense Fund