Bob Buerkle patiently explains our situation to Representative Romanchuk, but will he "get it"? What do you think?

Bob Buerkle's message to Representative Mark Romanchuk

March 18, 2026

From Bob: I just sent the following email to Rep. Mark Romanchuk regarding his comment to the STRS Board yesterday about how much better a STRS pension was than a pension from Social Security. NOT!

To Rep. Mark Romanchuk,

I watched the STRS Board meeting yesterday and heard your comments. I was not surprised, but I was disappointed, when I heard you say that our STRS pension was better than Social Security. As you should know, our teachers contribute more than 2.2 times the amount that Social Security workers have to pay, 14% versus 6.2%. Because of this our teachers usually have a larger beginning pension, but not always. We have some rural districts which pay their teachers substantially lower salaries than the big city districts pay. For these teachers, their beginning pensions might be close to the same as the average Social Security benefit. The big difference once retired, is that Social Security pays their retirees a compounded COLA every year, while the 155,000 STRS retirees do not know if they will ever receive another simple COLA!

Can I explain to you, another huge difference between an STRS Pension and one from Social Security? My wife did a wonderful job raising our children as a stay-at-home-mom. Therefore, due to our family choices, she then did not qualify for a pension of her own. In order to protect her if I passed away I had to take a substantial cut in my STRS pension. Not so with Social Security and I know, since I also receive a Soc. Sec. pension based upon the 40 years I worked at summer jobs. However, unlike the cut I took to my STRS pension, my wife qualified for her own Soc. Sec. benefit based on my work, at 50% of the amount that I make, and now she also receives a compounded Soc. Sec. COLA each year.

In a conversation with Jeff Bernard from ORSC a few months ago, at another STRS Board meeting, he said the same thing that you did, that "an STRS pension was better, much better, than a Soc. Sec. pension." So, I decided do a little research and compare the two retirement plans over the last 10-year period. I then delivered my information in a speech at the February 18, 2026 STRS Board meeting. I have attached a pdf of my speech for you to read and hopefully share with your legislative colleagues. As you can see, even on a relatively small pension, our retirees have fallen behind a similar Soc. Sec. pension by about $12,000 per year, which also means that our retirees have lost over 25% of their purchasing power in only a decade.

What will happen to us over the next 10 to 20 years in retirement?

Respectfully,

Bob Buerkle

Cincinnati Retiree

Karen Loeffler to STRS board: "I’m tired...of wondering when we will receive the benefits we were promised. When, if ever, will we receive the COLAs we were told would be ours." (and more.)

Karen Loeffler's speech to STRS board

March 19, 2026

STRS Board Meeting 03/19/2026

My name is Karen Loeffler. I retired in July 2012 from Pickerington Local School District, with 30 years experience as a high school classroom teacher and as a middle school counselor. I also spent countless hours as a volunteer in Pickerington, in a variety of capacities.

I’m fortunate that I can be here. That I’m healthy enough, and live close enough, that attending a board meeting simply costs me gas money, and my time. Not everyone has that opportunity, and I am grateful that I do. And so I feel an obligation to be here, to represent in some way, and advocate for, those retirees and active teachers who cannot be here, either physically or virtually.

But I’m tired. Tired of wondering when we will receive the benefits we were promised. When, if ever, will we receive the COLAs we were told would be ours.

I’m tired. Tired of legislators and politicians who seem to think they understand our profession better than we do, and who simply give us lip service about how important teachers are, how much we matter, until it’s time to come up with the funds to compensate us.

I’m tired. Tired of those same legislators and politicians, who sneak legislation into bills in the middle of the night, legislation aimed at taking away our voting rights, to keep that power for themselves, and a governor who saw fit to veto any number of items in that bill except that one item which restructured our board and reduced our voting power to next to nothing.

I’m tired. Tired of feeling helpless as I watch our elected board members try to advocate for us, only to be targeted and even prosecuted due to accusations made in an anonymous letter.

I’m tired of some members of the media, those who sensationalize and misrepresent our efforts to protect our pensions, portraying us as troublemakers and malcontents, because we dare to ask hard, uncomfortable questions.

But I’m grateful. Grateful that I can be here. Grateful for the dedicated people sitting in these seats behind me, who show up here month after month. Grateful for those same people, and many others, who are members of advocacy groups, who donate their time, expertise, and funds for the benefit of all of us. And I’m grateful for the board members, those elected by the members, who are taking on the difficult and often thankless task of trying to ensure that STRS is there for its members. We appreciate you, and stand with you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

Robin Rayfield: As hurtful as the comments were from the ORSC leadership, I thank STRS for having these two people present their thoughts for everyone to hear. I hope that STRS can have legislators come in for discussions such as this more often in the future.

Robin Rayfield's comments to STRS board

March 19, 2026

Good morning. My name is Robin Rayfield. I am a member of STRS and executive director of ORTA.

Yesterday’s investment seminar included comments from 2 members of the ORSC. Representative Bird’s and Senator Romanchuk’s comments were what all STRS members expected and disappointed all STRS members. Representative Bird’s comment about ‘part time’ work of educators reminded me of STRS’s consultant’s comments a few years ago.

As hurtful as the comments were from the ORSC leadership, I thank STRS for having these two people present their thoughts for everyone to hear. I hope that STRS can have legislators come in for discussions such as this more often in the future. I mention this because years ago, I met with Kirk Schuring during his time as ORSC chairman. Mr. Schuring was very straightforward when he told me that my concerns about STRS were not the concerns of the legislative bodies, but instead were the concerns of the STRS board. He informed me that if STRS members were interested in reforms at STRS ‘we needed to elect reform minded people to the board’. History shows that the people wanting reforms at STRS did elect people whose interest included changes at STRS. What we did not expect or understand is that the elected people in Ohio did not want change at STRS. From the governor to the statehouse powerful people have blocked or partially blocked all efforts at reforms with STRS.

As STRS board members each of you has knowledge of the problem that STRS is underfunded. None of the reforms suggested will allow for any significant change with regards to years of service or inflation protection without increases in funding. Certainly reductions in costs associated with investments and increases in investment performance can provide more resources for members, but addressing the problems at STRS will require increasing contributions from the state.

To the elected members, I encourage you to continue the struggle to implement reforms at STRS. To the appointed members, I encourage you to take the message to the person that appointed you to increase funding for STRS.  

Dean Dennis with an educated opinion after hearing two legislators at the 3.17.2026 STRS board seminar

Dean Dennis' speech to STRS board

March 19, 2026

Cathy Steinhauser's sharp observations regarding two legislators who visited the STRS board seminar 3.17.2026

Cathy Steinhauser's speech to STRS board

March 19, 2026

Bob Buerkle to STRS board: How STRS missed opportunities that would have benefited us to the tune of billions!

Bob Buerkle’s speech to the STRS board

March 19, 2026

Around 1992 STRS began offering the option for retirees to be able to purchase Dental and Vision Insurance as a supplement. If you purchase both, the cost is just under $500 per year for the retiree and just over $600 per year for their spouse. TODAY, you can get this coverage for FREE WITH DOZENS OF Medicare Advantage Plans available to the general public. Most of these plans also include coverage for hearing aids up to $3,000 or $4,000 every few years.

In 2006 the Federal Government began subsidizing State Pension Plans like STRS, but only if they applied for it. STRS wasted three years before it started offering the current Government-subsidized Medicare Advantage Plan in 2009. Since STRS has over 100,000 retirees in their health care plan and the Federal subsidy is over $12,000 per retiree today, STRS receives over ONE BILLION, TWO HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS in subsidies each year. Therefore, we now know that STRS missed out on the opportunity to receive about 3 BILLION SUBSIDY DOLLARS between 2006 and 2009, while the HC fund was needlessly drained of precious funds. During those three years STRS also used 1% of total Ohio School payroll, which added approximately $300 million to the HC fund that could have been placed into the pension fund instead. Furthermore, STRS continued to place 1% of total payroll into the HC reserves until 2014, five years after the end of the Great Recession of 2008-09, and that’s another $500 million not placed into the pension fund. Also, once monies are in the HC fund, they can no longer be returned to the pension fund.

So, what has happened over the last 12 years without contributing one dollar of Employer contributions into the HC fund? Well, thanks to the Federal Government subsidies for the STRS Medicare Advantage Plan, the HC fund reserves actually grew from under $4 billion dollars to about $5 billion, even after paying for all of the HC for retirees for the past 12 years. DO YOU THINK THE STRS EXECUTIVE HEALTH CARE DECISIONS FROM 2006-2014 WERE MOST PRUDENT?

Finally, I believe that STRS could include Dental, Vision and Hearing coverage in our plan, just like the plans available to the general public. A number of the plans also provide a subsidy to those STRS retirees who also qualify for Social Security. The plan that I chose adds about $1000 to my Social Security benefit each year, and provides me with a limited credit card to spend up to $200 a year in over-the-counter health aids. For these reasons I chose to leave the STRS Health Care Plan. I think STRS could, and should, provide similar benefits going forward; otherwise, we might have a mass exodus of healthy people leaving the STRS Health Care Plan.

One caveat – The STRS annual maximum out-of-pocket is far less, at about $1500 in-network, versus about $6-7,000 for most of the public plans with similar benefits. So, if you have a lot of health issues, or think that you might need multiple surgeries in the near future, you might be better off to stay with the STRS Plan.

Robin Beebe's message to Ohio's elected officials: See you ALL at the polls - 1/2 MILLION OHIO TEACHER VOTERS!!!

Robin Beebe's speech to STRS board

March 19, 2026 

My name is Robin Beebe. Retired Master's Degree teacher of mainly 4th Graders, 2nd Graders, Kindergarteners, a smattering of other elementary grades and eight summers of Migrant Education. 35 years. Fremont City Schools and Perrysburg Schools. Retired coming up on 17 years. Denied my full 3% COLA's. Denied approximately $120,000 and counting.

    I am still patiently waiting for KARMA to make her appearance at STRS. Maybe my following comments will help speed up her arrival. Justice is not always an open and shut case, sometimes we must work for it.

    "Be the change you wish to see in the world." - Mahatma Gandhi

    "If not us, who? If not now, when?" - John F. Kennedy

    So, I choose NOW as the time for this PSA (Public Service Announcement) to my fellow active and retired Ohio teachers. My people. My tribe.

    Ohio's Primary Election will be held on May 5, 2026. The deadline to register to vote is April 6,2026 (coming up very soon). Ohio's General Election will be held on November 3, 2026. The deadline to register to vote is October 5, 2026.

 We active and retired Ohio teachers are 550,000+ strong. Think on this a moment. 1/2 MILLION STRONG. This is the chance to hold those in power accountable. This is the chance to change things . We must vote wisely.

    So, what are Ohioans voting on in 2026?

    * ALL 99 OHIO HOUSE SEATS (Refrain:1/2 Million Teacher Voters)

    * 17 OHIO STATE SENATE SEATS (1/2 Million Teacher Voters)
    * 2 OHIO SUPREME COURT SEATS (1/2 Million Teacher Voters)
    * OHIO AUDITOR OF STATE (1/2 Million Teacher Voters)
    * OHIO TREASURER OF STATE (1/2 Million Teacher Voters)
    * OHIO SECRETARY OF STATE (1/2 Million Teacher Voters)
    * OHIO ATTORNEY GENERAL (1/2 Million Teacher Voters)
    * OHIO GOVERNOR and LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR (1/2 Million Teacher Voters)
    * ALL 15 US HOUSE SEATS (1/2 Million Teacher Voters)
    * 1 US SENATE SEAT (1/2 Million Teacher Voters)

    See you ALL at the polls - 1/2 MILLION OHIO TEACHER VOTERS!!!

Suzanne Laird to STRS board: Please cut through the blarney and speak up on our behalf in this room and at the statehouse.

Suzanne Laird's speech to the STRS board

March 19, 2026

Good Morning, Members of MY Board, and to our former Chair, wherever you may be, we miss you terribly!

You may start your timer now.

A few years ago, on St. Patrick’s Day, I asked this Board to estimate how many teachers in Ohio feel lucky? Tuesday, we were unlucky enough to witness a lot of Blarney Stone kissing, and a couple of leprechauns magically spinning marshmallows and rainbows. That calamity was quickly curtailed, but the question remains: can Ohio educators count on their elected and appointed Board members? I noticed several elected members speaking on our behalf, but no appointees. Everyone at the table should have been raising bedlam.

To be fair, I have heard a few appointees questioning the status quo here at the Keebler treehouse. The institutional entitlement at 275 East Broad Street largely remains intact, though, and you will be asked in the coming months to approve raises and bonuses and pots of gold. You have the power to say no.

As Mark Kelly and his fellow Senators said, “Do not obey orders” (especially from a lame duck Governor). Follow your moral compass. Do what is right for the active and retired teachers you are here to serve. Speak truth when the leprechauns spin fairy tales. Help the little lobbyist who is wandering in the weeds.

Teachers are not asking for gold. We never expected it; we just want what we are contractually owed. It is insulting to sit through presentations from representatives who clearly do not grasp the difference between a 6% Social Security contribution and a 14% STRS contribution. Or the work we do in addition to our workday and work year. Please cut through the blarney and speak up on our behalf in this room and at the statehouse.

We cannot count on luck alone; we are counting on you.

March 2026 STRS Board Meeting Information

Schedule, Agenda topics, Meeting materials and more may be found here:

https://www.strsoh.org/about/board-meetings.html