LEGISLATIVE NEWS
June Logan
Keep up to date on what's happening at STRS. Go to Ohio Retirement for Teachers webpage: ORTA.org. Go to MEMBER BENEFITS...
click on MONTHLY NEWSLETTERS.
click on MONTHLY NEWSLETTERS.
ORTA has concluded its endorsement process and has endorsed three candidates for the STRS board election coming this spring. Dr. Rudy Fichtenbaum has been endorsed for the retired seat. Dr. Fichtenbaum has been a strong supporter of reforms at STRS. As retired teachers, we will only be able to vote for the one open retired seat. Michael Harkness has been endorsed to an active teacher seat. Michael was appointed to his seat after former board member Steve Foreman retired from education and was no longer able to hold his seat. Michael Harkness has also pledged to fight for transparency from STRS and force reforms at STRS. Chad Smith is endorsed for the second seat for active teacher members at SSTRS. Chad was very adamant that change at STRS is essential. Please urge current active teachers you know to vote for the endorsed candidates. These Three candidates are committed to change and reform at STRS somethIng ORTA has been advocating for several years. Although the process for reform for an organization that has no oversight for decades is slow, the changes are progressing.
Ohio HB 278 passed and was signed into law by Governor DeWine. This bill allows a retired/rehired educator to run for a retiree seat on the STRS board. This statute rectifies the situation where retire/rehires were formerly unable to hold a seat on the STRS board, even though they received benefits from STRS and continued to pay into STRS.
Pension Defense Fund Update ORTA collected over $87,000 that paid the legal fees of Wade Steen in his successful challenge to be reinstated to the STRS board. As soon as Steen returned to the board, Governor DeWine and Attorney General Dave Yost launched a new attack against Steen and Rudy Fichtenbaum based on an anonymous letter from STRS staff. Despite the fact that Steen's term expired in September, Mr. Yost's persecution of Steen and Fichtenbaum continues. The Pension Defense Fund continues to protect these two outstanding board members. If you have not donated to the fund, please consider doing so.
Ohio HB 278 passed and was signed into law by Governor DeWine. This bill allows a retired/rehired educator to run for a retiree seat on the STRS board. This statute rectifies the situation where retire/rehires were formerly unable to hold a seat on the STRS board, even though they received benefits from STRS and continued to pay into STRS.
Pension Defense Fund Update ORTA collected over $87,000 that paid the legal fees of Wade Steen in his successful challenge to be reinstated to the STRS board. As soon as Steen returned to the board, Governor DeWine and Attorney General Dave Yost launched a new attack against Steen and Rudy Fichtenbaum based on an anonymous letter from STRS staff. Despite the fact that Steen's term expired in September, Mr. Yost's persecution of Steen and Fichtenbaum continues. The Pension Defense Fund continues to protect these two outstanding board members. If you have not donated to the fund, please consider doing so.