Tell lawmakers to stand up for better benefits for the teachers and other school retirees who have dedicated their working lives to the schoolchildren of Texas.

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

The Texas House plan to give a one-time "bonus" of up to $1,000 to school retirees is good as far as it goes. The Senate, which has made no similar budget commitment thus far, should accept this House proposal. But much more needs to be done to deliver the decent benefits our retired teachers and other school employees deserve.

The proposed budget bills in both House and Senate actually would cut back the state's contribution to the TRS pension fund from the current 6.58 percent to 6.4 percent. The state contribution rate should be maintained or increased, not cut. That would enable the pension fund to support a permanent cost-of-living raise for all TRS retirees sooner rather than later. A cost-of-living raise is desperately needed to make up for the loss of 20 percent of TRS pensioners' buying power due to inflation since the last cost-of-living increase in 2001.

Besides bolstering the state's contribution rate for the long run, you also can help TRS retirees immediately either by lifting the cap on the proposed one-time "bonus" (last session the cap was $2,400) or by reducing retirees' health costs under TRS-Care--or both.

Please let me know you will stand up for better benefits for the teachers and other school retirees who have dedicated their working lives to the schoolchildren of Texas.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
April 17, 2009