RETIRED TEACHERS’ PENSION & HEALTH INSURANCE FUND
Governor Lamont’s budget proposal made it an urgent priority to stabilize the teachers’ pension fund. He noted: “It has been badly underfunded and doesn’t keep faith with our current teachers.”
His budget also contributes the State’s full-required appropriation to the Retired Teachers’ Health Insurance Fund. The under funding in recent budgets has put the solvency of the fund at risk.
One disappointment in his proposed budget is to cap the income tax exclusion on teacher pensions at 25%, not the promised 50%. This is shortsighted and is driving thousands of retired teachers to move to lower tax states along with their tax dollars. Roger Stenz, our Vice-President-Technology has calculated that just under 10,000 have already moved out of the state (27%.) In Southern Fairfield’s eight communities 36% have moved out (over 3600.)
Please contact you legislators and urge them to support Governor Lamont’s proposals on our Pension and Health Fund. But also ask them to keep their promise and restore the 50% reduction in our state tax.
(See enclosed list of legislators and their contact information.)
WHY JOIN SFCRTA?
Janess Coffina, SFCRTA Vice-President –Membership, shares her views on why she joined and why she stays involved in SFCRTA.
Why did I join SFCRTA?
Because the late John Kane, previous president, encouraged me to get involved. As a retiree from Greenwich, I receive life membership in GEA/NEA/CEA, who also do good work for retired teachers. However, it was the personal outreach by John Kane that got me here.
Why do I stay active in SFCRTA?
- Working with this Executive Committee is an enjoyable experience
- Helping other people makes me feel productive
- Supporting the efforts of SFCRTA is important to me.
Those efforts include:
- Keeping people informed about what is happening at the State level that can impact my life (pension benefits, health insurance, social security)
- Being a strong voice for retired teachers. We don’t have collective bargaining for our group; it feels like we have collective begging. SFCRTA and ARTC speak to the legislators to educate them about our issues.
- Providing assistance to those teachers who are in financial straights (Henry Barnard Fund)
- Providing scholarships for potential future teachers (Glenn Moon Scholarship Fund)
- Providing an opportunity for retired teachers to gather, socialize and learn from speakers and each other.
What can you do to help SFCRTA help you?
Reach out to newly retired teachers from your teaching town (or any of our eight towns) and invite them to attend an event, or encourage those who are not members to join. It doesn’t matter where in Connecticut or in the United States they live. My main reason for joining was the advice/urging of another member; you can do the same for someone else. At $15, it’s one of the best bargains they’ll find. When Frank Cooper, Rick Follman, or any of us speak to the TRB or to legislators in Hartford, we are speaking for the largest group of retired teachers in Connecticut, last year about 1860. It makes an impression. There is strength in numbers.
Spring Luncheon — Click here for signup sheet. It will be May 1, 2019 at the Norwalk Inn. Our guest speaker will be:
Helen Sullivan, the new Administrator of the TRB.
Space will be limited to the first 200 that send in their reservations. Also, due to space limitations we will not be able to accommodate people who want to come and listen to the speaker but do not sign up for the luncheon. These restrictions are due to fire code violations and parking availability.
Our membership goes from – January to December. If you have not yet joined, enclosed you will find our membership renewal information for 2019. If a membership envelope is not enclosed, you are already a member for 2019. Remember: Numbers matter and we still face many important issues regarding our pension and health insurance.
NEW EMAIL ADDRESS? Send it to Roger Stenz at rstenz@optonline.net
Respectfully,
Frank Cooper, President