279- Retirees
279-R members do not need a log in. Registration is for current CTU members only so that CTU members can see sensitive information relevant to current members only. Monday, Oct. 7: Last Day to Register to Vote (check your voter registration status TODAY at www.voteohio.gov) Tuesday, Oct 8: Early In-Person & Absentee/Mail Voting Begins Tuesday, Oct. 29: Last Day for Absentee/Mail Ballots to Be Received by Board of Elections Sunday, Nov. 3: In-Person Early Voting at Board of Elections Ends at 5:00 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 5: ELECTION DAY! In-Person Voting 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. We need your help! CTU is sponsoring levy walks, postcard writing, and canvassing. There will be events every weekend up to Election Day. Go to the CTU website, www.ctu279.org for dates, times, and places. PLEASE donate a few hours of your time for this important election!
Welcome to the November 2024 election season, and what a season it has been! Much has changed since we heard David Pepper talk about Ohio candidates and issues at our June luncheon. In July, Hazel Hicks, Rob Walters, and I (David Quolke) attended the week-long AFT Convention in Houston to represent 279-R. President Joe Biden was the scheduled keynote speaker for Wednesday, but everything changed when he unselfishly decided to withdraw from the race and support VP Kamala Harris for President. At the convention, the AFT became the first union to endorse her after that announcement. VP Harris then came to Houston and spoke to AFT convention delegates on Thursday, energizing AFT members (and other voters) across the country. The enthusiasm only grew when she chose her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a former teacher and fellow AFT member! Kamala Harris and Tim Walz have your union’s endorsement, and deserve your vote this fall. Look at the issues: Kamala Harris, Tim Walz, and Democrats want to protect pensions and safeguard retirement; protect public education and funding for public schools; defend the right to vote for every citizen; lower drug prices, cap Medicare costs, and ensure health care accessibility; support unions and the right to organize; continue to grow the economy as they did with the record number of jobs created under Biden/Harris, the return of manufacturing jobs to America (CHIPS Act), and passage of the infrastructure bill; stop price-gouging by corporations; lower taxes for the middle class and provide tax credits for small businesses and families; and protect reproductive rights. Republicans and their candidates want to raise the retirement age; privatize public education, ban books, and limit teaching of America’s history around racism; make it harder to vote, especially for people of color; take away health care by repealing the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) with no replacement, only a “concept of a plan;” eliminate unions and enact “right-to-work” laws; help the wealthiest Americans get richer by passing more tax breaks for them; and terminate reproductive rights. As retired educators and union members, the choice is clear: Vote for Harris-Walz for U.S. President and Vice President! Statewide Races and Issues CTU and 279-R have been working with the Ohio AFL-CIO to focus on four statewide campaigns. First, we need to reelect U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown. Senator Brown has a lifetime record of support for working people, unions, and public education. He worked closely with the CTU during the 2011 Senate Bill 5/Issue 2 attempt by GOP Gov. John Kasich and the Ohio legislature to abolish collective bargaining rights in Ohio, even making phone calls at the CTU phone bank. Over the years, he has proven himself, and he has earned our support and our vote. Vote YES on Issue 1, the Citizens Not Politicians Amendment. The proposed amendment will end gerrymandering by creating a 15-member Ohio Citizens Redistricting Commission made up of Democratic, Republican, and Independent citizens. It will ban current or former politicians, political party officials, and lobbyists from the Commission. It will require fair and impartial districts by making it unconstitutional to draw voting districts that discriminate against or favor any political party or individual politician. The Commission will operate under an open and independent process. Ohioans have passed ballot initiatives in the past to end the destructive practice of gerrymandering, but the GOP super-majority in Columbus (created by Ohio’s gerrymandered districts) have either ignored the new laws or exploited loopholes. Secretary of State Frank LaRose’s confusing ballot language around Issue 1 was challenged by the Citizens Not Politicians group. LaRose’s ballot language says Issue 1 will require gerrymandering, when in fact, it will abolish it! The Citizens Not Politicians group said the ballot language “may be the most biased, inaccurate, deceptive, and unconstitutional” the state has ever seen. But the GOP’s deceptive ballot language was upheld in a 3-2 partisan vote favoring the Republicans. Confusing? That’s what the GOP intended. Just remember, vote YES on Issue 1! (continued on next page) (continued from previous page) There are three Ohio Supreme Court Justice races this fall. Ohioans need a State Supreme Court that will protect our rights, especially with the current GOP super-majority in the executive and legislative branches of government. Please vote for Judge Lisa Forbes, Justice Michael P. Donnelly, and Justice Melody Stewart for the Ohio Supreme Court. They will be our guest speakers at our October 15 meeting---don’t miss it! Cleveland Voters: Vote YES on Issue 49, the CMSD school levy! The issue has two parts: 1) an 8.6 mill, 10-year operating increase, and 2) a 2.65 mill, 35-year bond extension authorization (this part will not increase taxes). The operating increase will cost the owner of a median value Cleveland home ($64,000) only about $3.73 a week, or $194 per year. Businesses will pay more than half, home owners less than half. By state law, the reassessment of property values does not increase the millage or cost of the levy or bond. The levy is based on previous home values, not the recent reappraisal. While there are concerns about raising taxes, there are also greater concerns about stopping the progress that CMSD educators and students have made over the last 10 years in the Cleveland schools. Issue 49 is an important investment in Cleveland’s future. Choose HOPE for the future---vote YES on Issue 49. Support our endorsed candidates all the way down the ballot! Get the OFT-endorsed list of candidates and issues on the CTU website, www.ctu279.org . What’s Happening in Columbus and D.C. In Ohio, the General Assembly is in recess and will return in the fall. While no legislation is currently having hearings, we can expect activity after the November elections in what is termed the Lame Duck session. This is a time in which many bills, often unrelated, get introduced and passed with little if any testimony and debate. In D.C., House lawmakers have reached the number of signatures they need to prompt a vote on a bill that would eliminate rules that reduce Social Security benefits for pensioners. The Social Security Fairness Act would repeal rules known as the Windfall Elimination Provision, or WEP, and the Government Pension Offset, or GPO. The bipartisan bill has wide support in both the House and the Senate. Senator Sherrod Brown has been advocating for this for several years. Also, as I write this, lawmakers are working to reach a bipartisan agreement and avert a government shutdown before the September 30 deadline. There will be a lot of political maneuvering up to November. Stay tuned. Now, let’s all DO SOMETHING to get our candidates elected and our issues passed! David Quolke, Legislative Chair
Page 2 President’s Report Wow! Over 100 members attended the September 17 meeting---what a great turnout! Thanks to Catherine LaCroix from the League of Women Voters for an excellent explanation of Issue 1, Citizens Not Politicians, and David Brock, Cuyahoga County Democratic Party Chairman. 279-R member and Ohio School Board member Meryl Johnson gave an alarming synopsis of Project 2025, the plan to reshape the executive branch and dismantle our federal government if Trump wins in 2024. To learn more, just google Project 2025. Our endorsed candidates certainly need our help this fall--please volunteer at least a few hours of your time. We will truly be working to save our democracy. 279-R Needs YOU! Your membership in 279-R is important! There is strength in numbers. We represent your interests at STRS Ohio meetings, and in the political arena at local, state, and national levels. Working with other groups, we are remaking the STRS Ohio Board, after years of questionable operational practices that resulted in the loss of the annual Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) for retirees and significantly reduced benefits for active members. I encourage all members to be active in our committees and events this year. We need you! Sock Drive Donations
If you cannot attend the meeting, monetary donations to the Sock Drive can be mailed to the Halle Building, 1228 Euclid Avenue, Suite 300, Cleveland, OH 44115. Please make your check payable to 279-R, and then write SOCKS in the memo. Thank you for your generosity! Donations to Scholarship Fund Thank you to those who continue to donate to the scholarship fund. Collectively, we are helping future educators realize their career dreams. Remember, all scholarship donation checks must be made out to: 279-R NEO AFT. On the memo line of the check, write Scholarship Fund. The following person recently made a donation: Frances Werstak in honor of all listed. Thank you! If we missed listing your scholarship donation, please contact us at 216-482-2281. We appreciate your generous support. All scholarship donations go into the 279-R Scholarship Fund at Cleveland State University. How to Contact Us Our direct numbers are: Membership Information 216-482-2281; Pension Line (STRS or SERS) 216-482-2282; other calls 216-482-2280. If no one answers, please leave a message spelling your last name, and phone number. You will receive a call as soon as possible. We encourage 279-R members to access our retiree link from the CTU website. The website address is listed under the letterhead of this newsletter. I hope to see you at our October 15th meeting at the Pipefitters Hall in Valley View. Happy Halloween! Hazel Hicks, 279-R President
Membership Report Greetings from the Membership Committee! We are supposed to have a beautiful Autumn, so get out and relax and enjoy the beauty around you---it’s good for your health. Another thing that’s good for your health, physically, emotionally, and mentally, is being a member of a group. It has its privileges, and it has its responsibilities. And now is the time to give back. We talk a lot about what we’re doing for our members and the beloved community, now it’s time for us to ask, what am I doing for the group? There is power in numbers, there is power in knowledge. So get out there and recruit new members who will educate our community so that we can continue the fight and never give up on the idea and reality of a fair and just society, where our differences are applauded and respected and admired, and we all agree that a society where we are all the same would be boring. Let’s give of ourselves this fall and create some beauty that will make the future proud. In Union, Alanna Meyers-Kiousis, Membership Chair STRS Ohio News Motion Causes Stir at Board Meeting Dan MacDonald attended the STRS Board meeting on September 18-19, 2024. As you know, the Board now meets in committees, and then brings their recommendations to the entire Board. On Thursday, the Governance and Investment Committees both met. The Governance committee addressed pension funding of member benefits, which is contained in Board policy. Some language changes were presented including the deletion of “at 85% or greater” to “at least 100% funding over the long term.” Fichtenbaum pointed out that 100% funded can never really happen and asked for a range. Push back was 100% is a goal. There also was a concern over intergenerational equity and the Board’s ability to make plan changes that do not materially impair the fiscal integrity of the system. In 2015, a closed funding period of 30 years was established by legislation and still exists. In committee, there is a push for 20 years to be placed in STRS policy. Twenty years is an actuarial standard. Language would be removed eliminating the scorecard and a simplified formula added to determine benefit restoration. The new Sustainable Benefit Plan would use Cheiron’s three tests to determine if dollars were available for benefit member changes. [Think of the de minimis plan currently being used in the spring; 1% of total fund.] The committee continues to seek a governance consultant. Further information was sought on two firms. The meeting concluded with topics to be addressed at the November Education & Planning meeting. The Investment Committee then met. August had a net return of a positive 1.5%. Year to date, the fund is up a positive 2.8%. Preliminary total investment assets ended August at $97.2 billion, up $2 billion since June 30, 2024. Consultant Meketa reviewed the timeline of the Asset Liability Study. This was a conceptual discussion with the committee without recommendations. Ideas were presented and discussion flowed. Following Assets, there was the annual review of the Securities Lending Program and August 2024 investment transactions. The committee adjourned at 5:00 p.m. Page 3 Friday began with the Legislative Committee meeting. The sponsor for the bill to increase the employer contribution rate, which has remained at 14% for the last forty years, resigned. STRS is seeking a Republican sponsor. [Think this isn’t going to happen until after the November election.] HB Resolution 82 to repeal the Government Pension Offset and Windfall Elimination Provision might make it to the floor for a vote, but is seen as struggling in the Senate. The actual STRS Board meeting was called to order at 10:23 p.m. Minutes were approved. Contributing new Board member Michael Harkness was introduced and committee assignment altered and voted. His term lasts until 9/31/2025. Member Benefits Department then made a presentation on surveys taken on the service center, benefits counseling, member education, sponsored meetings [think when 279R requests a speaker], retirement application process, survivor annuitant journey, town halls and a couple others. Research is being done on health care reimbursement, COLA payment month, and the definition of “perform any teaching services.” A presentation was made on the loss of purchasing power by year of retirement and the cost to determine a one-time adjustment to bring everyone up to at least some percentage of purchasing power. The percentage is to be determined. This would need legislative approval, since the payment would not be uniform, but would be determined by the year of retirement. Twelve retirees spoke during public participation. Almost all mentioned Wade Steen with thanks for his service with their concern or support of STRS. Dr. Fichtenbaum then presented a resolution to Wade Steen thanking him for his service. Member Sellers motioned a vote of no confidence in senior management and investment staff. [You should go to the video of the meeting; time about 12:12 p.m.] All HELL broke out! Much discussion occurred. Attorney General Dave Yost’s representative stepped in, suggesting Davidson might have violated Sunshine Law by knowing the motion. Davidson fired back that this was the first time he heard of it, and was trying to make the motion clearer. I think every Board member spoke. When the vote was taken, it was split, 5-5 with an additional abstain. Yeas: Sellers, Flanagan, Fichtenbaum, Jones, Steen. Nays: Correthers, Davidson, Falls, Hunt, Herrington, Abstain: Harkness. The motion was defeated. Following lunch, the meeting resumed at 2:23 p.m. Acting Director Hoover was to present the Finance Department. Instead, she gutsily went to the podium and directly asked the Board how to move forward with her senior staff and waited for responses. She acknowledged the “clear signal” sent from the Board. What expectations? [This is another time you should go to the video and listen, hear, see your Board members. Go to www.strsoh.org then in banner click on “About,” then “Board Meetings,” then “Meeting Video.”] Chair FIchtenbaum altered the agenda. Routine Matters followed by Old/New Business went on without incident, but with four interesting vague motions that passed without comment – two regarding the Attorney General, one regarding an early retirement plan, and one regarding an end of employment. [Could former Director Neville be gone?] (continued on next page) (continued from previous page) Hoover introduced STRS actuary Don Schlay [from Madison, OH] who made a presentation on a Supplemental Benefit Payment [think 13th check, which it is not]. Supplemental Benefit Payments were made from 1980-2000, total payment $700 million over the 21 years. This payment would be based on years of service, plus years receiving benefits, times a unit value which is determined by the Board after consultation with Cheiron, our outside actuarial consultant. Discussion focused on having a funding policy in place, one time relief, changing payment pattern, de minimis spending. [Remember that a supplemental benefit payment is not a COLA. It is a one-time payment which does not accumulate in your pension. A COLA adds to your pension payment and is there year after year.] A COLA comparison was also shown between STRS and OPERS. OPERS gets a 3% yearly COLA by statute [think Ohio General Assembly]. The legislatures turned the power over to the STRS Board with fiscal integrity wording. In 2018, OPERS proposed changes which the legislatures did not allow. [Guess where the legislators’ pension plan is located?] The meeting ended without an Executive Director’s Report or the Stakeholder Engagement Task Force Report. The next meeting dates are October 16-18, 2024. Dan MacDonald, Executive Director Dan’s Public Participation Comments at the September STRS Meeting: Internal Vs. External Management Mr. Chair and members of the Board, good afternoon. I am Dan MacDonald, an STRS retiree with 38-plus years of service. I am also the Executive Director of Local 279-R, Northeast Ohio AFT retirees. This past Monday, I went to Home Depot to purchase a five-gallon bucket of stain for my home. I had with me this Home Depot gift card which was given to me for my 78th birthday back in March. It is somewhat like a defined benefit. The label indicated $200. Money had been deposited and Home Depot was about to make payment in goods. Much to my chagrin, when I opened the packaging in front of the teller, there was no Home Depot card. I’d been scammed. When I prepared to retire, I considered my future and projected my future based on COLA. Like the missing Home Depot card, I am disappointed in the outcomes of both. As I addressed last month, in 2023, $44.3 million were spent on STRS internal management expenses, which included the cost of 2022 Performance-Based Incentives. Assets managed were $60 BILLION plus. External management expenses were $256 million. Assets managed $30 BILLION plus. External funds management is almost 6 times more expensive for handling half the STRS assets. Is there an explanation for this? Is this where greed and politics truly enter? As always, actives need their futures enhanced and retirees need their COLAs. Looking forward to the assets’ discussion and the working of all minds for the benefit of actives and retirees. Also, Mr. Steen, your voice and your mom have been here since your initial swearing in. The governor made a great choice until politics got in the way. Thanks for your service to educators. Thanks for being a restorer. Page 4 279-R Travel News We have been very lucky about our November 7, 2024 trip to see the musical play, Ruth. Everyone was anxious to be included. We got all our seats filled---we have never been able to do that! If you are interested in going, you are welcome to put your name on a waiting list, because someone may not be able to go. For more information, call Linda Opaluch at 440-842-9524. Linda Opaluch, Travel Coordinator
R+R Sunshine R+R Mary E. Wimbush passed on June 8, 2024. Send condolences to her son Michael Wimbush at 398 Olentangy Forest Drive, Columbus, OH 43214. Lula Kennedy, wife of Monrow Kennedy, passed on August 10, 2024. Send condolences to Monroe at 16106 Westview Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44128. Ronald Filkill passed on August 17, 2024. Send condolences to his wife, Janet Filkill, at 1557 Columbia Road, Westlake, OH 44145. Donald Zukerman passed on August 13, 2024. Send online condolences at www.monrealfuneralhome.com. Caroyn Arnold Perry, sister of Avis and Artis Arnold, passed on September 2, 2024. Send condolences to the family in care of Artis at 3826 E. 153rd Street, Cleveland, OH 44128. Tenney Hammond passed on September 1, 2024. Send online condolences at Sylvia Adair passed in May of 2024. Send condolences to her daughter, Jennifer Adair, at 2 Montvale Court, Silver Springs, MD 20904. Theresa Ormandy 216-741-6764 Please call the Sunshine Committee when there is an illness or death in our 279-R family. However, please DO NOT CALL the committee with other questions, issues, or information. Scholarship News: THANK YOU! Z. Harold Davis, Jr. and the members of the 279-R Scholarship Committee--Diane Ahlers, Karen Bosiacki, Pamela Hummer, Linda Opaluch, and Pat Zawadzki—would like to thank 279-R members who donated items, gift cards, and monetary donations for the June Scholarship Basket Raffle. The raffle is a popular event for members, but the Committee couldn’t do it without your generous donations! At the June luncheon, the Committee presented a check from 279-R for $10,000 to Dean Dr. Jill Gordon from Cleveland State University. The money will be used in a variety of ways to help juniors and seniors in the field of education and/or human services to complete their degrees. Thanks for participating in the scholarship raffles at our monthly general meetings, too. All monies from the Scholarship Raffles go into 279-R’s Scholarship Fund. Finally, thank you to the following community and business donors who contributed items for the June raffle: ---Beck Center for the Arts (ticket vouchers) ---Cleveland’s Own Mitchell’s Homemade Ice Cream (gift certificate) ---Holden Forests and Gardens (passes to Holden Arboretum & Cleveland Botanical Gardens) ---Ohio Lottery (lottery bag and other promotional items) ---Pierre’s Ice Cream Company (gift certificates and ice cream tote bag and scooper) ---Petitti’s Garden Centers (gift card) ---Western Reserve Historical Society (passes to Cleveland History Center & Hale Farm) ---National Teachers Associates (NTA) Life Insurance Company (THE BIG TV!) NOTE: This is the last “free” newsletter! Only 2024-2025 dues-paying members will receive newsletters after this issue.
Below is the latest 279-R updates/information:
Page Last Updated: Jun 29, 2023 (13:23:00)
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Tom Luvison reported that members donated $338 in monetary donations and 118 pairs of new socks to our Community Engagement project, Sock Drive for the Homeless, at the September 17 meeting. The Committee will also collect 
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279R Summer2023 backpage (4).doc
