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Legislative Updates

Update on Medicare Fairness and AG Opinion

Thousands of TRTA members participated in a coordinated effort to help pass federal legislation protecting Medicare benefits. This effort was done in partnership with the AARP and the National Retired Teachers Association (NRTA). A report from NRTA is provided below. Thank you to everyone who participated in the political process of contacting their Congressional representatives and asking for their help on this important issue.

TRS Releases Information on Pension Funding

Base Budget Amount Lower than Current Funding Levels

Last legislative session, TRTA members helped push through a plan that increased the state’s contribution to the TRS pension fund from 6% of the aggregate active teacher payroll to 6.58%. This increase represented the first time in more than 17 years that the state increased the percentage of funding to the retirement system trust fund (in 1989 the state increased funding to TRS from 7.2% to 7.65%, and then decreased that amount from 7.65% to 7.31% in 1991). Now, the budget process is underway and TRS is required to certify an estimate for the state’s contribution to the TRS pension trust fund for the coming 2010-2011 biennium.

Features

TRTA 56th Annual Convention
81st Legislative Priorities
Golden Days from 55th Convention

The TRTA 56^th Annual Convention will be held in Waco on April 14–16, 2009. Convention planning is already underway and materials and information will be available in the next few months for you to make plans to attend.

Core Belief: Public education employees have been assured of a traditional defined benefit plan as a part of the Constitution of 1937. A traditional defined benefit retirement plan provides public employees a guaranteed pension that will last their entire lives. A privatized plan does not guarantee these public servants the retirement they need and deserve.

Thanks to everyone who attended the TRTA 55th Annual Convention in El Paso at the historic Camino Real Hotel and the El Paso Convention Center last week.

Ann A. Buchanan from the Brownsville Area RSEA has written the lyrics for "Golden Days" which is sung to the tune of "School Days." The lyrics are now available online!