My Testimony Before the TRS Board Regarding the Shameful Treatment of Texas Public School Employees

     

When I went to the TRS Board meeting being held at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley last Friday, February 16, I had no intention of testifying before the board.  However, when I walked in and saw the cards for those who wished to testify, I stood for a moment, asking myself, 'How can I NOT?'  
     How could I not testify before the TRS Board about the countless posts from my fellow retired public school employees across the state I have read , emotionally and financially broken by what Gov. Abbott, Lt. Gov. Patrick, most of the Texas Senate, and some members of the House chose to do to our healthcare, all while keeping healthcare for all other retired state employees AND retired Texas legislators (aka "The Elected Class") at a $0 premium with a $0 deductible for healthcare and a $50 deductible for prescriptions?   While keeping their far superior insurance and rates completely intact, teachers, bus drivers, nurses, librarians, secretaries, custodians, administrators, classroom aides, social workers, maintenance workers, and cafeteria workers who dedicated our careers, and our lives, to the children of this state  were forced into one high-deductible healthcare plan.  Our deductible was raised from $400 to $1500, and not one cent of our healthcare or prescriptions (except for a list of standard, generic drugs) is covered until we reach the entire $1500.  For married couples, the deductible is $3000 now---not $1500 per person, but $3000.  Until that mark is reached, not one penny of their healthcare or prescription costs are covered.
     And lest anyone think retired public school employees are living in luxury, here is a pension breakdown in a TRS publication I picked up that day at UTRGV:

     When I sat down Friday morning, I feverishly tried to write my testimony; however, the meeting began before I finished, so I had to continue without notes.  It needed to be said, and we need to continue saying it before TRS, before the Texas Legislature, and at the polls!!!
     Here is my testimony.  It starts at 1:25 on the tape and goes until 6:44.
     Click here to see any/all of the three-day TRS Board meeting at UTRGV, including testimony from other retired public school employees who have been affected by the "ERS vs. TRS Injustice."
     What's good for the educator is good for the legislator!

NOTE:  ERS is the Employees Retirement System of Texas, the pension and healthcare system for all other state employees and the Elected Class.  TRS is the Teacher Retirement System of Texas, a misnomer, as it actually handles the pension and healthcare of ALL Texas public school employees.
Chris Ardis retired in May of 2013 following a 29-year teaching career. She now helps companies with business communications and social media and works as a sales coordinator for Tony Roma's and Macaroni Grill. Chris can be reached at cardis1022@aol.com.  (Photo by Linda Blackwell, McAllen)

CALL TO ACTION STARTS FEBRUARY 20: Using Our Voices Outside of the Classroom to Say ENOUGH!

I ordered a shirt the other day that reads, “I’m not afraid to use my teacher voice outside of the classroom.”  Tonight, on the eve of the Texas primary election, I call upon our school bus drivers, cafeteria workers, counselors, nurses, librarians, teachers, custodians, administrators, secretaries, social workers, classroom aides, maintenance workers, and substitute teachers.  I call upon all of our former students, our family members and friends, and every person who can look back on even one school employee who made a difference in your life.  I call upon you to vote and to use your voice—and your vote--to say, “ENOUGH!”
            I recently wrote a blog post castigating Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, and several members of the Texas House and Senate for robbing retired public school employees of affordable healthcare while maintaining far superior healthcare for all other retired state employees and for retired elected state officials, also known as “the elected class.”  These two groups are covered under the Employees Retirement System of Texas (ERS). In that post, I addressed the fact that our governor, our lieutenant governor, and members of our House and Senate took from us a $400 healthcare deductible and pharmacy coverage--WITH a copay--and replaced it with a $1500 deductible, one that forces us to pay the entire amount out of pocket (except for a list of standard, generic drugs) before the state pays even one cent of our healthcare costs.  One cent. Retired public school employees whose spouse is covered under TRS have a $3000 deductible.  They must pay $3000 out of pocket—not $1500 per person—before one cent of their healthcare costs are covered.  These state officials also took from us the ability to choose the level of healthcare that works best for our financial situation, instead forcing all of us into one, high-deductible plan with a $200-per-month premium this year, which will increase over the next four years until it reaches almost $400.

            ERS retirees, including retired members of the “elected class” who at age 50 retired with just 12 years of service or at age 60 with eight years of service, pay a $0 premium each month.  Yes, the state pays 100 percent of their premium and 50 percent of their spouse’s premium.  And guess what their healthcare deductible is?  That’s zero, too, just like their premium!  They do have a pharmacy deductible.  Guess what that is?  While all of us who worked 25, 30, 40, and more years in the classroom have a $1500 deductible, their pharmacy deductible is $50.  That’s a five with one zero.

            The figure most often quoted as the average monthly Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) pension for retired teachers is $2000.  That’s bad enough, when you look at our new deductible.  But in TRS:  A Great Value for All Texans, a TRS publication I picked up when the TRS board was in Edinburg last week, I found the rest of the story:

•  32 percent of retired TRS members (Remember, it isn’t just teachers who are covered under TRS. As mentioned above, it is our school bus drivers, cafeteria workers, counselors, nurses, librarians, teachers, custodians, administrators, secretaries, social workers, classroom aides, maintenance workers) have a monthly pension of $1 - $1000.
• 23 percent of retired TRS members have a monthly pension of $1,001 - $2000.
• 24 percent of retired TRS members have a monthly pension of $2,001 - $3000.
• 14 percent of retired TRS members have a monthly pension of $3,001 - $4000.
• 5 percent of retired TRS members have a monthly pension of $4,001 - $5000.
• 3 percent of retired TRS members have a monthly pension over $5,000.

Look at this again.  The highest percentage of TRS retirees earns no more than $1,000 per month.

            And it isn’t only us Gov. Abbott, Lt. Gov. Patrick, and some members of the House and Senate have robbed. They have also robbed our public schools.  You can read all about that in this fascinating, yet appalling, article, “A Punishing Decade for School Funding,” from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

            Tomorrow, the 2018 primary elections begin.  They run until March 2. Election Day is March 6.  If we do not vote, we join in the blame for what our governor, our lieutenant governor, and “unfriendly-to-public-education” and “unfriendly-to-public-school-employees” House and Senate members have done to those of us who dedicated our lives to the children of this state, who accepted the privilege of working in our public schools for the delayed benefit—and promise—of affordable healthcare.  It is a promise that has been broken in an egregious way.
            I will say it again.  Shame on you, Gov. Abbott, Lt. Gov. Patrick, and Texas Legislature.  This election, we, our former students, our family members and friends, and all those who care about public education and public school employees will use our voices at the polls.  We will block vote, a non-partisan effort to rid OUR capitol of the “elected class” that has forgotten about our students and those who serve them.

NOTE:  Please look carefully at the ratings for each candidate for governor, lieutenant governor, House, or Senate at texansforpubliceducation.com.  Scroll down to “Our Ratings” on the home page.

Chris Ardis retired in May of 2013 following a 29-year teaching career. She now helps companies with business communications and social media and works as a sales coordinator for Tony Roma's and Macaroni Grill. Chris can be reached at cardis1022@aol.com. (Photo by Sarina Manahan, Chris’ former student)

From TRS: A Great Value for All Texans, a TRS publication:

2018 TRS Benefits for Non-Medicare-Eligible Retirees
For retired public school bus drivers, secretaries, teachers, custodians, librarians, counselors, maintenance workers, administrators, cafeteria workers, classroom aides, nurses, and social workers

2018 ERS Benefits for Non-Medicare-Eligible RetireesAll "other" retired state employees and retired members of the "elected class"

Some important information from the 

Texas Retired Teachers Association

And, a message from Texans for Public Education:

Active and Retired Public School Employees and Those Who Support Us--UNITE IN THE PRIMARIES!

     Active and retired public school employees across Texas, along with our former students, our family members, and our friends, have been asking for a list of TEACHER-FRIENDLY state candidates (governor, lt. governor, senators, and state representatives), those who did NOT support robbing us of affordable healthcare during the 2017 Legislative Session while they kept THEIR very-affordable healthcare.
     Because the Texas Legislature has appropriated DOUBLE the funding for THEIR OWN and other state employees' in the Employees Retirement System of Texas (ERS) healthcare--despite the fact that it has HALF the number of members that the Texas Retirement System of Texas (TRS) has--as a retired member of ERS, the state pays 100 PERCENT of their premium and 50 PERCENT of their spouse's premium for healthcare.  Meanwhile, TRS members' costs have skyrocketed, causing many to go off critical medications and refusing to go to much-needed doctors' appointments.  While raising the premium for spouses to a staggering amount, they also raised our healthcare insurance deductible from $400 to $1500, and not one penny is paid until we reach that deductible.  Not one penny.

     WHAT'S GOOD FOR THE EDUCATOR
      IS GOOD FOR THE LEGISLATOR!

     The Texas Federation of Teachers has put out this list of ENDORSED candidates who SUPPORT PUBLIC EDUCATION EMPLOYEES---teachers, bus drivers, cafeteria workers, counselors, custodians, administrators, librarians, secretaries, classroom aides, maintenance workers, social workers--the people who dedicated our entire careers to educating and serving Texas children!

     Have you seen which candidates for lieutenant governor got the endorsement of the Houston Chronicle??  That's right!  Scott Milder (Republican primary) and Mike Collier (Democratic primary)!!
     And for those who missed the November, 2017, story "A Punishing Decade for School Funding" by Michael Leachman, Kathleen Masterson, and Eric Figueroa from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, it's a must-read!!!

     PLEASE SHARE, SHARE, SHARE!

PRIMARIES BEGIN 

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20!!!

This is a NON-PARTISAN effort to get rid of legislators who want far better for themselves than for public education employees whose pensions and healthcare THEY control!

(To see the list of public-education-friendly/unfriendly/neutral candidates compiled by Texans for Public Education (T4PE) with the rationale for the ratings, go to texansforpubliceducation.com and click on "Our Ratings.")

We are
#blowingthewhistle

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Chris Ardis retired in May of 2013 following a 29-year teaching career. She now helps companies with business communications and social media and works as a sales coordinator for Tony Roma's and Macaroni Grill. Chris can be reached at cardis1022@aol.com. (Photo by Sarina Manahan, Chris' former student.)

Shame on You, Gov. Abbott, Lt. Gov. Patrick, and Texas Legislature

             Every day—and I do mean every day—since January 1, I have felt a heaviness in the pit of my stomach.  Every day, I know I am going to hear another story about what has befallen my fellow retired Texas public school employees courtesy of Gov. Abbott, Lt. Gov. Patrick, and the Texas Legislature. 

            As many of you may have heard, during the 2017 Legislative Session, these elected officials decided to turn our healthcare world upside down, despite the fact that we retired under the promise of affordable healthcare, a promise made to us years ago when we began teaching and again when we completed all of the paperwork for retirement.  Instead, Gov. Abbott, Lt. Gov. Patrick, and the Texas Legislature voted to appropriate DOUBLE the amount of money for retirees in the state’s other retirement system, ERS, that they did for our retirement system, TRS, despite the fact that they have HALF the number of participants. ERS handles pensions and healthcare for all other state employees.  It is no coincidence that retired legislators are members of ERS when they retire at age 50 with a mere 12 years in office or at age 60 with a mere eight years.  Meanwhile, TRS, also controlled by the Texas Legislature, handles pensions and healthcare for me and all of my fellow retired public school employees—teachers, custodians, bus drivers, administrators, cafeteria workers, counselors, librarians, maintenance workers, secretaries, diagnosticians, and classroom aides (and anyone else who worked in our public school system). 

            Gov. Abbott, Lt. Gov. Patrick, and the Texas Legislature also increased our deductible from $400 to $1500.  Now, not one penny of the medical costs or prescriptions (except a list of standard, generic drugs) for TRS retirees under 65 is paid until we pay the ENTIRE $1500 out of pocket.  Think no co-pay.  For retired public school employees who include their spouse on their insurance, their deductible is $3000.  For them, the plan does not pay a single penny until they reach the entire $3000, not $1500 for each of them.

            Meanwhile, in ERS Land, all other state employees (and retired legislators) not only have 100 percent of their premium paid for by the state, but they also have no deductible.  No, as in zero.  That means while we are paying 100 percent of our healthcare costs and prescription costs out of pocket until we reach $1500 (then, we have an 80/20 split), they have no deductible to meet.  No, as in zero.

            One of the stories I heard last week was about Chuck and Leslie.  Leslie retired from Northside ISD in San Antonio in 2014.  January 1, their premium increased from $140 to $689.  This $689 is 23.5 percent of Nancy’s gross monthly annuity.  This incredible financial burden has resulted in the couple considering dropping their health insurance.  “But we don’t want to burden other taxpayers with OUR hospital bills if we ever do get sick,” Chuck told me.  This is the choice they are facing after Leslie spent years working in our public schools.

            I also read the story of Donna, who lives in Hewitt (near Waco).  She taught in Texas public schools for 27 years, about half of those in special education and seven as a diagnostician.  She has a master’s degree.  Her monthly prescription drug costs went from $100 to $1200.  Although she has found some discount cards she is now using, the hit it has taken is painful and frightening. 

            One of my close friends in the Rio Grande Valley is a retired teacher and a single mom who receives no child support for her son, who is a freshman in college.  She told me last week she has decided she is not going to the doctor any more, despite the fact that she battles high blood pressure.  “The deductible is just too high,” she told me.

            I’m sick.  I’m sad.  I’m angry.  I’m still in disbelief.  How did this happen?  Why did this happen?  I honestly believe someone is going to die because of the decisions made by Gov. Abbott, Lt. Gov. Patrick, and several members of the Texas Legislature.

            I think what sickens and frightens me most is that the endless stories I have heard are all from teachers and administrators.  If so many of them are suffering with these changes, what are those who earned far less than us while working—which means far less than us in retirement—doing?

            SHAME ON YOU, Gov. Abbott, Lt. Gov. Patrick, and every Texas legislator who voted to cripple all of us who devoted our careers and our lives to the children of this state.  I hope all of us, our former students, and all who love us will JOIN THE MOVEMENT to BLOCK VOTE!

Chris Ardis retired in May of 2013 following a 29-year teaching career. She now helps companies with business communications and social media and works as a sales coordinator for Tony Roma's and Macaroni Grill.
Chris can be reached at cardis1022@aol.com.  Her columns will also be appearing regularly in the Rio Grande Guardian.  And watch for upcoming LIVE Facebook conversations on "All Things Education" on the Guardian's FB page.  (Photo by Sarina Manahan)

JOIN OUR MOVEMENT

Go to texansforpubliceducation.com 
On the home page, scroll down to "Our Ratings" to read the rationale behind the ratings for each incumbent and his/her opponent(s).

(I) Incumbents

Blue-Opponents

UNFRIENDLY

FRIENDLY

NEUTRAL

TEXAS GOVERNOR

TEXAS LT. GOVERNOR

TEXAS HOUSE

Sheet 1:  DISTRICTS  3,18, 56, 57, 103, 104, 105, 116,123, 131, 145

Dallas, Grand Prairie, Houston, Lufkin, Magnolia, San Antonio, Shepherd,  Waco 

Sheet 2:  DISTRICTS  24, 25, 40, 58, 73, 76, 83, 112, 113, 128, 138 

Angleton, Cleburne, Deerpark, Edinburg, El Paso, Fredericksburg, Friendswood, Houston, 

Lubbock, Richardson, Sunnyvale   

Sheet 3:  DISTRICTS 8, 11,  54, 82, 95, 98, 117, 147 

Corsicana, Fort Worth, Houston,  Killeen, Midland, Nacodoches, San Antonio, Southlake

Sheet 4:  DISTRICTS  7, 17, 22, 46, 72, 111, 134, 135, 136, 142 

Austin, Beaumont, Cedar Park, Dallas, Houston, Lockhart, Longview, West University Place   

Sheet 5:  DISTRICTS 2, 23, 69, 84, 99, 106, 109, 120, 148  

Canton,  DeSoto, Fort Worth, Frisco, Galveston,  Houston, Lubbock, San Antonio,

Wichita Falls

Sheet 6:  DISTRICTS 4, 5, 31,34, 41, 52, 75, 97, 119, 143

Clint, Fort Worth, Houston, Mission, Mt. Pleasant, Rio Grande City,  Robstown, 

Round Rock, San Antonio, Terrell   

Sheet 7:  DISTRICTS  12, 32, 33, 45, 48, 49, 50, 100, 127, 139

Austin, College Station, Corpus Christi, Dallas, Dripping Spring, Houston, Rockwall  

Sheet 8:  DISTRICTS 15, 44, 61, 71, 80,  81, 88,  91, 102

Abilene, Batesville, Canadian, Dallas, Fort Worth, Odessa, Seguin, The Woodlands, Weatherford  

Sheet 9:  DISTRICTS 16, 26, 35, 38, 39, 43, 60, 67, 89, 108, 122  

Brownsville, Conroe, Dallas, Granbury, Kingsville, Mission, Parker, Plano, San Antonio, 

Sugar Land, Weslaco   

Sheet 10:  DISTRICTS 30, 36, 37, 53,74,77, 78, 107, 124, 130, 133 

Brownsville, Cypress, Dallas, Eagle Pass, El Paso,  Houston, Junction, Palmview,   

San Antonio,Victoria

Sheet 11:  DISTRICTS 9, 14, 21, 62, 63, 79, 87, 129, 144 

Amarillo, Beaumont, College Station, El Paso, Flower Mound, Houston, Marshall, Sherman  

Sheet 12:  DISTRICTS 6,  27, 42, 51, 70, 90, 110, 115, 125, 126   

Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, Irving, Laredo, McKinney, Missouri City,  

San Antonio, Tyler

Sheet 13:  DISTRICTS  13, 55, 59, 65, 66, 68, 85, 86, 132

Amarillo,  Caldwell, Carrolton, Gatesville, Katy, Muenster, Plano, Temple, Wharton

Sheet 14:  DISTRICTS 29, 64, 92, 94, 121, 141, 146, 150

Arlington, Bedford, Denton, Houston, Pearland, San Antonio, Spring

Sheet 15:  DISTRICTS 1, 10,19, 20, 47, 101, 114, 118, 140, 149

Austin, Dallas, Grand Prairie, Hillister, Houston, Marble Falls, New Boston, San Antonio,  Waxahachie

Sheet 16:  DISTRICTS 137, 96, 28

Arlington, Houston, Richmond

TEXAS SENATE

Sheet 1:  DISTRICTS 7, 22, 24, 10, 25, 4, 30, 6, 2, 9, 20
Houston, Granbury, Lakeway, Colleyville, New Braunfels, Conroe, Wichita Falls, Houston, Edgewood, North Richland Hills, McAllen

Sheet 2:  DISTRICTS 16, 17, 1, 18, 27, 26, 13, 12, 3, 28, 29, 5

Dallas, Houston, Mineola, Brenham, Brownsville, San Antonio, 

Flower Mound, Jacksonville, Lubbock, El Paso, Georgetown

Sheet 3:  DISTRICTS 31, 11, 8, 19, 14, 23, 15, 21

Amarillo, Friendswood, Plano, San Antonio, Austin, Dallas, Houston, Laredo