Which Texas Legislator(s) Will Step Up to the Plate?

            As the returns from the Texas Primary Election came in Tuesday, March 6, I have to admit I felt defeated.  I had such hopes that public-education employees and retirees, and our supporters (including our students), would come out in overwhelming numbers, using our votes as our voices to speak out against the disgraceful lack of school funding and the shameful healthcare nightmare Texas public education retirees are living.  It is a nightmare created by Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, most members of the Texas Senate, and some members of the Texas House.

            However, Wednesday morning, I awakened with an entirely new outlook.  After all, I didn’t know Scott Milder, Dan Patrick’s Primary opponent, until recently.  But as I read about his credentials—a bachelor’s in journalism and radio/TV/film and a master’s in public relations, a former school district public information officer, a former reporter/photographer, a former Rockwall City Council member, a senior associate for Stantec Architecture, and, along with his wife, a small business owner and founder of Friends of Texas Public Schools—I knew he was exactly what the Texas Legislature needed.  As I looked at the Primary results with fresh eyes, I realized it was an incredible feat for Milder to garner 24 percent of the vote.  Three-hundred-sixty-seven thousand, nine-hundred-fifty-four people voted for Milder.  That’s 367,954 Texans who voted in the Republican Primary who did not want Patrick back.  I sincerely believe our hopes for the 2019 Legislative Session can be realized if we remain relentless between now and November’s General Election when Patrick faces a Milder-endorsed Democrat, Mike Collier.

            I attended the final day of the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) three-day session at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley February 16.  Although I had no intention of doing so when I arrived, I testified at the start of the public hearing that day.  While there, I also picked up TRS: A Great Value for All Texans, a booklet published by TRS in February of 2017.  After seeing the chart on page nine, I filed a Public Information Request with TRS, seeking a breakdown of average pensions for school custodians, secretaries, bus drivers, cafeteria workers, and maintenance workers, who are also covered under TRS. 

            I searched the Employees Retirement System of Texas (ERS), the state’s retirement system for all state employees not working in our public schools and for retired legislators, to locate a benefit distribution chart for these employees.  When I couldn’t find one, I filed a PIR with ERS February 23, asking for a chart like the one on page nine in the TRS booklet that lists monthly pensions and the percentage of ERS retirees who receive each amount.  I also asked for a similar chart specifically for Texas legislators who receive ERS pensions.  Twelve business days later, March 13, I received this response from ERS:

            So, while we know that 32 percent of TRS retirees—the highest percentage on the page-nine chart—earn a pension of only $1 to $1,000 each month, there is no chart available to the public with the percentage of ERS members who earn this paltry amount?  How in the world does this constitute “confidential information” when I did not ask for names of the individuals receiving these pensions?

            Do you know what the annual salary for Texas legislators is?  Do you know how their ERS pension is calculated?  If not, you will when you read my column next week.  You will learn that the outrageous discrepancies between the legislators’ healthcare premiums and deductibles and ours aren’t the only injustices.  Wait until you hear how the state arrives at the pension for members of our “elected class” who retire under ERS.

            In the meantime, these are my questions for this week:

1.  Which Texas Legislator(s) will step up to the plate to demand a fix to the TRS healthcare nightmare?

2.  Which Texas Legislator(s) will fight for an in-depth study BEFORE the 2019 Legislative Session on how ERS and TRS can be merged or, at the very least, how both systems under the control of the Texas Legislature can offer the same level of benefits?

3.  Which Texas Legislator(s) will ask why ERS does not provide a benefit distribution chart to the public and how they can claim this is “confidential member information”?

4.  Which Texas Legislator(s) will collect all of the stories of what TRS members are enduring as a result of the 2017 Legislative Session into a book for Gov. Abbott, Lt. Gov. Patrick, and all members of the House and Senate?

5.  Which Texas Legislator(s) will lead the charge to end our nightmare?

Attention Texas Retired Public School Employees!

This week, I decided to write about changes/sessions/organizations my fellow public school retirees should know about:

1.         As you should know by now, the Texas Legislature worked diligently during the 2017 legislative session to turn our healthcare upside down.  For those of us under 65, our deductible is going from $400 to $1500.  We will no longer have a co-pay for prescriptions.  Instead, we will pay 100 percent of our prescription drug cost until we reach the $1500 medical deductible. After that, the plan will pay 80/20.  The exception to this?  A list of standard, generic medications that will be completely covered by our new-and-significantly-reduced healthcare plan. (Find that list by clicking here.)  To learn more about all of our prescription drug coverage changes, click here. 

            For those who are 65 and over, you will still have a co-pay through your Medicare prescription drug plan.  You can click on the link above, too, to learn more about the changes taking effect January 1.

2.         Why did the Texas Legislature increase our deductible to $1500 and significantly increase our premiums over the next four years while continuing to provide healthcare to all other state employees (INCLUDING retired legislators) at a $0 deductible and $0 premium?  I believe what many others have said—because Texas teachers have been a proverbial sleeping giant, many not voting during state elections and most not involved in organizations fighting for our benefits like other groups--like police officers and firefighters--do. 

            One of the first things I recommend is joining the Texas Retired Teachers Association.  The annual membership fee is just $35, and TRTA worked tirelessly to restore what the Texas Legislature did to us during the regular session.  (They originally increased our deductible to $3000. After “the sleeping giant” awakened, they reduced it to $1500 during the special session, still $1100 more than we paid previously and not restoring our prescription drug coverage.)  Imagine if TRTA and some of our teachers’ associations hadn’t gotten involved!  To learn more about TRTA and to join, go here.

            TRTA also has local units that meet on a monthly basis and work to get more public school retirees involved in educating other retirees, networking, getting out the vote, and lobbying on our behalf.  Local membership is $10 per year.  Getting involved in my local unit is a commitment I made because of what the Texas Legislature has done.  To find the local unit nearest you, click here.

3.         In case you haven’t heard, TRS is currently holding informational sessions about all of the changes we can expect to our healthcare plans.  You must register to attend.  For more information on sessions near you and to register, click here.

            If you live in McAllen, one morning session in McAllen has been added.  It will be held October 25.  If you prefer to attend the McAllen session but already registered for one of the sessions in Weslaco/Mercedes, be sure to cancel that registration and register in McAllen.  Don’t wait or you will miss out.

4.         Become a member of Texans for Public Education.  This membership is free, and this is how the group is described on the TfPE website:  We're a group of people who are sick of what the politicians are doing with our school system, so we're taking it back using something they understand very well. We're block voting, and that's a very personal decision with which we want every member comfortable. 

            TfPE is non-partisan.  A research crew is diligently combing through the voting records, campaign contributors, media releases, and other critical information of each elected state official (House, Senate, and State Board of Education).  Once opponents join the races, they will also be thoroughly researched.  The committee then votes to move each candidate to “friendly” or “unfriendly” status.  Members are then provided with the rating and the research to back up that rating, and there is a process to challenge the rating.  I strongly urge you to not only visit the TfPE website but to become a member of the closed group on Facebook.

            When election time rolls around, TfPE members will work tirelessly to get fellow Texans who support public education to block vote according to the candidates’ final status.  This group is not only about public school employee benefits.  It’s about supporting public education in our state.

5.         Finally, on a much lighter note, for those retirees who live in the Rio Grande Valley and who want to get informed on a wide range of health topics, join us for monthly DHR Retired Professionals Committee meetings.  The meetings are held the first or second Friday of each month, depending on the availability of the Edinburg Conference Center at Renaissance. Lunch is provided.  For more information about this group, which is actually open to all retirees, not only those of us who retired from the public school system, please send an email to me at cardis1022@aol.com

            Throughout the year, I will be updating retirees on important news.  AWAKEN, SLEEPING GIANT!

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)