Ohio Legislators: Don't Turn Your Back on Teachers and Ohio Families. Fund Education

Ohio Legislators: Don't Turn Your Back on Teachers and Ohio Families. Fund Education

Started
June 6, 2022
Petition to
Ohio Representative District 66 Representative Adam Bird and 1 other
Signatures: 1,829Next Goal: 2,500
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Why this petition matters

Started by Dean Dennis

The employer's contribution rate in Ohio hasn't changed in 40 years. 

In Ohio, both teachers and employers make contributions to the State Teachers Retirement System (STRS). Over the past 40 years, the employee contribution rate has nearly doubled, while the employer contribution rate has remained stagnant.

This four-decade-old freeze has made Ohio lag their non-Social Security state peers by approximately 8% in employer contribution rates.  Legislators need to address this problem by increasing the employer contribution rate and properly fund the State Teachers Retirement System. Most importantly, this increase MUST NOT become an unfunded mandate imposed upon Ohio school districts.

Because Ohio is neglecting to properly fund the State Teachers Retirees Pension System, dangerous domino effects are impacting Ohio families. Teachers must work longer due to pension benefit cuts. Additionally, Ohio teachers no longer have any inflation protection and have to watch their purchasing power erode in their retirement.  When teachers are forced to work longer, local school districts are burdened with having to pay higher salaries.  For example, instead of paying TWO younger teachers $40,000 each, districts end up paying ONE older teacher $80,000. This results in districts having to make difficult choices which impact the quality of education. 

Teachers coming out of college are realizing that if they choose to teach in Ohio, they will not be receiving Social Security benefits nor have any cost-of-living adjustments upon retirement. This deterrents quality educators from teaching in Ohio. Do we want Ohio to be a leader or a laggard in education? We need Ohio legislators to step up and address this issue and fund the benefits they promised current and retired teachers. Ohio can no longer go 40 years without an increase in the employer contribution rate increase and not expect there to be problems.  

 

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Signatures: 1,829Next Goal: 2,500
Support now
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Decision Makers

  • Representative Adam BirdOhio Representative District 66
  • Representative Gayle ManningOhio Representative District 55