News
News from Central Management Services, Jan. 23, 2012:
The Group Insurance Division will be moving from its current location at 201 E. Madison St. to 801 S. 7th St. in Springfield beginning Wednesday, February 1st.
Phones will be unavailable on February 2nd and 3rd.
Members needing assistance should contact TRS during this time.
You are Invited . . .
The Illinois Retired Teachers Association will convene informational meetings in Florida
for Illinois annuitants with regard to IRTA activities. Meetings are scheduled for February 13,
15 and 16, 2012, in Lady Lake, Sarasota and Naples, respectively. President Dr. Gary Elmen
and IRTA Executive Director Jim Bachman plan to attend.
IRTA Florida Invitation - click here
IRTA Florida Registration Form - click here
Dental and Vision insurance is available to IRTA members!
Join IRTA by clicking here. YOU MUST BE AN IRTA MEMBER TO PARTICIPATE IN THESE BENEFITS.
Click here to download dental and vision forms.
Guest Column – Dick Ingram (State Journal Register)
The past year has been difficult and frustrating for everyone touched by the public pension debate in Illinois.
On the one hand, there is frustration and anger over the increasing cost of public pensions, as well as flagrant abuses of the system. On the other, there is frustration and anger over suggestions that the state should renege on the retirement promises made to hundreds of thousands of people.
The truth, however, is not so stark. There is common ground.
Everyone acknowledges that a secure retirement is vitally important to our seniors, to our society and to our economy. No one is calling for the abolition of public pensions, and no one is advocating a system that cannot be sustained by taxpayers.
At the same time, everyone acknowledges that the cost of public pensions under the current system will increase greatly over the next three decades and that these projected costs will hamper the state’s ability to meet its core responsibilities to all citizens.
That reality means that it is time to leave political science behind and focus solely on the actuarial science — the dollars and the cents that must be brought into balance. It is the only way the Teachers’ Retirement System and the other state pension systems will be able to fulfill their fiduciary duty to their members.
Studies show that an overwhelming majority of Americans are concerned about maintaining a comfortable standard of living in retirement and rightly so. More and more, private-sector retirement plans no longer guarantee this comfortable standard, creating widespread unease. At the same time public employees fear that the pension guarantee they do enjoy will be scuttled in an effort to create “fairness” with the private sector.
Too much effort has been spent, by everyone, trying to pin the blame. We are at the point where how we got here matters very little. The numbers have grown to a point where all that matters is where we go from here.
The facts are indisputable. Over the next 30 years, the state will owe retirees in excess of $140 billion, but Illinois has less than $54 billion in the bank right now to meet those long-term obligations. The “unfunded” portion of that liability creates tremendous pressure on state government because it essentially triples the annual cost of public pensions to taxpayers; money that could be spent on other services.
The way forward will be guided by a sober focus on the math: What has been promised; what will it cost: what can we afford. It will not be easy, but there is enough common ground for us to stand on to get where we need to be.
It is what Illinois deserves.
Dick Ingram is executive director of the Teachers’ Retirement System of Illinois.
It is the 2nd Annual NAESP Book Award Contest.
The contest discovers, publishes and launches two aspiring writer’s careers.
NAESP’s endorsement to its 30,000 national membership (plus hundreds of thousands of teachers and students) with Charlesbridge’s (a top national publisher from Boston) publishing of the top winners, is an incredible opportunity for children’s authors.
The two winners will be one children’s picture book and one children’s chapter book.
You can enter at the NAESP website (click here).
Teacher.net said “It is a great way to launch a writing career and an endorsement by them, the NAESP, will go far for your writing reputation.”
The contest deadline is March 1st, 2012.
Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom - click here to see pictures taken during the 2011 IRTA Convention
(A Coalition for Public Employees Pensions)
Fact Sheet regarding Public Pensions - click here
Find Out Why You Should Join IRTA Today! - click here
Retired educators now have the opportunity to donate just $1.00 a month to IRTAPAC through TRS pension deduction. Please click here to download the form.
Please take the time to either e-mail or write your local legislators on important pension issues that are confronting retired educators right now! Please click here to download some sample letters.
IRTA AND THE ILLINOIS PRINCIPALS ASSOCIATION
In case you are unaware of it, IRTA and the Illinois Principals Association (IPA) are working together to benefit the memberships of both Associations. The agreement is very simple. Here's how it works: When an active member of IPA retires and joins IPA Retired, the membership in IPA Retired automatically includes membership in the IRTA.
IRTA and IPA have a history of working together on various issues. The IPA has always helped us to promote the IRTA Foundation grants by sending flyers and emails to its members. IRTA, on the other hand, has always provided a seminar to those IPA members who are about to retire from education.
This partnership is a win-win situation for both Associations. The IPA provides to its retired members both the benefits and the representation resulting from IRTA membership. IRTA, on the other hand, increases its membership of retired Illinois educators, as well as increases its exposure to the active IPA membership. This partnership is another positive step in our membership recruitment efforts in school districts.
If you are currently a member of IRTA but are also eligible for IPA Retired membership, please consider joining IPA Retired.
Visit the new IRTAPAC section for information, downloads, and how to make donations (online or by mail)!
Join the Social Security Fairness Movement - click here
The Social Security Fairness movement is rapidly expanding and re-igniting. The IRTA is supporting this case and the Social Security Fairness Act. Please go to the website today and see how you can help.
Legislative Resources
Illinois General Assembly website - click here
The IRTA Mission Statement and Area Map
The Illinois Retired Teachers Association is a not-for-profit, non-partisan organization of retired educators. The Association serves the needs and interests of its members through advocacy, education, cooperation and socialization in a flexible organizational structure.
Click the IRTA Area Map to download a printable version.
Free One-Year IRTA Membership for 2012 Retirees
2012 retirees are now eligible to sign up for a free one-year IRTA membership. Please download the form by clicking here, fill it out, and mail to IRTA, 620 N. Walnut St., Springfield, IL 62702.
Members' Login and VoterVOICE Instructions
You may now download instructions on how to access the IRTA Members' Only web section and how to register for and access VoterVOICE.
