RTA representative attends convention
retired public education employees hosted its annual conference in El Paso April 15-17. The event attracted over 800 retired education employees, special guests, legislators and other state officials to discuss issues relevant to retired public school personnel.

The Texas Retired Teachers Association legislative priority list was a major part of this year's convention. TRTA members from around the state voted on a variety of legislative priorities including state funding for the Teacher Retirement System, adding additional representatives of the TRS Board of Trustees, and working to repeal federal provisions that deny retired education employees their potential Social Security benefits.

Providing a cost-of-living adjustment and improving health-care benefits for retired public education employees topped this year's legislative priority list.

"Retired education employees have not had an increase in their base retirement benefits since 2001," said Aubrey Cherry, TRTA president and El Paso resident. "Since 2001, retirees have lost at least 24 percent of their buying power. Everything is costing more, and these folks' pensions have not kept up with increased prices."

Cherry said the convention serves as a rallying point for the next legislative session, and TRTA Austin. TRTA is calling on the state legislature to pass a pension increase for all TRS recipients, especially retirees who have been out of the classroom for a number of years and who retired on salaries that were far less than they are today.

TRTA members also celebrated another successful year of giving back to their communities. TRTA members gave 75,458 books to needy children through their TRTA Children's Book Project. Almost 4.8 million hours of volunteer service were provided to local communities by volunteer members.

In addition, the TRTA "Walks-a-Million" initiative, a program started to improve the health of public education retirees, accounted for over 24.8 million steps walked by TRTA members.

State officers elected for 2008-09 were Dora H. Scott-Nichols, president; Herb Norris, first vice president/membership chairman; Maridell Fryar, second vice president/public relations chairman; and Mary Jane Hamilton, secretary/treasurer and finance chairman.

The Lampasas County Retired Teachers Association was represented by member June Davis.

Additional information on TRTA is available at www.trta.org. Tim Lee, executive director, provides frequent updates in his "Inside Line."