Surprised?

There is also early voting this week.

They do this on purpose
so we do not go out and vote.
With less than a 10% turnout
it lets the powers that be
continue to be
the powers that be.

In short, if you are a conservative
vote yes on 4 and 5
and vote no on the rest
except for 9 if you want to approve
a small pay increase for retired teachers.

Everyone gets to vote on the 14 Texas constitutional amendments.
It seems like a clumsy way to pass legislation
but on the other hand it slows down rampant progressivism.

There are also some local election issues.
Here is a website that tells you all about it.
True Texas Project

Now where did I put my voter registration card?

Yes on 1,4,5,&9 for us….

On the 9 deal, why would the Taxpayers be on the hook further?? They are or will take it out of the General Fund's Access. . They already hammer you on the School Taxes and that 's suppose to pay for Salaries and support of School's. Maybe cut back on the Multi Million Dollar Stadium's. . After doing some research, I think their Retirement Fund Managers ought to be fired.

PS,
My Stepdaughter was a teacher for years.

It's been well publicized in my county. Early voted last Monday.

The stadiums and new schools have nothing to do with it...those are all local bond elections and they are voted on by the people of that district and paid for through taxes by the people of that district. The last time our retired teachers got a cost of living raise was 2014 and it only applied to those that retired before 2004! It will not cost you any more tax dollars because the state has already set aside the amount needed from our surplus. Remember also that teachers aren't able to draw their spouse's social security if they retire from TRS... I will be voting for it and supporting our retirees, hope ya'll will too!

Yes to the propositions that gives people more rights, No to any raising taxes (except #9)

Thought spouse SS was cut by half if the other spouse is a retired teacher. and is the way they figure retirement , (Multiply years of service credit by 2.3%. (Example: if you have 30 years of service credit in TRS, 30 x 2.3 is 69% on the average of the best 5 years of service) . Do you multiple 69% of say $50,000? Be $34,500 a year. If so, ain't much but better than SS. What my Stepdaughter told me a few years back when she was teaching. .

If the teacher had another career and met SS. The SS gets cut in half, because they receive a subpar pension.

I will vote yes on 9. But yes, school districts have an open checkbooks for about everything else.

as i understood the windfall act, it pretty much reduces your spouse's social security benefits to nothing once they pass...and teacher retirement depends on when you entered the field. i started in 1998 so i'm under the rule of 80, which means that my age and years of service added together must equal 80 before i'm eligible to retire. If i put in 30 years of service, i will receive 69% of my top 5 salary average, 35 years gets me 80.5%, and 40 years gets me 92%... I'm on year 27 and will meet my rule of 80 in 2 years, but won't be able to afford retirement at that point. Hoping i can go 35 but the way it's going, i'm not sure i'm gonna make it!haha

They have been trying to repeal windfall for decades. As I understand it, ever since Reagan enacted it.

Every few weeks I will check the latest legislation.

5 was about the only one I felt like supported smaller government. Probably be the only one I will vote yes on.

Just curious ,, Teachers,,,,,

( If i put in 30 years of service, i will receive 69% of my top 5 salary average, 35 years gets me 80.5%, and 40 years gets me 92%...)


Retire on that system 40 years in, and if retired salary is $50,000 per year, $50,000 - 92% = $46,000 a year. $3833 a month.. Is that math right??

If so,,


A lot Better than SS. Friend of mine told me, around $100,000 a year retired 5 years ago at 68. Her SS Check $2855 a month after deducts.

When i got into education they told us the retirement plan was one of the major "perks" of being a teacher (they don't tell you about the Windfall and how that can effect you though) and that was how our low starting salary was justified. I'm not complaining about our retirement system, i just believe that there needs to be a cost of living adjustment for the ones who retired after 2004.

Start at 25 and work 40. 65 when you retire. 92% of your best salaries sounds like a Hell of a Deal.

I think teachers would be better off if the state matched their contributions in a 401k. Do away with the pension.

This would more easily allow teachers to move into teaching or out of teaching and take their 401k/403b.

Its not 92% unless you work many many years past your first retirement age.


It depends on what Tier you are, Im a tier 3 member:




To be eligible for normal-age service retirement, you must meet one of the following conditions:
• you are age 65 with at least five years of service credit, or
• you are at least age 60, you meet the Rule of 80 (your age and years of service credit total at least
80), and you have at least five years of service credit.


Average Salary = Average of Five Highest Annual Salaries
Total Percent = Total Years of Service Credit x 2.3%
Annual Annuity = Total Percent x Average Salary
Monthly Annuity = Annual Annuity ÷ 12



There are teahers that have been retired for 30 years with no cost of living increase. I know a current retired teacher that barely brings home over $1500 a month.

Its a good system but needs some tweaking. Im and administrator and my wife is a teacher, we manage to live on my salary alone, which is very hard right now with inflation, everything she makes goes into other savings and retirement accounts. You cannot live on TRS Benefits alone, you have to invest in other areas.

We have Roths, 403bs, and silver/gold, mutual funds, college funds, etc.

[/quote]

When i got into education they told us the retirement plan was one of the major "perks" of being a teacher (they don't tell you about the Windfall and how that can effect you though) and that was how our low starting salary was justified. I'm not complaining about our retirement system, i just believe that there needs to be a cost of living adjustment for the ones who retired after 2004.
[/quote]
Start at 25 and work 40. 65 when you retire. 92% of your best salaries sounds like a Hell of a Deal.[/quote]

yep, it's a heck of a deal if you can last that long in todays climate and were lucky to be in a good paying district for at least 5 of those years...but there's a reason there's a huge teacher shortage in the US with teachers leaving before retirement age and the younger generations not going into education...and it doesn't have anything to do with the retirement program!haha I'm praying i can make 35, but that may be asking way too much! May just have to make more knives!!haha

Corrected….5 was a NO

Once a Texas teacher's spouse passes, they receive ZERO of the spouses SS income, fact. The ONLY SS benefits they can receive would be any second job outside of TRS that SS benefits are earned.

Don't forget to vote today.

Thank you one and all
for a vigorous and polite
analysis of the issues.

Yes on 1, 3, 4, and 9 for us as well... No on th rest.

Finally made it out there to vote today! Hope you all will as well, whichever way you choose to vote!

We had 24 amendments to the city charter on the ballot. Sheesh.

Two ISD bonds here ... both shot down. We have the lowest tax rate anywhere for the size of the ISD and haven't had a bond pass since 2003.