ASSOCIATION NEWS
The Apples, Apples, Apples project was originated by Dearborn County RTA member Judy Mosier as a way of providing funds for Relay for Life and its fight against cancer. Begun as a church youth project at the Mt Sinai United Methodist Church, the project grew into a fund raising project that neither the youth nor the entire church family was able to maintain. With the motto of Saving A Life, One Pie at a Time, the Dearborn County Retired Teachers were called on to assist in making the thousands of pies and turnovers that were sold yearly. The project has become one of the retired teachers’ favorite endeavors. The Association salutes Judy Mosier for her dedication and devotion to the Relay For Life organization and the great work that it does. This award is truly a culmination of her special efforts to help the millions of people who suffer or have died from the dreaded disease of cancer.
TEACHERS’ TREASURES
The second DCRTA Teachers’ Treasures Sale was held on August
5 at
COMMUNITY SERVICE HOURS
The Executive Board expresses thanks to everyone for keeping track and reporting their Community Service hours. 2010 was a record setting year for DCRTA. A total of 202 retired teachers/associates were contacted with 167 reporting hours. Our total Youth Hours were 11,400, and our Other Hours were 35,999, for a GRAND TOTAL of 46,999! This is great! 2010’s total is 10,915 more hours than in 2009. Using the Bureau of Labor Statistics conversion scale at the U.S. Department of Labor, this converts to $963,479.50!
The recording and reporting of our volunteer hours to the IRTA is crucial to our COLA negotiation work done by the IRTA Executive Director, IRTA Board of Directors and Legislative Committee. The DCRTA Executive Committee requests all retired teachers and associate members to assist in this endeavor by keeping track and reporting of all volunteer service hours. Let’s make the hours for 2011 the greatest ever!
2011 STATE NEWS
IRTA REPRESENTATIVE ASSEMBLY AWARDS
During the presentation of committee awards and recognitions
at the May 2011 IRTA Representative Assembly,
1. Area 8 Anthem
Clock Award: Member and DCRTA
Secretary, Sharon Anness, was the Area 8 recipient of
the Anthem Clock Award for outstanding service to the Association, community,
and children of
2. Group Project
Award: The entire Dearborn County
Retired Teachers Association was recognized for its 2010 group project, Apples,
Apples, Apples. The local membership was notified that
this project will also be presented to the National Retired Teachers
Association for national recognition.
Again, this is the fifth year in a row that the
3. Public Relations Newsletter Award: For the sixth year in a row,
4. Public Relations Press Release Award: The DCRTA was again awarded a Public Relations Award for its work on keeping the community knowledgeable through the news media about the Retired Teachers Association.
5. Website Recognition: The Dearborn County Retired Teachers Association was again recognized for its internet website. This is a relatively new program that the IRTA is urging all of its 90 local RTA’s to provide.
Dearborn County Retired Teachers were pleased to learn that
its Past President, Dennis Bourquein, was elected to the
position of Secretary-Treasurer for the Indiana Retired Teachers Association at
the May Representative Assembly. This is
the first time that a
LEGISLATIVE NEWS
FEDERAL LAW CHANGE – The Making Work Pay credit enacted in
2009 expired
How are federal taxes calculated?
TRF is required under federal law to report any
distributions made to you in any given calendar year. Any or all amounts may be taxable. Your withholding amount is based on the
federal tax election you filed with TRF.
If you did not make any election, per
For more information, see New Federal Income Tax Withholding on TRF’s
website. http://www.in.gov/trf/2608.htm. If you have questions, you can contact TRF’s customer service center toll-free at (888) 286-3544,
Monday through Friday from
________________________________________________________________
The Indiana General Assembly convened
HB
1176 COLA/One Time Payment Bill. Author: Rep. Woody Burton, Rep. David Niezgodski. This bill calls for a 1% COLA increase
for retired teachers and a one time check of $150 to $450, depending upon a
retirees years of teaching.
SB 551 Defined
Contribution Bill. Author:
Sen. Brent Waltz. Mandatory Defined Contribution Pension for all newly
hired teachers and public employees.
SB
535 Defined Contribution Study Committee.
Author: Sen. Walker. This bill would create a study committee to review
this issue of requiring a Mandatory Defined Contribution Pension for all newly
hired teachers and public employees after the Indiana General Assembly adjourns
this session.
HB
1356 Military Pension and $500 Minimum Monthly Pension Bill.
Author:
SB 549 Combines
SB
12
As retired teachers, there are several things that you can do to aid the Association.
1) Go to www.retiredteachers.org and educate yourself about the Defined Contribution issue. Go to the Legislative Advocacy page in order to find the information. Encourage active teachers to also become aware of this issue, as it will affect them far more than current retirees.
2) Contact
your legislators and let them know that you SUPPORT HB 1176 COLA-One Time
Payment Bill, HB 1356 Military Pension and Minimum Monthly Pension Bill, and SB
549 Combining the
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
2010 STATE NEWS
IRTA REPRESENTATIVE ASSEMBLY AWARDS
During the presentation of committee awards and recognitions
at the May 2010 IRTA Representative Assembly,
1. Area 8 Anthem
Clock Award: Member and Community
Service Chairperson, Judy Mosier, was the Area 8 recipient of the Anthem Clock
Award for outstanding service to the Association, community, and children of
2. Group Project Award: The entire Dearborn County Retired Teachers Association was recognized for its 2009 Teacher Treasure Sale which financially supported the DCRTA Educator Grant/Award Program. The local membership was notified that this project will also be presented to the National Retired Teachers Association for national recognition.
3. Public Relations Newsletter Award: For the fifth year in a row,
4. Public Relations Press Release Award: The DCRTA was again awarded a Public Relations Award for its work on keeping the community knowledgeable through the news media about the Retired Teachers Association.
5. Website Recognition: The Dearborn County Retired Teachers Association was again recognized for its internet website. This is a new program that the IRTA is urging all of its 90 local RTA’s to provide. At the time of the award, DCRTA was one of eight associations providing website service.
In addition to the above awards, the entire Area 8 membership of which Dearborn County is a part, received award recognition for the second year in a row for leading the state association in increased membership.
2010 COLA LEGISLATION
The Indiana Retired Teachers Association has won three important issues before the Indiana General Assembly. These bills now go to Governor Daniels for his signature:
1. HB 1205 Passed. In September, 2010, retired teachers who
retired on or before
At least 30 years of creditable service: $400
At least 20 years, but less than 30 years of creditable service: $325
At least 10 years, but less than 20 years of creditable service: $235
Between 5 and 10 years (with disability retirement benefits only): $125
2. SB 309 Passed WITHOUT Amendment 9. Amendment 9 would have increased the unfunded liability of the 1996 Fund of the Teacher Retirement Fund. Amendment 9 of Senate Bill 309 would have capped the contribution rate from school corporations by at least $17.3 million which was intended to help fund the Teacher Retirement Fund. Nancy Tolson, President of the Indiana Retired Teachers Association, emphasized, “One of the main purposes of our association, since it was founded in 1950, is to protect the Teacher Retirement Fund.”
This amendment was bad for 3 reasons:
1. It would have increased the $11 billion unfunded liability owed by the state to Teacher Retirement Fund.
2. It would have set a bad precedent because the amendment was introduced on the House floor without public input or consideration of the fiscal impact on retired teachers.
3. The amendment would have taken away money intended for the Teacher Retirement Fund.
The contribution rate to the Teacher Retirement Fund should
be set only after careful consideration by the Teacher Retirement Fund, the
Pension Management Oversight Commission, the pension committees in the House
and Senate, and the pension fund actuaries. Amendments such as this explain why
3. SB 30 Passed WITHOUT Amendment 1. Amendment 1 would have
made PUBLIC the name and monthly pension amount of all retired teachers in
Please contact YOUR state representative and state senator
and THANK them for passing the above legislation. (See http://district.iga.in.gov/districtlookup
to help find your legislators). You can also call your legislators toll free at 1-800-382-9841 to let them know you
appreciate their support. You may also send a letter to your legislators and
the governor at this address: Indiana State House,
Thanks to everyone who worked as a team to help retired
teachers in
Andrew P. Thomas, Executive Director
Last
revision: