Members of the Texas Retired Teachers Association (TRTA), the moment we have all worked for has arrived! The cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) for eligible Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) annuitants are arriving this week.
It is thanks to your efforts—advocating to your legislators, making phone calls, writing letters to the editors of your local newspapers, engaging with members of your community, posting Prop 9 signs in your yards—that Prop 9, which was comprised of Senate Bill 10, HJR 2, and House Bill 1 (the state budget), passed! We are grateful to you and the thousands of Texas voters who showed up at the polls and said, “Twenty years is too long, the time to help retirees is NOW!”
We are asking all members to send an email to their State Senator and State Representative, thanking them for their votes on Senate Bill 10, HJR 2, and HB 1. It is rare for legislators to fully support legislative initiatives unanimously! Additionally, many legislators openly campaigned for the passage of Prop 9. We want to show our appreciation by sending them a thank you letter. Please complete the Action Alert now!
As a reminder, the TRS January 2024 payment schedule shows that paper checks were placed in the mail on Tuesday, January 30 and direct deposits were made on Wednesday, January 31. Eligible TRS retirees will receive a bump in their monthly check of two, four, or six percent depending upon their retirement date.
Our members know that the passage of Prop 9 was a significant, long-fought victory for our organization. The vast majority of TRS retirees have never received a permanent increase in their monthly annuities. With inflation impacting retiree pocketbooks, these increases are much needed, in addition to the stipends received by several hundred thousand retirees aged 70 or older.
TRTA is dedicated to protecting and improving the retirement security for all TRS retirees. That work did not end with the passage of Prop 9. We know there are still challenges ahead, including the repeal of the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO), as well as helping those retirees who were not eligible for the COLA.
Cultivating strong partnerships with our elected officials is critical to TRTA’s future success. Let’s continue to forge a path towards success by completing this Action Alert thanking legislators for their support of Prop 9!
