House Pensions Committee Meeting Tomorrow
The House Pensions, Investments, and Financial Services (PIFS) Committee will conduct its first meeting tomorrow, February 22, 2011. Representative Vicki Truitt returns as Chairwoman for the PIFS Committee. TRTA has been invited to share some brief comments on the issues most important to our members this session. Tim Lee, TRTA Executive Director, will represent TRTA […]
House Appropriations to Discuss TRS Budget Today
TRTA to Testify on Need for Pension and Health Care Funding TRTA members have already sent more than 15,000 emails to legislators this session. Now, TRTA volunteers and staff are preparing to testify in the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Education today (Monday, February 14). This subcommittee will analyze the TRS budget request. TRTA will report […]
Funding Health Care and Pensions a Top Priority
Texas House Appropriations Subcommittee on Education members have closed testimony on the Teacher Retirement System budget request. Thank you to everyone who emailed and voiced your concern to these members asking them to restore cuts to the TRS pension fund and the TRS-Care health insurance program. Tim Lee, TRTA Executive Director, testified during today’s hearing. […]
TRTA Inside Line: Higher Federal Tax Withholdings
“Why Has My TRS Check Decreased?” TRS Retirees Feeling a Federal Tax Squeeze Many TRTA members are asking why their monthly annuity has suddenly decreased. Retirees are reporting a decrease that ranges between $30 per month to as much as $50 per month. The answer is that the federal government is taking a bigger bite […]
TRS Hires New Director
Current Deputy Director will take Lead Role September 1 The Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) met today to interview candidates and hire a new system Executive Director. Mr. Brian White of the San Diego Employees Retirement Association and Mr. Brian Guthrie, currently serving as the TRS Deputy Director, were interviewed for the position. The […]
TRTA Legislative Update: Keep TRS a Defined Benefit Plan
TRTA Week in Review Public Pension Funds Still Under Attack “Texas Pension funds are in better shape than anywhere else….” This is a recurring sentiment that we are hearing about your TRS pension trust fund as the legislative process revs up. What is also revving up is the attitude that a defined benefit traditional […]
Senate Release Preliminary
TRTA Members Deliver a Strong Message Texas Senate Added to Outreach Campaign In just three days, over 4,000 TRTA members emailed their Texas House Representatives asking them to restore the deep cuts made to the TRS pension trust fund and the TRS-Care health insurance program. Early this week, the Texas Senate released its preliminary budget […]
TRTA Action Alert: January 20, 2011
Budget Proposal Slashes TRS Funding TRS-Care Premium Increase Possible The Texas House released its budget proposal for the coming biennium. This proposal cuts billions from areas such as health and human services, education, and other government services. The Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) did not escape the early budget cutting. The House […]
Legislative Budget Board Report on State Budget
TRS Benefit Reductions for Future, No Help in the Present The Texas Legislative Budget Board (LBB) has released recommendations on how to address the state budget deficit. The entire report can be downloaded by clicking here. LBB’s report on the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) and the Employee Retirement System of Texas (ERS) indicates […]
TRS Executive Director Search Update
Last Thursday (January 13), the TRS executive director search committee met to advance names for interview for the TRS Executive Director position. Since the last update on this issue, three of the top five candidates set to interview for the Executive Director position withdrew their names from consideration. The selection committee has now advanced three […]