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 at this hearing. TRTA is very concerned about the proposal to reduce funding for the TRS pension trust fund, as well as the TRS-Care health insurance program. In addition, TRTA members know that TRS retirees have not had a pension increase in 10 years. With no pension increase in 10 years and the decrease in fixed incomes due to increased federal taxes, TRS retirees need some form of benefit increase.
TRTA is your voice in the Texas Legislature. Many TRTA members have contacted us with issues and items they want the legislature to be focused on during this session. If you would like to send your ideas on items that TRTA should bring before the House Pensions Investments and Financial Services Committee, please send a short email with your comments and we will do our best to bring these issues to the attention of the committee members.
In addition, you may want to leave some suggestions or comments on the TRTA Facebook page by clicking here. We will provide a complete update after tomorrow’s meeting.
So far this session, TRTA members have sent more than 30,000 emails to legislators asking for them to make public education retirees a priority this session. We are so appreciative of your help and support. Thank you for all you do to keep Texas Retired Teachers Association a strong voice for all public education retirees.