While Proposition 9 in the Nov. 7 constitutional election added billions to provide a cost-of-living adjustment for retired teachers, some in East Wilco say it won’t keep inflation at bay for long.
More than 2.1 million Texas voters said yes to Proposition 9 on their ballots, which led to a 83.73% landslide victory for the COLA.
Moppy Miller, a former counselor at the Taylor Independent School District, is the social chairwoman for the Williamson County Retired Teachers Association.
She said the COLA increase is a good start, but does not yet match the inflation rate.
“It’s not what it needs to be,” Miller said. “It was such a blessing, but in two years we need to do this again. Help our retired teachers catch up.”
The WCRTA works for the benefit of retired educators, including promoting legislation that helps former teachers.
The Legislature authorized $3.355 billion to the Teacher Retirement System of Texas in funding, which is estimated to increase annuities for about 400,000 eligible annuitants, or a person receiving a monthly annuity from TRS such as a retiree, surviving spouse or beneficiary.
“This is a feel-good moment,” said Tim Lee, executive director of the Texas Retired Teachers Association, in a virtual celebration Nov. 8. “So many of our elected officials have reached out to me today to congratulate the TRTA and the members of this organization for doing it the right way and for educating people.”
The COLA increase will begin January 2024 and is given on a scale. A 6% increase is received by those who retired on or before Aug. 31, 2001; a 4% increase is given to those who retired on or before Aug. 31, 2013; and a 2% increase is given to those who retired on or before Aug. 31, 2020.
Based on preliminary estimates provided by TRS, a little more than 145,000 will receive 2%, 187,000 will receive 4% and almost 68,000 will receive 6%. Recipients must be eligible to receive their January 2024 annuity payment.
The COLA was added largely to help reduce the negative effects of inflation for retired educators. According to statistics from the U.S. Bureau of Labor, $100 in October 2004 has the same purchasing power as $161.17 does today.
TRS annuity amounts are determined by averaging the retiree’s three highest annual salaries. In addition, the retiree’s years of services are multiplied by 2.3% which creates a total percent.
Lastly, the average salary is multiplied by this total percent and the teacher pension checks are sent out monthly. The average amount received is $2,174 a month, according to TRS data.
Miller said teachers who have been retired for longer are at a disadvantage because salaries were lower in the area back then, which lowers the annuity received.
“Those people who retired years ago, their salaries weren’t what they are now, it is a struggle,” she said. “It’s a struggle and they dedicated their lives to the kids and to us. It’s a tough situation.”
Arlene David was a full-time teacher for 32 years, with stints at Taylor Middle School and Taylor High School, and served as a long-time substitute teacher for five more years. David began participating in WCRTA upon retirement, where she now serves as the organization’s secretary.
David, who had a “Vote for Prop 9” sign in her yard, said she personally informed roughly 50 people that teachers who retired after 2004 have never gotten a permanent increase in their retirement check.
“There were so many people that didn’t realize that we had never gotten an increase in our retirement,” David said. “I would say more than half, probably three-fourths of the people that I talked to didn’t realize that.”
She added through the WCRTA, she and other members received advice on the proposition’s selling points. David said she was even told by WCRTA legislative chair Larry Yawn that lawmakers were more likely to read letters with flowery designs on them.
TRTA members from across the state made the trip to the Capitol on April 12, including WCRTA members. The retired teachers were encouraged to wear red shirts in an effort to increase awareness for the need of COLAs.
Whether it was from letter design choices or word of mouth, Proposition 9 received overwhelming support in Williamson County. Out of 68,967 voters, 55,941 county residents were in favor of the amendment for 81.11% of the vote.
In addition to Proposition 9, the Legislature approved a bill that gives teacher retirees a one-time stipend paid this past September. Annuitants 75 and older received $7,500 and those ages 70 to 74 received a $2,400 stipend.
“Maybe it’s a message to the legislators that if they want to keep quality teachers in our systems, that they need to be compensated at a rate similar to a higher-paying job,” David said.
Susan Komandosky taught high school journalism for over three decades, with her longest stint being 19 years at Round Rock High School.
Also a member of WCRTA, she said she was one of the “lucky ones” when it came to collecting Social Security checks. According to TRTA, 95% of public school districts in Texas do not pay into Social Security.
Komandosky’s retirement happened to fall into a window where she could collect both Social Security and teacher retirement checks but with an offset, she said.
“A retiree today has no hope of collecting Social Security, even if they worked there all the years and earned Social Security at their other jobs,” Komandosky said.
Teacher retirees also are not able to collect their spouse’s social security checks upon their passing.
Without the support of Social Security upon retirement, Komandosky said plenty of teachers have to pick up other jobs to be able to purchase “A lot of them still work,” she said. “A lot of them are substituting or working other jobs. Some of us are fortunate to have spouses that help with those expenses, but a lot of them just barely get by.”
Despite Proposition 9’s passage, Miller, David, Komandosky and other WCRTA members will still try to continue figuring out ways to help fulfill teacher-retiree needs. The organization holds its general membership meeting on the second Friday of February, March, May, June, September, October, November and December.
Contact them at https://wcrta.org/. Besides advocating for teacher-friendly legislation, the organization encourages its members to volunteer their time and energy to further education in the area. For example, WCRTA members often volunteer to read books to elementary school classes.
In addition, the organization has programs to support both first-year and second-year teachers with encouraging messages and notes.
Volunteer efforts from retired teachers such as those performed by WCRTA are why advocates are adamant about giving former educators the best retirement possible.
“I kind of think we need to continue to support these people,” Miller said. “Just because they’re not walking in the classroom every day, doesn’t mean their time and effort to kids is done. (Retired educators) continue to serve public schools and students … just because you retired, doesn’t mean your job is finished.”
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