Governor Steve Beshear:
SAVE OUR PENSION:
Fully Fund
Kentucky Teachers Retirement System
in 2014
Petition by Jefferson County Teachers Association
In 1938, the State of Kentucky entered into an inviolable contract to provide pension benefits to its teachers. According to state law KRS 161.714, these pension benefits are teachers’ earned compensation promised by the State and the State must fund them. Why did the Legislature promise this to teachers all those years ago? Because Kentucky’s children deserve the best education, and they knew that pension security ensures that every child is taught by professionals who have put in the time and effort to earn the qualifications needed to give our children the education they deserve.
Since the Kentucky Teachers Retirement System (KTRS) was founded, teachers have always contributed a significant portion of their salary towards their retirement. No teacher has ever missed a payment or paid late since the pension fund was founded in 1938. However, since 2008 the State has not made the required annual contributions for teachers’ pensions. If Kentucky continues to neglect its obligation to fund teachers’ retirement, KTRS funds will be exhausted by 2036. This is a CRISIS situation!SIGN TODAY TO TELL GOVERNOR STEVE BESHEAR TO FULLY FUND KTRS IN 2014!
What will YOU be doing in 2036? Kentucky teachers won’t be able to afford to retire if the Legislature doesn’t fully fund KTRS NOW! Without a secure pension, thousands upon thousands of Kentucky teachers will retire into abject poverty. Without a secure future, the best young teachers will not stay in the classroom. We cannot risk the future of our teachers and our children. We MUST make sure Kentucky meets its obligation.The Promise of an inviolable contract for pension security made to Kentucky teachers in 1938 means nothing without the actions of our Governor and our Legislature to back it up today. We need YOU to stand with us to support Kentucky teachers and students!Sign this petition today to tell Governor Steve Beshear to FULLY FUND KTRS in 2014!
To:
SAVE OUR PENSION: Fully Fund Kentucky Teachers Retirement System in 2014!
Sincerely,
[Your name]
News
[Your name]
News
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Reached 1,000 signatures
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750+ Signatures to FUND KTRS! Let's Keep the Momentum Building!
At just over 36 hours into the campaign to tell Governor Beshear to Fully Fund KTRS in 2014, we've already reached more than 750 signatures! You can help us double that in the next 24 hours by sharing our petition with your friends via Facebook, Twitter, or Email. Won't you ask five people to sign today? Think of the impact that would make!
One other way you can join us in creating awareness of Kentucky's PENSION CRISIS, is by joining our Thunderclap. Thunderclap is a social media platform that allows you to donate a Facebook post, a Tweet, or a Tumblr post to our cause, so that on December 18 at noon, we can all raise our voices together to promote Full Funding of KTRS. If you want to JOIN THE THUNDER FOR KTRS, simply go to www.tinyurl.com/thunderclap-ktrs.Thank you for your support, and for your commitment to making our voices heard.TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERNECE! -
Reached 750 signatures
Supporters
Reasons for signing
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Robert Reck TULSA, OK
- 1 day ago
- Liked 1
My Kentucky teachers friends have given their lives to teaching for love of teaching. They should not have to risk retiring in poverty due to a state government that does not honor an agreement that has been followed for years. -
Donna Almand MAYFIELD, KY
- 1 day ago
- Liked 1
Are the legislators changing their retirement fund also. No, educators have paid into this without missing a month, legislators have not held up,their end to match the funds, In fact, teachers retirement has been reducing from different factions borrowing for the fund and never refunding the borrowed amount. Would as legislators allow that to happen to your retirement fund. -
Wanda Willis PROSPECT, KY
- 1 day ago
- Liked 1
It takes a village to educate our future employees and employers. Teachers alone cannot do the job. It takes all of us working diligently together to produce the quality employees and employers now and in the future. Kentucky children deserve it. -
Shawna Simmons KINNEAR, WY
- 1 day ago
- Liked 1
Because children need good teachers! -
Benjamin Baldwin INDEPENDENCE, KY
- 2 days ago
- Liked 1
because my daughter's teachers are KENTUCKY TEACHERS! give them the pay and retirement that they deserve! They have one of the most important and difficult jobs of the human race, make sure they are supported 110%! And don't forget about the special education children and their teachers, make sure no one gets left behind.
5 comments:
Sounds like they took a page out of the fed's book in raiding Social Security to pay for things they didn't have taxes to cover and now it is basically insolvent as more folks retire, fewer contribute and those contributing are doing so with stagnant or lower wage levels.
Folks should have just kept their money and invested it as best they could and then at least they would have risen or fallen based on their own actions instead of folks they have no control over and who basically take little responsibility for their obligation to public servants
Dear Richard,
I called KTRS today and asked the question. "Will our pension funds be depleted by 2036?" I was told I would need to speak with the KTRS lawyer. He was out-of-office and my call went to voicemail.
I have never been more scared about my future. The employee would also not answer my question, "Can the Legislature borrow from the KTRS?"
Any tips on how to go about finding answers?
I urge all members to use the number to ask questions of the KTRS. 502-848-8500.
I called yesterday the lawyer at KTRS. His name is Bo something. Very helpful. Told me we should all contact the Governor. That's what we need to do.
What is bothersome is that you get these newsletters from KTRS which always talk about how its funding is suppose to be so strong and well managed and then you hear this sort of thing.
Sorry state of affairs when the state doesn't fund teacher retirement.
On a different note, I have to wonder if we aren't like social security system and not realistic about fiscal sustainability which allows folks to retire after 27 years of service. If you graduated college at 22 and worked straight through, that means we have teachers able to retire at about 50 and be able to draw retirement and be provided health care. If you look at other state's retirement systems, it is clear that we may have lowballed our numbers. On the other hand if we contributed more that would probably just give the state more opportunity to steal/divest more.
December 16, 2013 at 11:57 AM: You must have fared much better than I did during the recession. I invested as best I could and watched my money go away based on the actions of others.
December 18, 2013 at 10:49 AM: KTRS can't predict any better than you can. Until the legislature acts on tax reform, we're looking at continuing shortfalls in a number of vital areas of public policy.
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