February Newsletter - Houston Area Retired Teachers

HARTbeat
Vol. 2014
No. 3
Houston Association of Retired Teachers
Happy New Year to All!
Slate of 2015-2016
Officers
I hope you had an enjoyable holiday season and are ready for a new
year at HART.
President
Mira Baptiste
in February so it is very important that you plan to attend the
February 13 HART meeting to exercise your privilege to vote! As
usual, we will meet at Bethany United Methodist Church.
Refreshments will be served between 9:30 and 10:00 AM, with the
meeting beginning at 10:00 AM.
The program will be a
presentation by a representative from the Houston Visitors Bureau.
Now that spring is coming, it really is time to start making travel
plans!
Happy New
Year to All!
We will be electing officers for the 2015-2016 year at our meeting
President-Elect
Georgia McGlasson
First VP-Membership
Debbie Hall
Second VP-Public Relations
Virgil W. Fisher
Third VP- Programs
Alford Bleeker
Fourth VP- Legislative
Jane Eixmann
Recording Secretary
Loree Vernon
Corresponding Secretary
Johnnie Robinson
Treasurer
Tom Sanders
Thanks to all our members who turned in
their volunteer hours for 2014. There was
a definite improvement over last year.
Don't forget to start counting the hours
again so we improve even more in 2015.
Patsy Silva
THANKS
Happy New Year HART
members!
The TRTA State Convention will be held in Austin April 6 & 7, 2015,
with the visits to the Capitol on April 8. At this time, there is no
plan to take a bus from Houston as in the past, since many of our
members from District 8 already will be in Austin for the
convention. Information on the convention is available online
(www.trta.org/) from TRTA, including a room reservation request
and a form for convention registration. Whether you plan to attend
the convention or not, please be sure to be contacting your State
Representatives and Senators requesting their support of
“affordable, quality health care” for all education retirees. We have
learned that those contacts are very important in keeping those
representatives aware of the feelings and needs of their
constituents. E-mail, phone calls, and personal letters, as well as
personal conversations, all are effective methods of communicating
with these elected officials. TRTA has put a lot of information about
this issue on the website so please review that at your leisure so
that you will be even better informed. Thanks, Tim Lee!
I look forward to seeing many of you at our next meeting. Don’t
forget to wear red as Valentine’s Day is the day after our meeting!
November Meeting Featured Memorial to Members
A new tradition was begun at the November meeting with a
beautiful memorial remembrance of HART members who had
died during the past year. We were reminded of the many
attributes of our members through the colors of the rainbow and
the lighting of candles. We remembered:
Mary Lois Barden
William (Bill) Cook
Mary Lee Cook
Elizabeth Ann Edwards
Rosa Mary Garza
Marcile Hollingsworth
Vera E. Lewallen
Friends enjoy socializing and snacking at the November
HART meeting.
NOVEMBER GEMS OF THE MONTH
TRAVEL & LODGING BENEFITS
AMBA TRAVEL PERKS: Brings the best values in
vacations to association members. Special offers are
available on fantastic cruises, resorts, and escorted
tour vacations to the Caribbean, Mexico, Panama
Canal, Europe, Alaska, South America, and Asia. Call
800.480.4080 or visit www.ambatravelperx.com.
GETO TRAVEL: Preview all of the “off season” travelrelated programs. Up to 8 days/7nights at one-time
cost of $349 (if reserved online) that covers up to 8
people, not $349 per person and $369 if reserved by
phone. Use TRTA Eligibility #755. TRTA members can
preview all of the travel-related programs through the
Cendant/GETO website www.getravelop. com . Call
toll free 877.867.3639 to learn more.
DRURY INN & SUITES: Receive 5% off at Drury Inn &
Suites (discounts are not available during “peak
status”). Use the Corporate ID# 311435 by phone at
800.378.7946 or use BizTrip Corporate ID# 311435
www.druryhotels.com.
New members attending for the first time in November include
Sandy Dean, Laurel Kelly and Maudie Reece.
Our speaker in November told us all about the benefits available
to HART members through AMBA, Association Members
Benefits Advisors. One of the benefits Medical Air Services
Association, or MASA, offers emergency assistance insurance
world-wide for those who like to travel. Other benefits include
reasonably priced dental and vision insurance, long term care
insurance, and other insurance products.
For more information, members can go to myambabenefits.info
or call Kevin at 512-241-0025 ext. 171.
LA QUINTA INN 7 SUITES: Offers TRTA members the
Texas State rate which is up to 35% off and 15% off
rates nationwide subject to availability. Use code
“TRTA” for reservations. During certain times of the
year, low occupancy may trigger lower rates. Use code
“TXSTAT10” and receive 10% off a particular
property’s best available rate. Call 866.468.3946 or
visit www.lq.com.
December Luncheon Celebrates the Season
The Salvation Army’s Harbor Lights Choir entertained with
an inspiring performance.
Expanding Horizons
Mark Your Calendar
February 13 – HART Meeting: Program
Houston Visitor Bureau
February 24 – Expanding Horizons Houston
Exploration
March 13 – HART Meeting: Program
Preservation Houston speaker Jim
Parsons
March 27 – Expanding Horizons Computer
Workshop 12:30 – 3:45 PM limited
to 20 participants
April 6-8 – TRTA State Convention and visit
to legislators in Austin
April 17 – HART Meeting: Program Healthy
Living with speaker Ann Dolezal
May 8 – HART Meeting Installation of
Officers
JANUARY GEMS OF THE MONTH
Texas Mobile Imaging: Offers 3 painless
cardiovascular ultrasounds for the early
detection and prevention of stroke.
832.437.1296 or txmobileimaging.com
Acadian on Call: Provides medical alert
systems to over 19,000 subscribers nationwide
and ranks in top 10 US medical alert alarm
companies. Use code TRTA for free shipping.
800.259.1234
www.acadianmedicalalertsystems.com/trta.html
Hearing Aid Express: Statewide network of
hearing health care professionals. Member
benefits include complimentary hearing tests
and a 10 percent off hearing aid prices. Call toll
free 866-478-8782 or on-line at
www.hearingaidexpress.com.
CSIdentity Protector: Identify theft protection
for only $9.00 a month (mention “TRTA”).
Service provides credit reports and monitoring,
non-credit loan activity, public records
monitoring, and more. 877.274.7401 –
www.amba.info/idtheft.htm
Remember to ask for senior discounts and
military discounts at Home Depot and
Lowe’s.
Expanding Horizons is building on their first success with another excursion
to Houston’s many interesting destinations. The next trip will be February
24 and will have four stops beginning at 9:00 AM:
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HISD Food Prep Facility
Houston Emergency Center
Discovery Green and lunch at the Grove
Houston Transtar Center
Transportation will be via Goodman bus which will require a small fee.
Everything else, besides lunch, is free. Sign-up will be at the February
meeting with a $5.00 nonrefundable donation.
New Texas Legislative Session Offers Opportunities and Challenges
During the last legislative session, the Texas Retirement System annuity
fund was made actuarially sound by legislative changes to funding formulas.
We must continue to identify and thank all of our elected representatives
who contributed to our success with this issue. Now we have new
challenges relating to the Texas Retirement System – Care medical
insurance package.
If you receive medical insurance from TRS – Care, either as a retired nonmedicare recipient or as a supplemental policy to medicare, then you must
know that the insurance program is in crisis. Without additional funding, the
program will have to double premiums or cut benefits in the next year. TRTA
is working with the legislature to negotiate an infusion of money and a long
term solution to this problem. How did we get to this point? Basically,
funding for this program is not tied to any real numbers, such as cost of
health care or number of retirees. The state has allowed the fund to “go
dry” before addressing new funding formulas. For detailed descriptions of
possible solutions, please go to www.trta.org and read the latest The Voice
or go to TRS.org for the TRS – Care Sustainability Study.
“Texas ranks dead last among all states in its appropriation of funds for its
public education workforces’ benefits. The Legislature must recognize the
underfunding of our Texas public school workforce that has led to the TRS–
Care crisis.” (The Voice, 4th quarter 2014)
What Can You Do?
1. Write a letter to your legislator. Let them know why TRS–Care is
important to you and ask them to work with TRTA this session!
2. Ask someone to join HART/TRTA. Membership is our ultimate power. As
we grow, so does our ability to solve problems like the TRS–Care crisis.
Together we can rise up and meet these challenges together. Please ask
a friend, colleague, family member or even your legislator to join TRTA!
Membership matters and we need you!
Repeal Wind Fall Elimination Provision
Two members of Congress, Representative Kevin Brady
of Texas and Representative Richard Neal of
Massachusetts, have introduced H.R. 5697, the Equal
Treatment of Public Servants Act. The bill, if passed,
would repeal the Social Security Windfall Elimination
Provision (WEP), and replace it with a more fair formula
helping those who have been impacted by the WEP and
those who will be in the future.
In a press release dated November 13, Representative
Brady stated, “Our goal for many years has been to end
the unfair WEP and provide equal treatment to all
workers in Social Security, including our teachers,
firefighters, police and other public servants who have
contributed into Social Security."
Members of the Texas Retired Teachers Association
(TRTA) have advocated for many years that Congress
repeal the WEP, and TRTA Executive Director Tim Lee
was invited last summer to Washington, D.C. by
Congressman Brady to discuss the bill and share his
thoughts about how it impacts hundreds of thousands of
retired public educators in Texas and throughout the
nation.
H.R. 5697, if passed, would:
 Permanently repeal the current Windfall Elimination Provision and
replace it with a new and fair formula that treats public servants
like the rest of American workers.
 Guarantee public servants receive the benefits they earned while
they paid into Social Security.
 Reduce the WEP by up to a third for current retirees and up to half
for future retirees – increasing lifetime Social Security
benefits by between $20,000 and $32,400 (as estimated by the
Social Security actuary).
 Not impact the Social Security trust fund.
What does this mean for retired educators in Texas? If
H.R. 5697 passes, your Social Security amount will no
longer be figured by the arbitrary WEP formula
established in 1983, but will be based on your real-life
Social Security contributions and work history -- just like
everyone else.
For now, TRTA members can spread the word to their
fellow retirees and their friends in the active school
community that we have not given up on the idea of
fairness for our members and their Social Security
earnings. We are gearing up to pass a bill that puts more
money back into your pockets!
WEP Repeal Fact Sheet
This information was excerpted from The Inside Line
by Tim Lee.
In October we welcomed Ann Wheeler, Teresa Tusa,
Beatrice Graham, Mary Burgert and Raquel Arias as new
members.
The Stilwell Memorial
Residence Committee
raised $1260 in 2014 to
help residents with their
fees. Thanks to Carole
Green, Dorene Drake,
Adelma Graham, Dana
Kimmey, Elaine Peterson,
Roiana, Powell, Joyce Van
Houton, Pat Whitley and
Gladys Young for an
outstanding job.
Thank You, SFCU
ofSmart Financial is a cooperative,
owned and operated by its
members. SFCU is governed by a
Board of Directors that establishes
and reviews policy. The Directors are
Credit Union members who are elected by the membership
and serve without pay. Every member has one vote,
regardless of how much he or she has on deposit. At the
Credit Union, there is no select group of shareholders that
profits more than anyone else. The National Credit Union
Administration, an agency of the U.S. Government, insures
each member account for at least $250,000.
Smart Financial Credit Union helps to print and mail this
newsletter. They also provided beautiful poinsettias for each
table at our December Luncheon, and give us free meeting
space for executive board meetings. Thanks for all you do for
teachers!
Houston Association of Retired Teachers
P. O. Box 6727
Houston, TX 77265-6727
NON PROFIT ORG
US Postage Paid
Houston, TX
Permit No. 1956
z
Return Service Requested
This and That
 All HART regular meetings are held at Bethany United Methodist
Church, 3511 Linkwood, Houston
 The Executive Board will meet February 9 and May 18 at 9:30 AM, at
Smart Financial, 6051 North Course, Houston
 To contribute to the next HARTbeat, contact Margaret Preston,
HARTbeat Editor, [email protected]
 For information about HART, becoming a member, past issues of the
HARTbeat, or the latest news, go to the HART website
www.houstonarearetiredteachers.org