No Life of Riley for this principal

No Life of Riley for this principal

After reading the barrage of news articles published in The Vindicator and other major Ohio newspapers about the extravagant pension and health-care benefits public educators receive, I felt compelled to write this letter.

I began my teaching career in 1973 earning a $7,300 annual salary. A couple of years into my teaching career, my younger brother and I attended a local high school football game. On the way to the stadium, I pulled into a bank to cash my two week paycheck. My brother had recently returned from a 4-year stint in the Navy and was working in plant security at Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co.

I’ll never forget my brother asking to see my pay check and his comments, “So college boy, this is all you make being a teacher. My two-week pay check is nearly twice your amount, and I just started my job.” I explained that I really enjoyed teaching and I was working on my master’s degree. I went on to explain that hopefully, someday I would become a school administrator and earn a higher salary. I also explained that even though my salary was low, I had a good pension and health care package through State Teachers Retirement System. To help make ends meet during my first dozen or so years of teaching, I worked several part-time jobs during the evenings and worked every summer to provide the quality of life my family deserved.

Fast forward 35 years. I did earn my master’s degree and served as a classroom teacher for 18 years and as a principal for 19 years. I will officially retire Aug. 1, and I contacted STRS to finalize my pension plan and health care options. According to your numerous articles, I should be living the “Life or Riley” for the rest of my life with my luxurious pension and health care plan. Oh, I’m not complaining. I will be able to keep a roof over my head, drive a nice vehicle, enjoy some weekend escapes with my family, and spend a week every year on a beach somewhere with my wife.

I’m sorry Youngstown Sheet & Tube and other manufacturing firms are no longer here offering similar pensions and health care packages to their workers. But don’t slam STRS and the hard-working educators who paid into their retirement system for years, forgoing hefty salaries realizing that at the end of their careers they would enjoy the fruits of their labors.

James Carchedi, Struthers

SERS is not seeking a bailout

The School Employees Retire- ment System of Ohio (SERS) must address two major inaccuracies in the recent articles and editorials concerning Ohio’s pension systems.

First and foremost, SERS is not asking for a “taxpayer bailout.” Last September, SERS identified several retirement eligibility changes that, when enacted, will strengthen our already solvent and sustainable pension system. The pension reform proposal SERS submitted for state lawmakers to consider does not include an increase in taxpayer or employee contributions. SERS is committed to “living within our means” during these difficult economic times.

SERS’ pensions are far from “gold-plated,” “lavish” and “generous.” Last year, the average SERS retiree received a pension benefit of $879 per month. When comparing the average SERS pension benefit with the average Social Security benefit of $1,098 per month, it is clear that SERS’ benefits are modest. The pension benefits SERS provides are reasonable and well deserved.

SERS was one of the only defined benefit pension systems in the country to take the initiative two years ago to adjust its benefit model to account for the fact that its members are living longer. SERS will continue to propose adjustments that ensure the long-term stability of the system, and accommodate the retirement needs of those who work every day to make Ohio’s schools run efficiently and safely.

Lisa J. Morris, Colunbus

The writer is interim executive director of the School Employees Retirement System of Ohio.

Recognition for Korean War vets

On June 27 a ceremony was held at the Mahoning Valley Korean War Veterans Memorial in Austintown’s Veterans Park (Wickliffe Circle) dedicating Interstate 680 as the Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway. It was conducted in conjunction with the annual laying of the roses ceremony.

This highway was named as a memorial to more than 10,000 men and women from the Mahoning Valley who served worldwide during the Korean War years (1950-1953) and was the culmination of many years of hard work by the members of KWVA Chapter 137 and our local state and county representatives.

God bless America and the veterans of all wars past and present.

Bob Bakalik, Youngstown

The writer is 1st vice president, Korean War Veterans Association, Mahoning Valley Chapter 137.

It takes a village to support a team

As another summer is upon us and we enjoy a holiday weekend with our family and friends, it’s the perfect time to think about baseball and the start of another Scrappers season. Entering our 12th season, Scrappers baseball has now become a summertime tradition for the local community.

To be able to operate and maintain a successful franchise for more than a decade, it truly takes the collaboration and cooperation of multiple parties. It begins with a committed ownership group led by managing partner Mike Savit, who acquired the baseball franchise nearly two years ago. He has supported a staff and management team that works countless hours to put together the entertainment programs and specials that are offered each season. The team continues to work closely with the Cafaro Co., owners of the stadium. The Cafaro family’s generosity in building the stadium was a determining factor in bringing baseball to the Mahoning Valley.

The Cleveland Indians should be recognized for building a tradition of winning teams and developing talent. This can be seen with 4 championship appearances, 1 league title, and more than 40 former Scrappers that have made it to the major leagues. And finally, and most importantly, it is the business community and individuals that support the Scrappers as sponsors, season ticket holders, and game-day patrons.

So on this holiday weekend, I want to thank everyone who has played a part in making Scrappers baseball a jewel of the Valley. I invite you to join us this season for a fun and affordable night with your family and friends.

Dave Smith, Niles

The writer is general manager of the Mahoning Valley Scrappers, a Class A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians.

Garden District success story

The Garden District Neigh- borhood (block watch group) has just completed its Wean Foundation Neighborhood Success Grant. The group planted 19 trees in the tree lawns of their neighborhood and edged the sidewalks bordering the trees.

Treez Please assisted with a detailed survey of each tree in the tree lawns throughout the neighborhood (bounded by Mahoning Avenue on the north, Mill Creek Park on the south, Fellows Riverside Gardens on McKinley Avenue to the east and S. Belle Vista Avenue on the west). It was forwarded to the Youngstown City Parks Department to enable them to remove deteriorating trees. The parks department assisted in the selection of trees and the planting, and Mill Creek MetroParks provided wood chips to protect the trees after planting. All the trees survived the winter.

The Garden District Neighborhood would like to thank the Raymond John Wean Foundation, Treez Please, the city of Youngstown, Mill Creek MetroParks, Councilwoman Carol Remedio Righetti and Joy Serednesky, vice president of Art Youngstown, for the help.

Jerry O’Hara, Youngstown

The writer is president of the Garden District Neighborhood.