March 8th, 2011
The 2011 Employees Retirement System (ERS) Board of Trustees election has begun and TPEA encourages all eligible state employees and retirees to vote for Brian Ragland. Voting began March 4 and ends April 8, 2011. You should receive your ballot from ERS in your mailbox this week.
Brian Ragland is:
- Director of Finance at the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT)
- endorsed by the Texas Public Employees Association (TPEA)
- endorsed by the Texas Department of Public Safety Officers Association (DPSOA)
- a CPA and MBA with a strong financial management background
- uniquely qualified to oversee the operations of ERS, including the state’s retirement fund investments and state’s health insurance benefits
- the most qualified candidate, and will be a strong advocate for both state employees and retirees
Information about the candidates is also available online at http://www.ers.state.tx.us/news/articles/20110301.aspx.
You can vote online now if you have your 11 digit ERS Employee ID number, which is on the ballot mailed to you. TPEA is encouraging employees to vote online to reduce expenses to ERS.
While TPEA applauds all of the candidates for their concern for our benefits and their involvement in the election process, we believe Brian Ragland will best represent you on decisions that impact your retirement benefits and insurance coverage. Please vote for Brian Ragland today!
On March 2nd, TPEA Executive Director Gary Anderson and Government Relations Director Andy Homer testified on the ERS Budget before the Senate Committee on Finance. The current budget proposal is $591 million short of maintaining current health care benefits for employees and retirees as well as $50 million short of maintaining the state’s current contribution to the retirement fund. ERS estimates that employees and retirees would be on the hook for up to $186 per month more for full family coverage if the state maintained the current plan design. Alternatively, ERS has also presented an option to create a high deductible plan of $2400 a year for each covered employee/retiree and dependent, resulting in a total out-of-pocket costs that could reach $11,900 annually.
TPEA believes that these cuts are unaffordable and equate to a significant reduction in state employees and retirees pay. We will continue working with legislators to find funding to maintain your current benefits. Please watch the link below to see Gary and Andy lay out why TPEA opposes the current ERS budget proposal:
On Monday, March 14th, ERS is scheduled to appear before the House Committee on Appropriations, the budget writing committee in the Texas House of Representatives for what is commonly referred to as the “markup”. During the markup, the full committee meets to hear and approve or make changes to the recommendations of the working groups before the bill is sent to the full House of Representatives for a vote. The decisions made on Monday will determine the ERS budget when it reaches the House Floor.
TPEA asks that you call or email members of this committee to ask them to restore current benefits for state employees and retirees. We recommend using the following language in your email or in your phone call:
“I’m a state employee/retired employee and a member of the Texas Public Employees Association. I’m calling to ask Representative _________________ to work with TPEA to find the funding to maintain our health care benefits and increase the state’s contribution to our retirement system.”
The members of the committee have been separated into groups by areas of the state below. To make the number of contacts manageable, you should limit your calls and emails to the area in which you live and work.
Remember to be respectful at all times, offer your name, where you live, and the agency that you work or worked for!
DFW/North Texas:
Jim Pitts (R – Waxahachie) click here to email or call 512-463-0516
Myra Crownover (R – Dallas) click here to email or call 512-463-0582
Angie Chen Button (R – Richardson) click here to email or call 512-463-0486
Helen Giddings (D – Dallas) click here to email or call 512-463-0953
Lance Gooden (R – Terrell) click here to email or call 512-463-0458
Eric Johnson (D – Dallas) click here to email or call 512-463-0586
Diane Patrick (R – Arlington) click here to email or call 512-463-0624
Mark Shelton (R – Fort Worth) click here to email or call 512-463-0608
Houston Area:
Sylvester Turner (D – Houston) click here to email or call 512-463-0554
Craig Eiland (D – Galveston) click here to email or call 512-463-0502
Scott Hochberg (D – Houston) click here to email or call 512-463-0492
John Otto (R – Dayton) click here to email or call 512-463-0570
Debbie Riddle (R – Tomball) click here to email or call 512-463-0572
John Zerwas (R – Simonton) click here to email or call 512-463-0657
South Texas:
Dee Margo (R – El Paso) click here to email or call 512-463-0728
Armando Martinez (D – Welasco) click here to email or call 512-463-0530
Geanie Morrison (R – Victoria) click here to email or call 512-463-0456
Raul Torres (R – Corpus Christi) click here to email or call 512-463-0484
West Texas:
Jimmie Don Aycock (R – Killeen) click here to email or call 512-463-0684
Warren Chisum (R – Pampa) click here to email or call 512-463-0736
Drew Darby (R – San Angelo) click here to email or call 512-463-0331
Susan King (R – Abilene) click here to email or call 512-463-0718
Austin Area:
Dawnna Dukes (D – Austin) click here to email or call 512-463-0506
Charles Schwertner (R – Georgetown) click here to email or call 512-463-0309
San Antonio Area:
Ruth Jones McLendon (D – San Antonio) click here to email or call 512-463-0708
Doug Miller (R – New Braunfels) click here to email or call 512-463-0325
Mike Villarreal (D – San Antonio) click here to email or call 512-463-0532
If you are one of the recipients of our newsletter who is not a TPEA member or if you're unsure whether or not you are a member (click here to verify your membership status), consider joining today! TPEA now offers an online application form for payroll or annuity deduction, as well as payment by credit or debit card. At only $6 per month active and $2.50 per month for retirees, TPEA membership is one of the best investments you can make in the future of your pay and benefits as a state employee.
The Texas Public Employees Association is the oldest and largest state employee group. As a non-partisan, non-union association, TPEA is the leading advocate for ALL state employees and retirees before the Texas Legislature.
For more information on the topics discussed, please see our
March 2011 Legislative Update.