ERS Board of Trustees Election Deadline - June 14th

If you haven’t done so already, please vote today for Brian Barth for the open seat on the ERS Board of Trustees. The election ends on June 14, so make sure to cast your ballot. TPEA has endorsed Brian, a 30-year employee of the Texas Department of Transportation. It is critical that we elect this outstanding public servant to this important position, especially in light of the challenges we face to build in the actuarial soundness of the Retirement Trust. If you have any questions about Brian or the election, please contact the TPEA office!

One Dallas Adviser Suspended, A Second Ordered to Repay Commissions

Texas Securities Commissioner Travis J. Iles on June 6 sanctioned two Dallas-area investment adviser representatives for selling unsuitable investments to clients. Read more.

Statement by Gary Anderson, Executive Director.

In the wake of the 86th Legislative Session, state employees have every right to be angry and frustrated with the Legislature’s continuing neglect of its own workforce. Out of a $250 billion budget (a 16% increase over the current biennium), lawmakers found over $11 billion, including tapping funds from the Rainy Day Fund, to provide the employees of the state’s independent school districts and state judges substantial salary increases. However, their failure to identify adequate resources to grant a modest and long overdue salary increase for their own state agency employees is both stunning and deplorable. Some legislative leaders have attempted to rationalize their actions, citing consideration was given to some agency personnel on a “targeted basis,” and these raises are welcome. However, to use that rationale as a defense of such disproportionate funding would be laughable if the disparity was not so gross in every sense of the word.

Brian Barth Elected to ERS Board of Trustees

The results are in! Brian Barth, Director of Project Planning and Development for the Texas Department of Transportation, has been elected to a six-year term on the ERS Board of Trustees. TPEA’s Board of Directors unanimously endorsed Brian for election at the commencement of the campaign earlier in the year. His term will commence on September 1, 2019 and run through August 31, 2025.
 
Brian was elected with 50.5% of the vote to Cora Bennett’s 49.5%. He received 17,019 votes out of 33,723 votes cast. The total number of votes represents 9.51% of ERS’s 355,690 eligible voters. While Ms. Bennett polled about 900 more paper ballot votes, Brian comfortably won the web ballot count by more than 1,200 votes, giving him a final margin of 315 votes. Brian also won a majority of both the annuitant and contributor votes, while Ms. Bennett took a majority of the non-contributor ballots. Brian polled particularly strongly in TXDOT and ERS, offsetting Ms. Bennett’s advantage in smaller agencies, HHSC, and DFPS.
 
TPEA members contributed heavily to Brian’s margin in web ballots, which proved decisive in the race. ERS Board elections typically draw about a 10% turnout, and this election was no exception. We deeply appreciate our members turning out for Brian - your vote made the whole difference!

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TPEA’s 1 for $10 New Member Recruitment Program

EVERY new member recruited gets you a $10 gift card for:
Amazon, Walmart, Target, Starbucks, Academy, Whataburger, or TJ Maxx/Marshall’s/HomeGoods

Each new member you recruit will have the chance to win a $10 gift card in our monthly New Member Drawings! AND each new member puts you in the entry for a monthly drawing for a $100 Amazon.com gift card!
No prize limit, prizes awarded the first of every month

To receive credit for the members you recruit, ask each new member to write your name on their paper membership application or to list you in the “Sponsor” field on the online membership application. Download printable applications at www.tpea.org/1for10, or direct potential members to the TPEA website. Questions? Call (888) FOR-TPEA (367-8732) or email membership@tpea.org

2019 Election of Directors for the State Board

The board currently consists of 14 Directors who serve at-large. 
The following director positions have terms ending on 8-31-19:

Julia Johnson - Retiree - Austin - Not eligible for a 2^nd term
Rusty Smith - TxDOT - Lubbock - Not eligible for a 2^nd term
Shirley Reynolds - Retiree - Lufkin - Eligible for a 2^nd term           

Important 2019 Election Dates

04-29-2019	Nominating Committee must submit its nominations to the board.
06-29-2019	Active Members of the Association shall elect Directors at the Annual Meeting.

Read more about the announcement here.

Congratulations to our 2019 scholarship winner, Wesley Crockett

This year’s recipient of the Liberty Mutual Insurance/TPEA Scholarship is Wesley Crockett from Rusk, Texas. Wesley’s application was sponsored by Charlene Crockett. Charlene is an employee at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Read more about Wesley .