Public Educator Pensions Build Strong Missouri Communities

February 6, 2020

Dear Supporters of Public Education:

For the past several years MRTA has been very successful in defending the PSRS/PEERS system in the legislature. 

The threats to your pension are real.  The Show-Me Institute spends millions of dollars misleading the public and legislators each year.  If the Show-Me Institute has their way teachers would be put into a 401(k) system which would be extremely detrimental to our pension benefits, public education, our children, Missouri’s economy, and our communities.  It has become clear that in the current political climate that MRTA needed to get ahead of any detrimental legislation, we needed to start “playing offense.” 

I reached out to Richard Phillips, MASA Emeritus member and an MRTA member, and asked him to create a document to explain why PSRS/PEERS matters to Missourians.  The attached document is what came from that discussion.  We must impress upon our elected officials and the general public the importance of educator pensions to children, to public education, and to our communities. We do not have millions of dollars to fight billionaires, but we do have great organization among our members!  THERE IS STRENGTH IN NUMBERS!

MRTA must be the lead dog in this fight!  There are many education associations in Missouri, we encourage membership in all of them.  However, when it comes down to it in a legislative battle MRTA is the only association where education retirees are the #1 priority.  The active educator associations’ priorities MUST be for active educators, it is a plain and simple fact. 

I want to especially thank MASA Members Emeritus and MRTA Members: Richard Phillips, Bill Elder, Terrence Stewart and the committee for their help in creating this document. 

Sincerely,

Jim Kreider
MRTA Executive Director
mrtadirectorkreider@mrta.org
1-877-366-6782

P.S. Please ask someone to join us in this fight today!  Membership in MRTA increases our STRENGTH IN NUMBERS! 

The world is run by those who show up!  Show up for MRTA!

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