Retired Teachers’ Meeting

A group of retired teachers is pressing Texas lawmakers to implement a “substantial” cost-of-living increase in their benefits when the Texas Legislature meets in January. The District 9 Texas Retired Teachers Association Fall Conference met on Oct. 18 to discuss priorities for the 88th Legislative Session, which begins Jan. 10, although lawmakers can start filing bills on Nov. 14.

Nine local teachers attended the conference meeting in Wichita Falls, including Rita Choat, Dale Lovett, Gloria Krueger, Lana McQuery, Darrell Woolley, Gerald Butler, Theresa Henry, Sandra Woolley and Mary Butler. The TRTA cited historically high inflation, and the fact that most retired teachers do not receive Social Security, as reasons for lawmakers to give retired teachers a cost-of-living “raise.” The Texas Comptroller reported that the state has a $27 billion surplus for the coming budget session. “Retired educators deserve to be at the top of the state’s list of priorities when choosing how to spend the additional revenue,” the group said in a position paper. “Inflationary pressure on seniors is at its highest amount in more than 40 years.”