Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/654069
SPRING 2016 | ADVOCATE 5 Member Talk VOICE YOUR VIEWS s a retired public school educator with more than 31 years devoted to serving thousands of Arizona's students and their families, I am concerned that the public has been given some misin- formation about public pensions. Since this is a personal issue for me (and tens of thousands of other working and retired educators), here are some facts about my pension that they need to know. Throughout my working career in pub- lic schools, I paid into my state retirement, the Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS), which was matched with contri- butions from my employer, the school dis- trict. During those years, I accepted lower pay than I could have gotten in the private sector because I loved my profession and was passionate about helping students achieve their full potential. Plus, I also knew that I would have a secure retire- ment that was guaranteed to me through a "defined benefit" pension system. That was promised as my reward for devoting my life to public service. Recent news articles have berated my type of pension program and touted the supposed benefits of a 401K type retire- ment. However, numerous studies have proven that the defined benefit type of pension is far superior to a 401K type pen- sion which is subject to an unstable stock market and provides no guarantees to the retiree. Not only does my pension guar- antee that I can't outlive my benefit, but it also guarantees that I will continue to be part of a group of retirees who provide a positive impact on Arizona's economy. Moreover, at a time when public educa- tion is so underfunded that districts can't provide increases in salaries for devoted teachers, a guaranteed retirement benefit is an important incentive keeping those teachers in the profession. Although my monthly retirement check is a modest amount, I know that I can count on receiving it for the rest of my life, and never be fearful of outliving it, because MY pension system is solidly funded. As a woman, I don't have to fear spending my later years in poverty, or becoming dependent on public assistance. I am confident that I will remain a con- tributing member of the community for the rest of my life, adding to the economy instead of being a burden to tax payers. Linda Somo AEA Retired member A Readers are encouraged to state opinions or make comments in letters that will be considered for publication in this column. The editor reserves the right to edit lengthy letters representing a balance of viewpoints. Generally, letters will not be published without the names of their writers and local associations. Send letters to: "Member Talk" AEA Advocate 345 East Palm Lane Phoenix, AZ 85004 Contact sheenae.shannon@ arizonaea.org WRITE US! The Truth About Pensions Andrew F. Morrill, President Arizona Education Association The last half decade or so has brought AEA its greatest challenges, or so many members say. We have answered the storms on the surface with the strength of an iron core. Governance and staff, members and leaders, we've stood together and stood firm; relied on our ingenuity and our collective intelligence; held our arms out wide and held them up. No individual can do all that alone. But an organization can. I know what I joined all those years ago. It's a partnership. It's a pact. It's a union. It's our professional association. Point of View, continued from p. 4.