Dear Mr. Rush:
I do not write to newspapers regarding editorials or columnists? articles because it is usually a waste of time. However, your article in The Citzen concerning the Michigan House Bill 4799, which amends the State Employees? Retirement Act, really ticked me off.
First, some background on me. I taught junior high and middle school English for 32 years before retiring in 1997. At the time, I thought I was set financially. However, I soon learned that my pension would not stretch enough to cover all my expenses. Luckily, a position for an ESL (English Second Language) teacher opened in my old school district in 1998, and I was able to return to work two days a week. Not only did the money save me, but the boredom that I had experienced during my year of retirement was gone and I felt useful again.
Now, as to why I’m upset.
First, the term ‘double-dipper? is offensive. You make it sound as if I am taking money that I don’t earn. Believe me, the school district gets more than its money’s worth from me. I’m in the building by 6:30 a.m., but I don’t log in on my time sheet until 7:15. That’s a lot of free minutes over the course of a year that I give the district. If I don’t work the two days a week with the ESL students, someone else will. Why should I be denied the right to work? Who better to work in the building and help these students than someone who knows the teaching staff? The district doesn’t pay me health benefits or retirement. My replacement would cost the district these benefits. I work cheap.
Over the ten years of my retirement, the state has changed my ‘guaranteed? health insurance several times. I’ve seen my co-pay and deductible increase several times. My prescription co-pay started at $4 a prescription. Now, who knows what the formula is for figuring out how much I pay. One of my prescriptions costs me $70 and another one costs $90. While checking the Internet yesterday, I noticed that the Legislature has made more changes in our health benefits. I’m afraid to read the detailed list to see what they have taken away now. So, you see, teachers are sharing in the cut-backs as other people are.
Since HB 4799 passed the Senate on Sept. 24, a committee will have to resolve the differences with the House version. But it looks as if I and other retired school employees who work in schools will be out of a job Jan. 1, 2008. This means that five of the seven ESL teachers in Lake Orion and several substitute teachers will be gone. It also means that I have to find a way to make up for the missing two days of salary so I will be able to pay the following bills: prescriptions, medical bills, life insurance, long-term disability insurance.
These are the things that I used my ‘double-dipping? money for.
Sorry this letter is so long, but you really ticked me off. I’m used to reading about teachers being smeared in the papers by people who don’t know what they are talking about. Usually, I can just ignore the articles. Mother always said, ‘Ignore ignorance. It will eventually go away.? I couldn’t ignore it this time.
B. Brown