Here is the sample letter that is sent to other educators that are looking to learn more and encourage fellow educators to get involved.
Fellow Educators,
As most of you know, unless you were hired before July 1, 1989, You cannot retire with Full-Benefits until you reach the AGE OF 66 in Minnesota. You can retire at 62 if you have 30 years of service, BUT you will have a penalty of over 14.5% that will affect your pension for the rest of your life. There will be a push this year to lower that retirement age!! What can YOU do? I would suggest following the steps below and watching the attached video…
1. Join the educator Facebook Group (over 6 thousand members and growing) dedicated to Pension Reform for Minnesota Tier II Educators (hired after July 1, 1989) https://www.facebook.com/groups/710515807000456
2. Email the LCPR Members (Legislative Commission on Pensions & Retirement) & let them know that YOU want them to support lowering the 3rd worst Teacher Retirement Age in the Nation. MN. They hold the key to making this happen.
REPRESENTATIVE KAOHLY HER
SENATOR JASON RARICK
SENATOR JEFF R. HOWE
SENATOR NICK A. FRENTZ
SENATOR JOHN R. JASINSKI
SENATOR SANDRA L. PAPPAS
3. Email Your MN TRA Board and ask them to recommend lowering the retirement age and supporting Tier II educators as they have supported Tier I educators. Make MN TRA competitive so we can attract new folks to the profession. If you would like to generate an email to them, you can click –> HERE <– to email the whole MN TRA Board. It will place all the email addresses into a new email for you. Easy and simple. Please, please, please take the time to make your voice heard! This is the most powerful thing you can do right now to be involved!!!!!
WDruggeWuensch@minnesotatra.org
laurena.schlottach-ratcliff@state.mn.us
4. Watch the video ( They now allow you to buy service, it was the one thing we successfully changed in the last session, and we are no longer asking for the rule of 90 but simply asking for a reduction in the retirement age that makes us competitive.)
5. Share with your Staff and other educators. Minnesota does NOT offer a competitive Pension to Tier II educators, which needs to change. What we have now is a glorified TAX on teachers. We are contributing 7.75% of the 9.5% (value of plan) and are NOT allowed to fully access it until 66 years of age.
6. Contact your Professional Organization … make sure it is at the top of their agenda for the 2023 Legislative Session. (MASSP & MESPA) bob@massp.org; jhm@mespa.net; EDMN president.denise.specht@edmn.org; monica.byron@edmn.org;
7. Email Governor Tim Walz https://mn.gov/governor/contact/
** If YOU stay silent, you will not receive your Full Retirement until 66 years of age!!