Educators brace for year-end proration

By M.J. Ellington
Montgomery Bureau

Published: Friday, August 27, 2010 at 3:30 a.m.
Last Modified: Thursday, August 26, 2010 at 10:35 p.m.

MONTGOMERY - State school officials are keeping their fingers crossed that the governor won’t have
to cut the current education budget again before the state fiscal year ends Sept. 30.

State tax revenue, which makes up most of the revenue going to schools, is lower than anticipated. Schools could scrape through the remaining weeks of the current budget year without the need to cut again. But that is not certain by anyone’s estimates.

Tax collections are starting to pick up again but remain slow, Deputy Education Superintendent Craig Pouncey told state school board members Thursday.

State Education Superintendent Joe Morton said he has cautioned local superintendents to hold the line on spending just in case.

The state has filed a $148 million claim with BP that could help if the oil giant pays off. Because Ala-
bama has separate budgets — one to fund education and the other for general operations — the state
has an easier way to document revenue losses because of reduced tourism along the Gulf of Mexico in
the aftermath of the oil spill.

Morton said the claim submitted by the Department of Education is based on concrete information that documents lost revenue.

Morton added that since Attorney General Troy King filed a lawsuit against BP, talk with the oil giant
about the claim has stopped.

“We don’t know where it stands, but if there is a payment between now and Sept. 30, it could ease the current budget,” Morton said.

Florence City Schools Superintendent Janet Womack said she has heard rumors about the possibility
of another round of proration before the end of September, but she’s heard nothing concrete.

Proration, by law, could only increase another 1 percent. If it comes at the end of the budget year, how-
ever, the chunk would all come out at one time, possibly forcing some systems to tap reserves.

M.J. Ellington can be reached at mjellington@timesdaily.com

Parker Promotes Lifeline Program

MONTGOMERY – Public Service Commissioner, Susan Parker, is working with
organizations around the state informing citizens about assistance available for low
income Alabamians to receive up to one-half of the regular phone bill free every month. 

The Public Service Commission is observing Lifeline Awareness Week, September
14-18, 2010, to promote the Lifeline and Link Up assistance programs, which offer
discounts on basic local telephone service.

Through the federal Lifeline program, telephone customers who meet income requirements are eligible
for a discount of at least $10 a month on their bill for basic telephone service. Link-Up provides a
50-percent reduction in the telephone installation charge, up to a maximum of $30, for quali-
fying households that do not currently have telephone service.  Citizens who are eligible for Medicaid,
SSI, or LIHEAP are automatically qualified.

To find out if you qualify, contact your local telephone service provider or go to the PSC website:
www.psc.alabama.gov 

 

 

Alabama Education Retirees Association Wins National Award
for Statewide Canned Food Drive

Youth across the state benefit from efforts of inspiring retired educators

Washington, DC – The Alabama Education Retirees Association has been awarded an NRTA With Our Youth! Dedication Award by NRTA: AARP’s Educator Community.  Award recipients were chosen for their service to youth by an independent selection panel.  This award highlights the top contenders that merited distinction for their exceptional work.

The Alabama Education Retirees Association (AERA) developed a statewide canned food drive,
entitled “Yes, We CAN Feed Alabama!”  The items collected were provided to more than 103 sites
across the state with the total collection of items at 17,833 and more than $4,000 donated to food banks.  More than half of the 80 units within the state participated in the drive.  AERA also collected 58 pounds
of food at their Annual Meeting for the Montgomery County Area Food Bank.  Because of its tremendous success, the project will continue for another year.

“It is an honor to recognize the extraordinary work of the Alabama Education Retirees Association with
an NRTA With Our Youth! award. Retired educators keep giving, even after leaving the classroom.  Thanks to the dedication of these volunteers, multiple generations benefit and go on to contribute to society,” stated Megan Hookey, Vice President of NRTA: AARP’s Educator Community.

About the NRTA With Our Youth! Program

NRTA: AARP’s Educator Community is committed to learning, voluntary service and civic participation.  More than a decade ago, the organization formed the With Our Youth! program to provide volunteer opportunities for community service projects with youth.  For the first three years of the program, NRTA made a pledge to serve 1.5 million youth in 2,000 communities with a total of 45 million service hours through its affiliated state retired educators associations (REAs).  The goal was met and exceeded.

About NRTA

Founded in 1947 by retired educator Dr. Ethel Percy Andrus, NRTA: AARP’s Educator Community is a division of AARP.  NRTA members share a commitment to learning, voluntary service, and civic participation. NRTA is the largest national organization that represents the interests of 50+ educators,
with a membership of more than one-million active and retired higher-ed and K-12 educators and school personnel at the local, state and national level.  The

NRTA network includes a national office in Washington, DC, 52 state and city associations, and more
than 2,700 local associations. NRTA members are dedicated to continuous educational opportunity, advocacy, and service as a means of safeguarding the economic security, work opportunities, and
future well-being of all generations. Visit NRTA’s Website at www.aarp.org/nrta for more information.

About AARP

AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that helps people 50+ have independence, choice and control in ways that are beneficial and affordable to them and society as a whole. AARP does not
endorse candidates for public office or make contributions to either political campaigns or candidates.
We produce AARP The Magazine, the definitive voice for 50+ Americans and the world's largest-circulation magazine with over 35.1 million readers; AARP Bulletin, the go-to news source for AARP's millions of members and Americans 50+; AARP Viva su Segunda Juventud, the only bilingual U.S. publication dedicated exclusively to the 50+ Hispanic community; and our website, AARP.org. AARP Foundation is an affiliated charity that provides security, protection, and empowerment to older persons
in need with support from thousands of volunteers, donors, and sponsors. We have staffed offices in all
50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Auburn University

The Marriage and Retirement Study

EXPLANATION OF STUDY 

PURPOSE OF STUDY:  Although we know much about the detrimental effects of marital conflict and divorce on individuals, we know relatively little about the positive benefits of marriage on individual’s
health and well-being as they adjust to retirement. The purpose of this investigation is to determine the effects of the marital relationship, including marital communication, love, and support, on both spouses’ health and well-being during the period following retirement. We hope to accomplish these goals by observing 200 couples during several marital interaction tasks and assessing their cardiac health, as
well as their reports of their general well-being and health behaviors (including exercise and nutrition). Given that most couples at this point in their lives will have been together for many years, we are also interested in understanding how the couple’s relationship develops over the course of time. Relation-
ships grow and develop just as the individuals within them do, and we hope that by interviewing couples about the history of their relationship to tap into these changes. My goal in gathering this information is
to assist future couples with issues surrounding the marital relationship and well-being as they adjust to
the monumental changes in their lives that often accompany retirement.

PROCEDURE: Participating couples will be invited for a visit to the Auburn University Laboratory on Marriage and Retirement. In this visit, designed to last approximately 2-1/2 to 3 hours, couples will be escorted to our laboratory “living room” where they will engage in several videotaped marital communication tasks and have their blood pressure monitored. These include (1) a problem-solving
task where spouses discuss an area of disagreement and try to reach an agreeable solution or compromise; (2) a discussion task where couples talk about a good relationship memory; and (3) a communication task where couples discuss an issue of importance to each spouse.  Both spouses
will also be interviewed about family life and receive a packet of questionnaires to complete at home.
After the questionnaires are mailed back, couples will be compensated $75 for their participation.

STUDY CRITERIA: Couples fitting the following criteria will be eligible for participation in the study:  (1) married couples with both spouses living at home; (2) both husbands and wives agree to participate;
and (3) neither spouse is currently working at a full-time job.

CONFIDENTIALITY:   The privacy of each couple will be guaranteed by placing only identification numbers on all interview, questionnaire, videotaped and audiotaped materials collected during the
course of the study and by examining the data only at a group level. Also, any information gathered is stored in locked cabinets within the university laboratory and will not be seen by any person not affiliated with the research group. Further, all staff and personnel coming in contact with the couple will be special-
ly trained to protect the confidentiality of the couple.

TERMINATION: Any time a couple desires to terminate participation in the study, they need merely convey that sentiment to Dr. Rauer, the Principal Investigator.  They will not be contacted further.  If a
family wishes to terminate after the completion of the visit but before the completion of the question-
naires, they will receive only $45.

RISKS/BENEFITS: Some of the questionnaires will ask couples to report on their marriage and family
life. Couples are free to leave unanswered any question they do not feel comfortable answering. With respect to the benefits of the study, most couples enjoy participating in research of this kind. It gives
them an opportunity to connect with each other and learn about their strengths as a couple. Further, as
part of the visit, spouses will have their blood pressured monitored at intermittent intervals throughout
the visit and will get feedback on their blood pressure levels if they so desire. In addition, all couples will receive $75 for completing the study and a summary report of findings will be sent to each couple upon completion of the study. Finally, the knowledge we acquire from this research will allow us to offer recommendations to mental and physical health professionals that will benefit both the relationships and well-being of older adults as they make the retirement transition.  

PERIOD OF TIME REQUIRED: The estimated amount of time required by each family will be approximately 5-6 hours including the laboratory visit and the time needed to complete questionnaires
at home. The outline below gives an overview of the laboratory visit.

1)           Couple interview (30 mins)

2)           Story of our relationship task (30 mins)

3)           Picture book baseline (5 mins)

4)           Marital problem-solving task (15 mins)

5)           Good memories together task (10 min)

6)           Break

7)           Individual interview (45 mins)

8)           Marital discussion task (20 mins)

Couple Questionnaires

At the first visit, couples will be given a packet of questionnaires (one for wife and one for husband) to
take home and complete. These will be asking you about your marriage, health, and lives. We ask that
you return the questionnaires within a month of coming into the laboratory.  We will provide a stamped envelope so you can mail these back to the research laboratory once you have finished them. We
estimate the questionnaires will take approximately 2 to 4 hours total for each spouse.

Further questions concerning the study or information regarding scheduling of visits can be directed to
Dr. Amy Rauer at Auburn University: (334) 844-3176 or arauer@auburn.edu.

BABY BOOMERS "LEANING INCREASINGLY REPUBLICAN" (CT). Doyle McManus writes in the Chicago Tribune (7/8, 534K), "Voters over the age of 50 are leaning increasingly Republican, according to recent polling -- and that includes members of the giant baby boom generation between 50 and 64." A Pew Research poll "released last week found that most voters over 50 say they favor the Republicans
in November's congressional election. Voters in their 30's and 40's were evenly split; voters younger
than 30 favored the Democrats." This trend "is big problem for Democrats, in two ways," says McManus, who adds that "older voters are a bloc the party doesn't want to lose. ... About two-thirds of November's voters will be 50 or older." Secondly, McManus notes, "The defections may reflect a deeper, longer-term trend: The baby boom generation appears to be growing more conservative as it ages."

Anna Merrill Pritchett / AARP Alabama
Associate State Director / Advocacy Outreach
201 Monroe Street / RSA Tower Suite 1880/ Montgomery, AL 36104
334-954-3065 / 334-462-3011 (cell)  apritchett@aarp.org

 

The challenge, to live up to our better selves, to believe well of our fellow men and perhaps by doing so
to help Create the Good.® to experiment, to explore, to change and to grow.

—Ethel Percy Andrus, AARP Founder  

 

 

I was a teacher for 22 years. I am so happy to have this chance to get published.

~

Thank you for the opportunity to participate in this contest! I've been wanting to get published for years!

Dear fellow State and Local Retired Educator Leaders,

The quotes above are from educators in Kentucky and New York who are participating in a competition
for aspiring authors.  I thought that you and your members would like to know about The National Children’s Book of the Year contest which is sponsored by the National Association of Elementary School Principals Foundation (NAESPF).

The cut-off date for submissions is February 15, 2011 and you can download the entry form by clicking here; then please choose the “download” button in the upper left part of the screen. Or if you prefer, visit NAESPF’s website: http://www.naesp.org/NAESP_Foundation.aspx

NAESPF and NRTA have a strong working relationship.  We are happy to share information that could help local retired educators’ associations respond to the interests of their current and prospective members.  If you would like a free supply of printed entry guidelines and the application to distribute at
local unit and chapter meetings this fall, please email my colleague Gene Ruiz with the quantity needed
at gruiz@aarp.org.

In advance, thanks for letting your members, friends and family know about this opportunity!

With best regards,
Megan
Megan Stevens Hookey
Vice President
NRTA: AARP’s Educator Community

Save Yourself a Trip by Visiting Social Security Online
Social Security Administration

Here are some of the things you can do if you visit Social Security Online at www.socialsecurity.gov.            You may link to Social Security through the RSA Web site as well at www.rsa-al.gov.

Apply for benefits.  You can apply for Social Security retirement, spouse or disability benefits,   and Medicare over the Internet.  If you are applying for disability benefits, you will need to complete the disability report, which is also available online.  Need to take a break or look for some records to answer your questions?  You can leave the application partially completed and return at any time to complete     your application or report.  After you have applied, you can check back online for the status of your application.

See if you qualify for Social Security.  You can use the online Benefit Eligibility Screening      Tool, or BEST, to see which kind of benefits you might be eligible to apply for.  Just answer a series of questions and find out whether you are eligible for retirement, disability or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits.  You can even find out whether you might be eligible for Medicare benefits.  All of this can      be done by completing one simple questionnaire, and it only takes about 5–10 minutes.

 Estimate your retirement benefits. The Retirement Estimator produces estimates that are          based on your actual Social Security earnings record. Retirement estimates are just that, estimates.             They will vary slightly from the actual benefit you may receive in the future because:

• Your Social Security earnings record is constantly being updated;

• Our calculators use different parameters and assumptions (e.g., different stop work ages, future earnings projections, etc.); and

• Your actual future benefit will be adjusted for inflation.

Request a Statement.  Every year Social Security sends a Social Security Statement to all      workers age 25 or older.  It arrives about three months before your birthday.  Your Statement includes a detailed report of your earnings over the years as well as an estimate of benefits you would receive      upon retirement or disability.  It also includes an estimate of how much your family would be eligible for      in survivor benefits if you die.  If you cannot wait for your regularly scheduled Statement, go online!  Request a Statement online and Social Security will mail it to you within 2-4 weeks. 

 Find the Social Security office closest to you.  There is so much you can do online, but   sometimes you may want to talk with a Social Security representative face-to-face.  If that is the case,          your first step is to visit the online field office locator.  Just type in your ZIP code and find the Social          Security office closest to you.

 Get a password.  If you already get Social Security benefits, there is so much more you can do    online if you have a password.  With a password, you can check the information and benefit amounts in your Social Security records and change your address, telephone number or direct deposit account information without leaving the comfort of your home.

 This is just a sample of the many services now available online from Social Security.  So whatever  your business with Social Security may be, check out their Web site and visit “What You Can Do Online”   at www.socialsecurity.gov.

Former Educator Named AARP President

ARP welcomed Lee Hammond, a former Maryland Retired Teachers Association State President, as its new president.  He will serve as AARP’s lead volunteer until 2012. 

As AARP president, Hammond will articulate the positions and views of AARP; provide leadership; and foster creativity and enthusiasm in AARP’s volunteers, members, and staff. Additionally, he will
represent AARP and AARP/NRTA members at key national and international meetings and events.

 

Hammond, of Salisbury, Md., was elected to the Board of Directors in 2002. He has chaired the Nominating Committee, the Audit and Finance Committee, the Membership Committee and the
National Policy Council. Hammond began his 30-year career in education in Wicomico County, Md.,
as a classroom teacher. He then served as a school administrator for 25 years, developing
administrative and managerial skills while working with diverse student and professional populations.

 

Before joining the AARP board, Hammond served as AARP Maryland State President and as president of the Maryland Retired Teachers Association. He is a member of the Maryland Interagency Committee on Aging Services and vice chair of the board of Directors of MAC, Inc., a non-profit Area Agency on Aging serving four Maryland counties. He is an ordained Elder at Wicomico Presbyterian Church and
previously served on the U.S. Attorney’s Health Care Fraud Task Force and on the boards of the
Maryland Rural Health Association, the Maryland Commission on Aging and the Holly Foundation, a
non-profit organization serving the needs of developmentally-challenged persons.

 

The all-volunteer, 22-member board of directors is the governing body of AARP and approves all
policies, programs, activities and services for AARP’s millions of members. Some of the major responsibilities of AARP board members are to approve the budget and monitor the finances of the Association; determine the Association’s state and national legislative policy agenda; and set policy
that guides the Association’s strategic plans and activities.
 

 

To: ALRRS Clients

From: Thelma Braswell

RE: 2010 Elections and Candidates
 

The 2010 Elections are scheduled as follows:

Primary Elections
Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Primary Run-off Elections
Tuesday, July 13, 2010

 General Election
                                          Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Candidates

The list of state candidates listed here are those certified by the Democratic and Republican Parties to
the Secretary of State and certified by the Secretary of State to the Probate Judges.

Dr. David Bronner Interviewed on CNN

Dr. David Bronner, CEO of the Retirement Systems of Alabama, was recently interviewed with CNN for their ‘Building Up America’ series. For a clip of that interview, please click on the link below.

CNN Special - Building Up America

WANTED
Your Memorable Moments In the Classroom

Justin Baer is working on a project for the NEA Research Department preparing a book about the past, present, and future of the teaching profession in America.  One of the main features of the book are
short (1,000 word) vignettes submitted from active and retired public school teachers describing memorable moments and experiences in the classroom.  The vignettes will be interspersed throughout
the book, which will also contain commentaries from approximately 25 policymakers, scholars, and leaders, including Arne Duncan and Dennis Van Roekel.

He would like vignettes from retired teachers.  Retired teachers who write vignettes that are selected for publication will receive a copy of the book, which is scheduled to be released by Harvard Education
Press in spring 2011.

If you have any questions, please contact Justin by clicking on the follow link:

http://www.nea.org/home/38073.htm  

Teachers Retirement System Responds
Most Frequently Asked Questions from Retired Members

click here for article from the Retirement Systems of Alabama

Are You Planning to Retire?

The Retirement Systems of Alabama has published a helpful guide for anyone planning
to retire within the next year.  Click here for the article.

Alabama tax collections back down for state education, general funds

Members, Don’t believe everything you hear on TV. You may recall in January Governor Riley stated in
his State of the State address that “there is no financial crisis in Alabama.” Well figures don’t lie. (See
story listed below)

This is just one more reason why AERA members must be ready to lobby when legislators begin work
on the Governor’s budget.

Janice J. Charlesworth

Alabama Education Retirees Association
Executive Secretary

Alabama tax collections back down for state education, general funds

By David White -- The Birmingham News
February 02, 2010, 5:30AM

Taxes collected by the state Education Trust Fund continue to jump around from month to month, with
tax collections in January dropping 17.5 percent, or $80.7 million, compared to January 2009, the state finance department reported Monday.

That followed a gain of 13.5 percent in December compared to December 2008 and a drop of 6.7
percent in November compared to November 2008.

Overall, taxes collected by the trust fund, the main source of state tax dollars for public schools, colleges and universities, totaled $1.364 billion in November through January, down $58.7 million, or 4.1 percent, compared to the same period a year before.

Net personal and corporate income taxes in those three months totaled $807 million, a drop of $41.1 million, or 4.9 percent, compared to the same period a year before.

Net sales tax collections for the trust fund in those three months totaled $367.5 million, a drop of $4.9 million, or 1.3 percent, compared to the same period a year before.

The state's 2010 fiscal year began in October. But acting state Finance Director Bill Newton has
cautioned about using tax collection data for the first month, saying comparisons for October were artificially rosy because reported tax collections for October 2008 were artificially low.

A decline in trust fund tax collections of 4.1 percent for November through January isn't great news, but
it's a lot better than the result for the 2009 fiscal year, said state Rep. Richard Lindsey, D-Centre. Trust fund tax collections last year fell 11.8 percent, or $702 million, compared to the year before.

"The fact that we're falling at a much slower pace than we were at the end of last year, I guess that's
good news. Not great, but good news," said Lindsey, who chairs the Education Appropriations
Committee of the state House of Representatives.

Gov. Bob Riley in September cut budgeted trust fund spending for this fiscal year by 7.5 percent, a reduction of about $431 million, as falling tax collections made the amount appropriated by lawmakers look unrealistic. Trust fund spending for this year now is forecast to reach $5.32 billion. Bill Newton, the acting state finance director, said he didn't expect any change in that spending level based on tax collections so far this fiscal year.

Paul Hubbert, executive secretary of the Alabama Education Association teachers' lobby, said he
doubted there would be robust growth in the trust fund until more people are working. The unemployment rate in Alabama in December was 11 percent.

"We're still in an unsettled economy. We're not yet out of the woods. It's not too encouraging, frankly," Hubbert said.
 
General Fund

The Finance Department on Monday also reported that revenues for the General Fund, a major source
of money for Medicaid, prisons and other state functions outside education, totaled $133.1 million in January, a decline of $24.7 million, or 15.6 percent, compared to January 2009.

For October through January, the General Fund collected $444.7 million, a drop of $101.7 million, or
18.6 percent, compared to the same period a year earlier.

A big reason for the drop is that the Legislature last year transferred to the General Fund money that
had been reserved to pay potential refunds to companies disputing past payments of business privilege taxes.

That one-time money could account for about $45 million of the drop in General Fund revenues for
October through January compared to the same periods a year earlier.

The General Fund this year is budgeted to spend about $1.6 billion.

Join in the conversation by e-mailing White at dwhite@bhamnews.com.