Last Tuesday, Oct. 1, the West Grayson Retired School Personnel Association (WGRSPA) hosted a meeting featuring local candidates running for office in the Nov. 5 election.
At the meeting, which was held at La Hacienda Restaurant in Whitesboro, WGRSPA President Sue Barker welcomed 37 members and 17 guests. Carol Golden presented a trumpet solo of “Servant’s Song.” Then, the following candidates (or their representative) spoke on their platforms and took questions from attendees: Larry Little, representing his wife, Pam Little (R), candidate for State Board of Education District 12; Dale Frey (D), candidate for State Senate District 30; and Sharon Hirsch, campaign manager for George King (D), State Board of Education District 12. Both candidates for State Representative District 32, Shelly Luther (R) and Tiffany Drake (D), also presented their ideas on numerous issues.
In regular business, WGRSPA members received an update of 130 members as of Oct. 1. Regarding the organization’s upcoming Pumpkin Painting Project, Mary Nan Story reported that 230 pumpkins had already been ordered with the first group being picked up from Brookshire Brothers Grocery on Oct. 3 and a second pick-up scheduled for Oct. 10. Painting will begin on Monday, Oct. 7 at the home of TR and Mark Fletcher, 20349 US Hwy. 377. The pumpkin project supports WGRSPA’s scholarship program, its book projects with Collinsville, S&S, Whitesboro and Tioga elementary schools and libraries, and the Texas Retired Teachers Foundation, which provides scholarships, grants and emergency aid to Teacher Retirement System (TRS) recipients.
All area retired school personnel are encouraged to join WGRSPA as well as any persons interested in public education and its advocacy. Through its membership and advocacy throughout the state, the Texas Retired Teachers Association (TRTA) was able to get Proposition 9 passed this past legislative session.
This proposition, which was passed as part of state financial bill SB10, gave TRS retirees their first cost of living adjustment (COLA) in 20 years. TRTA’s priorities include maintaining the defined benefit retirement plan by fully funding statutory contribution rates and using excess state revenues to help reduce the unfunded liability, provide a benefit enhancement to help offset the negative impact of inflation, maintain and protect TRS care by fully funding the current statutory contribution rates, and repeal or reform Social Security Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO), federal laws which greatly reduce or deny social security benefits to public service employees.
WGRSPA meets the first Tuesday of the month at La Hacienda Restaurant. Lunch begins at 11:30 a.m. followed by the meeting.
Source: Freepik.com