Teacher Retiree System (TRS) Pension Election - Why You Should Care and Vote for Ben

Friday, April 5, 2024

 

Teacher Pension Election - Why You Should Care

by Norm Scott

There is an upcoming election for one of the three teacher trustees of our pension system (TRS) where working TRS members will have the chance to choose between the two candidates who are running (retirees can't vote). The election will be held in the schools on May 8, 2024.

Why should you care? 

Because the health and longevity of your pension relies on three teacher trustees along with two mayoral appointees, the Panel for Educational Policy (PEP) president, and the NYC Comptroller overseeing all our investments. These seven officials are supposed to ensure that our pension is sound and investments are thriving far into the future.

Over the past decades, all trustees, most without a degree in finance or economics or any relevant private sector investment experience, have acted under the instructions of the UFT/Unity Caucus leadership and fundamentally continue to rubber stamp the decisions made by Wall Street investors who earn significant fees that are not always transparent. They are pressured to vote as a bloc and not to ask questions of the TRS investors. 

Now we have the chance to vote for Brooklyn Tech Advanced Placement math teacher Ben Morgenroth in the TRS election on May 8. He brings with him actual classroom experience with degrees in mathematics and economics, along with private sector financial and investment experience. He will ask informed questions to those tasked with securing our pensions and will act independently of the dictums of Michael Mulgrew — who has been at the helm as our healthcare and pension benefits have diminished. 

Morgenroth’s membership on the Board will ensure we have the professional and knowledgeable oversight we need to protect our pensions.

Note: Candidates need one thousand signatures to get on the ballot and the petitioning will be wrapping up in a week. You can still get signatures at your school by downloading the petition here. Make sure to sign off at the bottom to certify the signature.