top of page
All Posts
Ohio Governor Decides to Cancel Teacher Pension Fund Elections
What happens when the people elect trustees who want to protect their pensions? Why, you simply cancel their elections. That is exactly...
STRS Ohio Watchdogs
Jul 20, 20251 min read
Call to Action: Your pension belongs to you, not to a handful of clandestine politicians
Help us fight for you by donating to ORTA's Pension Defense Fund. As luck would have it, ORTA was in the process of changing the format...
STRS Ohio Watchdogs
Jul 17, 20255 min read
IT IS SO ORDERED: Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost v. Wade Steen and Rudy Fichtenbaum
ORTA needs your help to replenish the Pension Defense Fund to fight the legal attacks on our Board Members. The trial, Ohio Attorney...
STRS Ohio Watchdogs
Jul 15, 20251 min read
In Ohio STRS power shift, teacher-elected trustees lose majority
The change is unprecedented and extraordinary, says one industry veteran. Meanwhile a pension fund expert says the board composition...
STRS Ohio Watchdogs
Jul 8, 20258 min read
Blade Editorial: DIY STRS reform
The “midnight rider” inserting controversial provisions into the Ohio budget in the wee hours before the vote wasn’t an outlaw like the...
STRS Ohio Watchdogs
Jul 5, 20252 min read
David Pepper's full WHITEBOARD explaining the outrageous years-long attack on STRS Ohio Board elections
STRS Ohio Board member Rudy Fichtenbaum, and former Board member Wade Steen, are incurring legal fees, defending themselves against the...
STRS Ohio Watchdogs
Jul 3, 20251 min read
Exclusive: Dr. Amy Acton on the Ohio Budget, Public Ed and the Teachers’ Pension Coup
" They may have unleased a much bigger force than they even understand." - David Pepper Both the federal and state (Ohio) budgets are a...
STRS Ohio Watchdogs
Jul 2, 20251 min read
Despite campaign from teachers, DeWine leaves pension changes in budget
Colleen Marshall reports on the overhaul of STRS Ohio Board. Despite a weekend-long email and telephone campaign from Ohio teachers and...
STRS Ohio Watchdogs
Jul 1, 20251 min read
WHITEBOARD: The politicians’ pension coup in Ohio
Disenfranchising 500,000 teachers and retirees through an overnight coup Yes, there are a lot of horrible things happening in politics at...
David Pepper
Jul 1, 20252 min read
When everyday people finally start to get some power...they work to strip away those gains by simply changing the rules...In this case, eliminating the elections.
David Pepper talks about the hostile takeover of the STRS Ohio Retirement Board and Rep. Adam Bird's amendement to H.B. 96 to remove...
STRS Ohio Watchdogs
Jun 30, 20251 min read
Who wrote Section 733.90 of H.B. 96 to change the makeup of the STRS Ohio Board?
The office of the contributing member of the Board...is abolished... The office of the retired member of the Board...is abolished......
STRS Ohio Watchdogs
Jun 28, 20251 min read
Stop the Midnight Massacre of our pension system!
Contact Governor DeWine today! The Ohio Budget Bill (H.B. No. 96) is currently on the Governor's desk waiting for his signature. Feel...
STRS Ohio Watchdogs
Jun 27, 20252 min read
Rep. Brennan Criticizes STRS Board Overhaul as Undemocratic, Unvetted
This is not reform—it’s a power grab,” said Rep. Brennan. COLUMBUS – State Rep. Sean Patrick Brennan (D-Parma), a retired public school...
STRS Ohio Watchdogs
Jun 26, 20252 min read
Ohio lawmakers make last-minute teachers pension change to state budget
I would call it a sleazy political stunt in in the dead of night,” Ohio Retirement for Teachers Association Executive Director Robin...
STRS Ohio Watchdogs
Jun 26, 20252 min read
Ohio lawmakers set to remove majority of educators from retired teachers’ pension fund board
Contact your legislators today! The budget deadline is at the end of June. Ohio active and retired educators will have less of a voice on...
STRS Ohio Watchdogs
Jun 25, 20251 min read
Toledo Blade Editorial: Reform effort over
The reformers elected to the State Teachers Retirement System of Ohio board have thrown in the towel on making the fundamental changes...
STRS Ohio Watchdogs
Jun 19, 20252 min read
Ohio STRS’ 1.5% COLA ‘Doesn’t Go Far Enough,’ Says Retirement Group
State law requires a 2% COLA unless it would impair the fiscal integrity of the retirement system. The State Teachers Retirement System...
STRS Ohio Watchdogs
Jun 16, 20252 min read
It may be time for the majority on this board to simply use their majority to force the changes desired.
Robin Rayfield addressed the STRS Ohio Retirement Board during Public Participation on June 12, 2025. Good morning, My name is Dr. Robin...
Robin Rayfield
Jun 14, 20252 min read
Ohio retired teachers’ pension fund hires new executive director
The Ohio retired teachers' pension fund has hired a former pensions expert from North Carolina as its new executive director. Steven...
STRS Ohio Watchdogs
Jun 13, 20253 min read
$96B Pension Crisis Looming Over Ohio Teacher Retirement System Has National Implications, Reform Advocates Say
Reform advocates warn that debt spirals like that currently gripping the Illinois pension system will happen in Ohio and other states if...
STRS Ohio Watchdogs
Jun 12, 20255 min read
bottom of page