In cooperation with OEA, KEA and WVEA Retired, NEA Member Benefits invites you to join us for a Lunch & Learn workshop series on August 3, 4, and/or 5^th starting at 11:30 a.m.  EASTERN TIME.  No pre-registration required; simply click on the zoom link below.  The single zoom link will work all three days.

Aug. 3 –  What I Want My Loved Ones to Know: A practical look at life and family preparedness:  This presentation is about matters important to you and your loved ones in the event of an accident, illness, or death.  Discussion includes the importance of having a will; a durable power of attorney for health care; the kinds of medical treatment you may or may not want; life, disability, and long-term care insurance; making sure your loved ones know where to find your important papers; and much more.

Aug. 4 – I Need to Get Away!  This presentation will focus on the newly reorganized NEA Travel Program where members can quickly find the best deals on cruises, hotels and resorts, guided tours, airfare and car rentals all in one place.  As tourism begins to recover, there are some really great deals out there… and you may have $500 or more in Travel Dollars in your name waiting to be spent!

Aug. 5 – Why Pay More?   This presentation will highlight the NEW NEA Discount Marketplace, NEA Easy Pay (Buy now, pay later) Program, the NEA Auto Buying Program, and more.  NEA Member Benefits offers discounts at literally thousands of stores.  Why pay more that you need to?

Download the Retired Summer Flyer

The NEOEA-Retired Organizing Committee promotes the welfare of retired members of the North Eastern Ohio Education Association (NEOEA) by identifying particular concerns of retired members as topics for training workshops and social opportunities, by serving as a link between northeastern Ohio retired members and those in other districts, and by fostering communication within OEA-Retired. Also see the the OEA-R page on the OEA Website and the NEA-R page on the NEA website. Join our NEOEA Facebook group.

Our goal is to provide you a resource to locate people and resources to assist you and keep you informed.  Please consider volunteering to serve on one of our Sub-Committees.  NEOEA-OEA-Retired members may use the Contact Us page to update their contact information or request Spring Conference information.  We need your input to help the website evolve to better assist you.   Submit your comments, questions, or contact updates on our Contact Us page.

OEA Report:   Retired POP5 – Protect Our Pensions

Many members have again received a solicitation from an organization called Protect Our Pensions, also known as POP5.  OEA and OEA Retired want you to know that while there does not appear to be any inherent conflict between the stated goals of POP5 and OEA, it is important to note that there is nothing that POP5 is seeking to accomplish that OEA and our allies are not already working on.

Download the POP5 – OEA Report: http://neoea-r.ohea.us/files/2017/09/POP5-OEA-Report.pdf.

Longtime OEA and NEOEA delegate Bill Lavezzi has written two blog posts about the May 9 OEA Representative Assembly.  In one (https://lavezzi.us/education/oeas-ra-a-contrarian-considers/) he provides his assessment of the virtual RA process, and in the other (https://lavezzi.us/education/oeas-ra-questions-about-proposal-1/) he analyzes Bylaws Proposal 1, which he says is definitely unexplained and probably unwise: “Supporters of Proposal 1 had a responsibility to make their case, and they didn’t.”

Note:  The opinions expressed by Mr. Lavezzi are his own and do not reflect any official position of NEOEA or NEOEA-Retired.

Names of persons who are interested in serving in the positions of OEA-R Representative and Alternate to the OEA-FCPE State Council are now being accepted.

Language in the OEA FCPE Constitution and Bylaws states: One (1) voting member and one (1) alternate member of the State Council shall be elected from OEA-R by members serving on the OEA-R Advisory Council.  This is a two (2) year term beginning January 1, 2017 and ending December 31, 2018.  This election will take place at the December 1-2, 2016 meeting of the OEA-R Advisory Council.

In addition to serving on the OEA FCPE State Council, the elected Representative and Alternate are responsible for the following per the OEA-R Guidelines:

4. Duties of the OEA-R representative and alternate to the OEA FCPE are:

1. The FCPE Representative will attend all Advisory Council meetings and OEA-R Delegate Assemblies.
2. Co-Chair the Legislative/OEA FCPE Committee of the Advisory Council.
3. Report in timely fashion to the OEA FCPE State Council the concerns and needs of the
   OEA-R Advisory Council.
4. Inform the Advisory Council of candidate information, political actions, and elected officeholder opinions and actions.
5. Stimulate and monitor the OEA FCPE contributions of OEA-R membership.
6. The term of office for the OEA-R representative to the OEA FCPE State Council shall begin on January 1 following the election in odd years (15, 17, 19, 21…) and shall expire on December 31 two (2) years hence.
7. In the case of a vacancy during the term of office, the alternate shall fill the unexpired term. Members of the OEA-R Advisory Council in consultation shall elect a new alternate.
8. In the case of a vacancy where no alternate exists, the chair of the FCPE State Council shall appoint a new member until the OEA-R Advisory Council elects a new member to serve on the state council.

5. The FCPE Representative is a non-voting member of the Advisory Council and has no delegate status to the OEA Representative Assembly unless elected as a delegate.

The Advisory Council meets at least four (4) times a year, usually September, December, March, and May.  The OEA-R Delegate Assemblies are in December and May in conjunction with the OEA-R Advisory Council meetings held then. The Alternate has no required activity except at such time when the Representative may not be available.  To be eligible for either position, candidates must meet the requirements of both the Advisory Council and the OEA FCPE which include a minimum annual FCPE contribution of $100 which must have been made by the time the letter of interest is considered for election. The Representative shall represent the interests of the OEA-R to engage in political action to effect the implementation of the OEA policies for the improvement of education in the state of Ohio.

Please submit a letter of interest to Carol Kinsey, OEA-R Board of Directors Representative, cskinsey@aol.com  indicating if you wish to be considered for the Representative or the Alternate position.  Please state your qualifications and reasons for wanting to serve in the position you are seeking.  Those persons currently holding these positions must send a letter if they wish to be considered for continued service.  If you wish to nominate a person other than yourself, you may do so but that person needs to email both persons listed above as agreeing to their nomination.

We have established a group Facebook page.  If you are a Facebook member, just search NEOEA RETIRED and request to join.  Here is the link:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/468980329974499/ 

We have lots of pictures from events in which we participated, as well as special notes, reminders, upcoming events.  We are up to 42 members.  Let’s see if we can get to 50!

Thank you to Nancy Wonson, NEOEA Retired Organizing Committee Chairperson, who set up and manages the page.

Have you heard of the EMILY principle?  The letters stand for “Early Money Is Like Yeast.”  If you favor a candidate for an Ohio public office, you can support that candidate’s campaign, and it won’t cost you a cent.

If you make your donation now instead of waiting for the fall, your donation can have a much greater impact.

Ohio Revised Code 5747.29 permits a taxpayer to claim a credit for contributions made to campaign committees for state office or for a seat on the Ohio General Assembly.  Individuals can claim a credit of up to $50; couples filing a joint return can claim a credit of $100.  The Ohio tax return contains a place to claim the credit; which is available whether or not you itemize deductions.

We’d still encourage members to donate to the OEA Fund for Children and Public Education, but making this extra donation is a no-brainer since Ohio reimburses you for your donation.

This credit doesn’t apply to donations to candidates for federal offices like President and House of Representatives, and it doesn’t apply to local and countywide elections. But it does apply to many Ohio elective office in which OEA has made endorsements, like State Representative, State Senator, Treasurer, Supreme Court, and Ohio Board of Education.

So the deal is simple: you can support the candidate of your choice and the state will give you your money back when you file your 2012 Ohio income taxes.  It’s like having your own personal PAC!

By Bill Lavezzi, NEOEA Executive Director

NEOEA-Retired Members may visit our OEA Campaign 2012 page for links to candidate campaigns.

ByBill Lavezzi, NEOEA Executive Director

Most of us believe strongly in the importance of each vote; and as educators, many of us work hard to impress on our students the importance of participating in our democracy by registering and voting. We need to practice what we preach by making sure that we’re registered to vote.

Voting officials have made a point this year of “purging” inactive voters from the voting rolls. If you have moved or changed your name, or if it’s been a while since you voted, there’s an excellent chance that you need to register in order to vote in this fall’s election. If you know anyone who turns 18 before November 6, he or she can register now and be eligible to vote on Election Day. Mail registration requires that you provide your driver’s license or the last four digits of your Social Security Number.

Registrations are open until 30 days before Election Day: this year, mailed registrations must be postmarked by Sunday, October 7.

You can download the Ohio Voter Information Guide at sos.state.oh.us/SOS/upload/publications/election/vig_2012.pdf, and you can get a voter registration form at sos.state.oh.us/sos/elections/Voters/register.aspx.

Elections Boards in Northeastern Ohio

• Ashtabula: 440/576-6915, www.electionsonthe.net/oh/Ashtabula/
• Cuyahoga: 216/443-3200, http://boe.cuyahogacounty.us
• Erie: 419/627-7601, www.electionsonthe.net/oh/erie/
• Geauga: 440/285-2222, ext. 2030, http://www.co.geauga.oh.us/Departments/BOE/Main.aspx
• Lake: 440/350-2700 or 440/918-2700, www.lakeelections.com/
• Lorain: 440/326-5900 or 5901, www.loraincountyelections.com
• Mahoning: 330/783-2474, http://www.mahoningcountyoh.gov/DepartmentsAgencies/Departments/BoardofElections/tabid/740/Default.aspx
• Medina: 330/722-9278, http://www.boe.co.medina.oh.us/
• Portage: 330/297-3511, www.co.portage.oh.us/election/index.html
• Summit: 330/643-5200, www.summitcountyboe.com/
• Trumbull: 330/369-4050, www.electionohio.com/trumbull/