Corpus Christi teachers to benefit from Prop 9 teacher pension raise

In the nearly two decades since she retired, former educator Gloria Castro Montalvo's pension has remained flat and unchanged — but she's seen her husband's Social Security benefits increase to keep pace with inflation.

The difference is that as a retired public school employee, Montalvo is a member of the Teacher Retirement System of Texas, which has no automatic system for providing cost-of-living adjustments as the prices of consumer goods increase.

"Teachers are hurting," Montalvo said. "...they haven't gotten a raise since 2004, about the time that I retired. Everything has gone up in cost."

Luckily for Montalvo and the nearly 476,000 former teachers and school employees who rely on the TRS, Texas voters approved Proposition 9 on Tuesday, allowing the state to spend $3.3 billion on cost-of-living adjustments for TRS retirees.

In Nueces County, nearly 77% of votes on Proposition 9 were in favor of the measure. Statewide, support was more robust, 84% of votes cast in support.

Public school employees pay into the Teacher Retirement System of Texas, collecting monthly payments after they retire.

Before the election, the average monthly payment was $2,174.

Now individuals who retired before Aug. 31, 2001 will receive a 6% increase. Those who retired between Aug. 31, 2001 and Aug. 31, 2013 will receive a 4% increase. Those who retired between Aug. 31, 2013 and Aug. 31 2020 will receive a 2% increase.

Retirees age 70 and older as of Aug. 31 will also receive a one-time supplemental check.

"I think the majority of voters in Texas know how important public education is to all of our areas of life," Montalvo said. "...we produce so many good workers and so many intelligent people in so many fields."

Montalvo spent 10 years as a teacher and 29 years as an elementary and middle school counselor until 2003. After she left K-12 education, Montalvo worked as an adjunct counselor at Del Mar College for another dozen years before fully leaving the workforce.

The election results made her very happy, Montalvo said, for herself and for all the colleagues she's worked with in education.

"I've worked with a lot of people in my 39 years in public schools and it's not just teachers that are getting that raise, it's cafeteria workers and custodian staff and paraprofessionals that work in the classrooms along with the teachers," Montalvo said.

Montalvo said that by supporting current and former educators, the state can make public education a more attractive field for "top-notch" professionals.

In the lead-up to the election, the Corpus Christi American Federation of Teachers demonstrated in support of the proposition. Last month, former teachers and other members of the community gathered at the corner of Staples Street and South Padre Island Drive with signs to encourage voters to approve Prop 9.

"We are flying high right now," CCAFT President Nancy Vera said. "...It warms my heart to know that people are still so supportive of educators who work so hard every day to make sure that our children are okay."

Vera said that when pensions don't match inflation, aging retirees have to find other jobs to survive.

"We're talking about teachers who are in their late to early 80s and they're expected to be able to make ends meet with regard to their health concerns," Vera said. "For example, paying for medicine and other things such as maintaining their homes. They may have a leaky faucet they haven't repaired in years."

Vera said that thanks to the "modest" increase, retirees will be able to afford more.

Vera said that it should be easier for educators to get a cost-of-living increase. The current raise needed approval from the Texas Legislature and voters.

"I think that a cost-of-living increase for any public servant is something that should be done without having to vote," Vera said.

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This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Voters approve teacher pension boost