Craig Adams, a Texas AFT Retiree Plus member, needs your signature to get on the ballot for the Retiree position on the TRS (Teacher Retirement System of Texas) Board of Trustees. Any retired teacher in the TRS system can sign Craig’s petition. All signatures must be submitted by Jan. 25 to be counted.
The TRS Board of Trustees is responsible for administering TRS and making decisions regarding its $200 billion investment fund. Though the TRS Board of Trustees is not responsible for setting the amount in monthly annuities that retirees receive, the decisions the board makes impact the health of the fund, which has been identified by the Legislature as a key factor when considering the passage of a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA).
Craig Adams is a retired teacher who taught in Spring Branch ISD, Stafford ISD, and the Houston Community College System, among other places. Craig comes from a family of educators. His parents, his sister, and his niece all served or are currently serving as educators in Texas public schools. Craig retired in 2011 and has been receiving retirement benefits since then.
Craig is running for the “Retiree” position on the board. Any TRS member who is currently retired and receiving benefits may sign Craig’s online nomination petition and is eligible to vote for him when the voting begins in March 2023.
Thanks to your signatures last week, Texas AFT Retiree Plus member Phyllis Ruffin has received the requisite amount of votes to be on the ballot for the At-Large position on the TRS Board. Phyllis’s position is separate from Craig’s. On March 15, electronic ballots to vote for both positions will be available online and hard-copy ballots will be mailed to eligible voters. All ballots must be returned by May 5 to count. The governor will choose to nominate one of the top three vote-getters for each position to the TRS board in June.