To: Rep. Jim Zehringer, Chair Ohio House Ways and Means Committee, 127^th  GA

CC: Members of the Ohio House Ways and Means Committee, 127^th GA

From: Ann Hanning, Executive Director, ORTA

Date: April 7, 2008

Re: H.B. No. 433, Letter of Support

The Ohio Retired Teachers’ Association supports H.B. 433 which amends section 5747.01 of the Ohio Revised Code to exempt from the personal income tax up to $10,000 in state and federal government retirement benefits for taxable years beginning in 2010 and thereafter.

The Ohio Retired Teachers’ Association (ORTA) has supported similar proposals in bills in previous General Assemblies. We are hopeful that H.B. 433 will be passed during this 127^th General Assembly session. We are pleased to support H.B. 433. We offer our assistance in sharing the information with our members and others; and working with you for passage of this legislation.

Retired teachers, like many other public service retirees in Ohio, are affected by the Government Pension Offset and the Windfall Elimination Provision (GPO/WEP) which  greatly reduces any social security income which they may have earned. Thus, they must rely primarily on their public pensions. The proposed tax exemption in H.B. 433 would provide an appropriate and most appreciated adjustment.

Ohio retired teachers, like many other retirees, are on fixed incomes. However, Ohio retired teachers and other Ohio retired public employees, indeed, all Ohioans and Americans, continue to face alarming increases in health care premiums, medical costs and prescription costs. Recently, higher food and gasoline costs have added to retirees’ financial burden. We appreciate your efforts to address their situation and concerns.

The Ohio Retired Teachers’ Association supports H.B. 433. We appreciate your attention to this legislation and your efforts to support the bill and public employees and retirees.