Bruce Frassinelli's editorial, "Retired Pa. Teachers deserve a cost-of-living adjustment" compared the COLAs of the Executive, Legislative and Judicial Branches of state government with retired teachers. This is not an apples to apples comparison.

The Legislature's annual COLAs are due to SB1074, unconstitutional legislation which violated Art. 2, Sec. 8 and Art. 3, Sec. 27 of the State Constitution. In short, they immediately took the pay grab by increasing their unvouchered expenses in the same term. The Legislature's annual COLAs have illegally doubled their salaries since 1995.

The issue that teachers haven't had an increase in two decades belongs to the PSERS pension fund; "that has been saddled with problems, disappointing investment returns and subject to several investigations". Mr. Frassinelli's suggestion that the state treasury is "brimming with cash" to fund a teacher COLA is insulting. Those surplus funds should be given back to the taxpayers and NOT used as a vehicle to fund the poorly managed PSERS fund. Currently, teachers with 20 years' service collect about $33,000 in pensions in addition to their Social Security benefits.

This boost for 74,000 older retirees will cost taxpayers about $63 million a year over the next 10 years, on top of the $6 billion that state and local taxpayers are already paying to fund the pensions.

Mr. Frassinelli must recognize that every few years (in lieu of a teacher strike), teachers entered into collective bargaining agreements that were ratified during their tenure which increased their compensation. Each time, teachers had opportunity to include future payments, healthcare and retirement benefits. Teachers must live within their means and honor these agreements.

"Judge deems Pennsylvania's school funding system unconstitutional"; The Legislature should focus on equitable education funding and getting it off the backs of homeowners by primarily funding it with state tax dollars. One method would use the state income tax, which nearly everyone contributes and is based on the ability to pay. Until the funding model changes, I would suggest the passage of HB868 which would provide property tax relief to senior citizens as well as retired teachers.

Gary J. English

Murrysville, PA

The writer is a former School Director of the Franklin-Regional School District and can be contacted at: avigilantone@verizon.net