Amid ongoing teacher strikes and fierce opposition from unions in the state, Colorado lawmakers swiftly passed a pension measure late Wednesday evening that would cut annual teacher raises and increase employee contributions into the fund.
The Colorado Education Association (CEA) denounced the bill, calling it “an unfortunate lesson in politics, reminding us that those in power who represent the people can still be completely tone deaf to their constituents.”
Under the bill, the teacher retirement age would increase from 58 to 64, employee contributions to the public employees’ retirement association (PERA) fund would be raised by 2 percent, and cost-of-living raises would be eliminated for two years before being cut by 0.5 percent thereafter. The measure calls for the state to contribute $225 million in taxpayer dollars every year and requires school districts and other public employers to contribute an additional 0.25 percent to get rid of PERA’s debt, which is one of the worst in the country.
Despite teacher objections over a “bad policy done in haste,” Gov. John Hickenlooper (D) arrived at the capitol during debates to urge Democrats to support what he viewed as a compromise (Republicans in the Senate wanted to raise employee contributions to 11 percent and to cut cost-of-living raises by 0.75 percent. Last week, CEA expressed support for a House-passed version of the bill that would set the retirement age at 60 and would not increase employee contributions to the pension fund).
The legislation now moves to Hickenlooper’s desk, where he is expected to sign it into law.
@GovofCO Hickenlooper speaking to @coloradodems House members about importance of passing #PERA fix for secure retirement for #teachers and other state employees. #coleg #copolitics @colo_politics @COHouseDem pic.twitter.com/VV5dkTtmSq
— Paul Rosenthal (@Rosenthal5280) May 10, 2018
The move comes as teachers in the southern Colorado city of Pueblo continue their strikes for the fourth day. Educators there voted to go on strike last month, with support from the union, despite the state’s strict anti-strike laws. They are demanding a 2 percent cost-of-living raise and additional funds for health insurance. According to the Pueblo Education Association Facebook group, the Pueblo school district is unable to negotiate an end to their strike until this weekend.
Thousands of teachers used their personal days to rally at the state capitol last month and teachers across the state have held walkouts to call for more education funding.
Colorado currently falls drastically short when it comes to funding its schools, by about $822 million annually, according to The Denver Post. Schools have grappled with this shortage in a variety of ways over the years, from holding four-day weeks, cutting teacher and other educational staff jobs, lowering salaries, and increasing various student fees.
According to a 2018 report by the National Education Association, Colorado ranks 31st in the country when it comes to average teacher salaries, falling about $8,000 short of the national average. Teachers spend an average of about $656 a year in out-of-pocket costs for school supplies.