Questions arise over state of Teachers Health Trust
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Rumors have been circulating that the Teachers Health Trust, which provides funds for the school district's 17,000 teachers, is going belly-up. But the trust made it clear Tuesday that their financial health is stable. Video by ktnv.com
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Las Vegas, NV (KTNV) -- Rumors have been circulating that the Teachers Health Trust, which provides funds for the school district's 17,000 teachers, is going belly-up. But the trust made it clear Tuesday that their financial health is stable.
"I just want to let everyone know we're here, we're strong, and we're for the teachers," said Teachers Health Trust CEO Peter Alpert.
Alpert wants the teachers in Clark County not to fear. He says their benefits are intact and their trust is absolutely not going out of business.
Right now, he says, the trust has $28 million in reserves, despite suffering a deficit the previous eight months. He says there are options to solving the cash flow problem.
"The first way is to try to get more money from the school district, which has been happening over the years and was very good up until 2008," said Alpert.
That would include a proposed $8 premium increase per teacher per month.
"The proposal was taken to the school board trustees and they said no," said Ruben Murillo, president of the teachers union. "If you talk to a lot of our teachers, if the amount of money is needed to keep the trust stable and going, they are willing to do that. The district didn't give us that opportunity."
But the school district said they take their responsibility to the teachers very seriously.
"Frankly, it's impossible to reopen up a contract and ask teachers to turn over their hard-earned money from their paychecks and give to health insurance," said Amanda Fulkerson, a district spokesperson. "We negotiate once a year and that time is coming up soon."
Teachers will get the opportunity to ask questions directly at a benefits meeting between the union and the Teachers Health Trust on Thursday.
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