[Katie the heartbreaker]

Originally Posted by timothyaw

The problem is (and Marilyn Kirkpatrick mentioned this) is the accountability of where the funds go when they go to schools. CCSD is like a black hole, people want to see improvement when they raise taxes for schools. It's hard to see that with CCSD.
And the problem many people have with the sales tax is what is called sales tax creep. It equates to the boiling water analogy with the frog. Slowly increase the sales tax a little at a time and people won't notice. Well I and many others notice and it has to stop.

I agree with accountability. The money needs to improve education outcomes, and if it doesn't, the tax increase should be repealed.

Originally Posted by Trash Can

Pensions? Outside of the public sector, who gets a pension these days? Specifically, I'm referring to a monthly-defined benefit that is in addition to a self-funded or employer-matched 401k type plan.

Way back when, public sector employees generally received lower pay in exchange for guaranteed better benefits (pension, vacation, free or low cost medical for life, etc) when compared to the private sector. It was a fair trade-off IMO. Today, many public sector workers get the best of both worlds. Their pay often exceeds what a comparable private sector job pays while maintaining these benefits. Further, it's common for many govt employees to "double dip". They retire after X number of years, then get hired as a consultant doing the same job while drawing their pension.

These retirement benefits are a huge source of our budgetary problems at all levels of government across the nation. I will not support any tax increase, no matter what it is designated for, until total public sector compensation packages (pay, benefits, and retirement) are reformed and brought inline with the private sector.

I recently posted my view on pensions in the economic forum. These pensions are now causing major budget issues, there is no disagreement there. The people who put their time in and did everything right deserve to be fully paid. If the only way to do that is to raise taxes, then it has to be done. For the people who are cheating, they need to be cut off until they are fully retired. I have no issues with that. Public sector retirement benefits do need to be reformed for new hires. Just do not screw over the people who did everything right, working a job they hated for 20+ years, and did not double dip or cheat in any way to make their pension higher.

[Trash Can]

Originally Posted by Katie the heartbreaker

I recently posted my view on pensions in the economic forum. These pensions are now causing major budget issues, there is no disagreement there. The people who put their time in and did everything right deserve to be fully paid. If the only way to do that is to raise taxes, then it has to be done. For the people who are cheating, they need to be cut off until they are fully retired. I have no issues with that. Public sector retirement benefits do need to be reformed for new hires. Just do not screw over the people who did everything right, working a job they hated for 20+ years, and did not double dip or cheat in any way to make their pension higher.

I disagree. There are numerous examples of private sector workers (truck drivers, factory workers, airline employees, etc) who lost their long-promised pensions when their companies declared bankruptcy and/or went out of business. Most of these people did everything right, yet they are receiving pennies on the dollar from the PBGC. This isn't fair but it's reality.

If the money is not there to sustain these retirement plans, it's not there. Public sector employees are not a special class of worker. Their pensions should not be protected any more than someone in the private sector. The government is bankrupt. If that means they have to accept a lower retirement benefit, so be it, just like a private sector retiree would. Politicians from previous generations are to blame for creating this mess, but increasing taxes to fix the problem is not the answer.

[Katie the heartbreaker]

Originally Posted by Trash Can

I disagree. There are numerous examples of private sector workers (truck drivers, factory workers, airline employees, etc) who lost their long-promised pensions when their companies declared bankruptcy and/or went out of business. Most of these people did everything right, yet they are receiving pennies on the dollar from the PBGC. This isn't fair but it's reality.

If the money is not there to sustain these retirement plans, it's not there. Public sector employees are not a special class of worker. Their pensions should not be protected any more than someone in the private sector. The government is bankrupt. If that means they have to accept a lower retirement benefit, so be it, just like a private sector retiree would. Politicians from previous generations are to blame for creating this mess, but increasing taxes to fix the problem is not the answer.

No one should ever lose their pension, whether public or private. Get rid of foreign aid and divert that money to the pensioners, both public and private. Bring all the troops home and use the military for defense only. Quit bailing out banks and automobile companies, and give that to the pensioners instead. Decriminalize all drugs and let all non-violent people out of the jails and prisons that were drug users. None of that would require raising taxes. I am sick of the little person always getting the shaft.

[FML157]

Originally Posted by Trash Can

Pensions? Outside of the public sector, who gets a pension these days? Specifically, I'm referring to a monthly-defined benefit that is in addition to a self-funded or employer-matched 401k type plan.

Way back when, public sector employees generally received lower pay in exchange for guaranteed better benefits (pension, vacation, free or low cost medical for life, etc) when compared to the private sector. It was a fair trade-off IMO. Today, many public sector workers get the best of both worlds. Their pay often exceeds what a comparable private sector job pays while maintaining these benefits. Further, it's common for many govt employees to "double dip". They retire after X number of years, then get hired as a consultant doing the same job while drawing their pension.

These retirement benefits are a huge source of our budgetary problems at all levels of government across the nation. I will not support any tax increase, no matter what it is designated for, until total public sector compensation packages (pay, benefits, and retirement) are reformed and brought inline with the private sector.

I agree; public safety in Southern Nevada costs a TON of money. With a typical public safety employee you're paying for their salary + their pension contribution costs (29% of the salary) + their benefits + overtime + longevity yearly bonus.

Public Safety is a major government function but we need to look at those costs. I think a good compromise would be to pay local government public safety employees similar to their state counterparts.

[Clarkcty]

Originally Posted by 08grad

This won't help the schools one bit.

The money from the proposed tax increase will be used as a one time payment for teachers who completed professional development for column advancement but never got it as the district never asked the state to fund that.

When these teachers are due their step increase next year, the district will again say "we don't have the funds" and freeze salaries.

Then we're back to increasing taxes again.

If there was a contract signed between CCSD and the teachers union with regards to the professional development of the teachers, some of whom used their own money, then CCSD should pay up. Otherwise the teacher's union have every right to litigate CCSD.


As far under-performing teachers not stepping up, the CCSD need to hire more teachers from the Philippines or India. At least teachers from those countries will put up with the students here in the hopes of making a better living than what they are normally paid in their home countries and it's is a short term contract for those Americans who think they are taking jobs away. If an American can't do it, then hire someone from somewhere else that will put up with the BS in the schools here. I know CCSD likes to hire teachers from the Philippines, Filipinos are resilient and will put up with a lot of bull**** and will not complain about it. That is why over 10 million Filipinos are gainfully employed in over 200 countries/territories around the world.

[RationalExpectations]

I don't have a problem with public sector employees receiving a defined benefit pension provided every dollar paid out to retirees is deducted from the paycheck of currently working public sector employees. Sort of like Social Security.

[08grad]

Originally Posted by Clarkcty

If there was a contract signed between CCSD and the teachers union with regards to the professional development of the teachers, some of whom used their own money, then CCSD should pay up. Otherwise the teacher's union have every right to litigate CCSD.


As far under-performing teachers not stepping up, the CCSD need to hire more teachers from the Philippines or India. At least teachers from those countries will put up with the students here in the hopes of making a better living than what they are normally paid in their home countries and it's is a short term contract for those Americans who think they are taking jobs away. If an American can't do it, then hire someone from somewhere else that will put up with the BS in the schools here. I know CCSD likes to hire teachers from the Philippines, Filipinos are resilient and will put up with a lot of bull**** and will not complain about it. That is why over 10 million Filipinos are gainfully employed in over 200 countries/territories around the world.

CCSD has ignored contractual obligations over a decade. If litigation was possible it would have been done already.

Your second paragraph is A+ tier Boomer posting.

[Clarkcty]

Originally Posted by 08grad

CCSD has ignored contractual obligations over a decade. If litigation was possible it would have been done already.

Your second paragraph is A+ tier Boomer posting.

Then goodluck to this town if that is the case. It will remain at the bottom of every imaginable list. Laughable really.

[Clarkcty]

Thanks to the people who rep my Post#45

[Svoboda]

Originally Posted by Clarkcty

Then goodluck to this town if that is the case. It will remain at the bottom of every imaginable list. Laughable really.

Do you think "putting up with the BS" is what those kids need? You're proposing to a solution to a problem that is one an entirely different plane. And sorry, Filipinos are no more special than any Tom or Jane off the road of any nationality. There are deeper issues but that is beside the original topic.