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Then you should also believe that in our economy kids should not have sports and extracurricular activities, because EVERYONE should be tightening their belts.
I believe the school districts should be run in the best interests of the CHILDREN, not of the adult high-level employees such as superintendants, administrators, and teachers.
Then you should also believe that in our economy kids should not have sports and extracurricular activities, because EVERYONE should be tightening their belts.
It shouldn't really even be a choice but the school districts have been put in that position because of the teachers union. The escalation of salaries and benefits was smoothed over by Federal Assistance and increased NY State aid the last year or 2 but the issue has come home to roost. I thought budgets would be voted down last year, this year and next year will be even worse, the UFTA needs to take a look in the mirror if sports programs that have been in place 50 years are cancelled.
It shouldn't really even be a choice but the school districts have been put in that position because of the teachers union. The escalation of salaries and benefits was smoothed over by Federal Assistance and increased NY State aid the last year or 2 but the issue has come home to roost. I thought budgets would be voted down last year, this year and next year will be even worse, the UFTA needs to take a look in the mirror if sports programs that have been in place 50 years are cancelled.
Yeah, I wouldn't want to look in the mirror if this was my poster boy: fat, cheap, glutton pig who eats up like a slob and then doesn't want to pay up:
Paul Egan, teachers union boss in restaurant stir, had role in 2000 student cheating scandal
Quote:
ALBANY - The beefy ringleader of the boozy food fight at an upstate union dinner is a disgraced Bronx teacher once accused of helping students cheat on tests.
In my home district, Mineola, we are fortunate, we will close a school this fall with a second to close the following fall. The budget for 2011/2012 total district salaries will decrease approximately 300 thousand dollars, but our benefits including health and pension will increase approximately 2.3 million dollars. Our tax levy is under 2.5% for the 4th year in a row and thus far we have no change to programs. The salary and benefit portion of the budget is approximately 78% of every budget dollar and we generally increase annually between 4 - 5 %. All one has to do is the math, to see that we are never going to get ahead of this unless the sword of salaries and benefits some how loses its' edge. We have managed to save programs so far but if the pension costs come in again at where they have been the past few years, every district will be in trouble.
Then you should also believe that in our economy kids should not have sports and extracurricular activities, because EVERYONE should be tightening their belts.
And just what are you willing to GIVE UP? Since EVERYONE should be tightening their belt? Perhaps a girdle would be more appropriate?
In my home district, Mineola, we are fortunate, we will close a school this fall with a second to close the following fall. The budget for 2011/2012 total district salaries will decrease approximately 300 thousand dollars, but our benefits including health and pension will increase approximately 2.3 million dollars. Our tax levy is under 2.5% for the 4th year in a row and thus far we have no change to programs. The salary and benefit portion of the budget is approximately 78% of every budget dollar and we generally increase annually between 4 - 5 %. All one has to do is the math, to see that we are never going to get ahead of this unless the sword of salaries and benefits some how loses its' edge. We have managed to save programs so far but if the pension costs come in again at where they have been the past few years, every district will be in trouble.
The new contract issn't up on the seethroughny.com website but the contract that expired in 2007 has steps of 4.3% each year with a 3.5% for a total of 7.8% each year for the 4 years of the contract. Also teachers pay 15% of the health premium. I saw that they paid a community liason, TV technicians, etc.
They may have just rolled over the old contract, when does the current contract expire?
I being on a SS Fixed income I will vote NO so I can hang on and hopefully stay in my home of 47 years that I love.please don't ask me to move to a cheaper area or downsize we are America.God Bless America.MO
It shouldn't really even be a choice but the school districts have been put in that position because of the teachers union. The escalation of salaries and benefits was smoothed over by Federal Assistance and increased NY State aid the last year or 2 but the issue has come home to roost. I thought budgets would be voted down last year, this year and next year will be even worse, the UFTA needs to take a look in the mirror if sports programs that have been in place 50 years are cancelled.
The truth of this statement is debatable but also irrelevant in the context of the annual budget vote. If the budget is voted down, teacher's salaries will not diminish. Existing contracts are not abrogated.
What will happen is that the burden falls on the items that can be reduced and are non-mandatory. That means that sports and extracurricular activities are first on the hit-list. The board may be forced to lay-off workers, which may include teachers. The result is fewer services and larger class sizes.
The fact is that there has been a revenue squeeze on all levels of government causing each to reduce aide. That means that school district support is lower and that money must either be raised in taxes or services must be cut.
I being on a SS Fixed income I will vote NO so I can hang on and hopefully stay in my home of 47 years that I love.please don't ask me to move to a cheaper area or downsize we are America.God Bless America.MO
I can understand your plight but what happens to your home value when your district can only increase the budget by 1% under contingency but the increase in costs (or drop in State aide) accounts for 4%? The schools need to cut services. If you do that year after year then your schools end up like a car whose owner refuses to spend money on maintenance. It deteriorates.
Home buyers don't want to move to areas with deteriorating schools. You home value will suffer.
The truth of this statement is debatable but also irrelevant in the context of the annual budget vote. If the budget is voted down, teacher's salaries will not diminish. Existing contracts are not abrogated.
What will happen is that the burden falls on the items that can be reduced and are non-mandatory. That means that sports and extracurricular activities are first on the hit-list. The board may be forced to lay-off workers, which may include teachers. The result is fewer services and larger class sizes.
The fact is that there has been a revenue squeeze on all levels of government causing each to reduce aide. That means that school district support is lower and that money must either be raised in taxes or services must be cut.
Let me clue you in on something - sure existing contracts are not abrogated - not yet anyway. As for the burden falling on items that can be reduced and non-mandatory - that is always the case, you cut those first, but then when you can no longer cut that because it no longer exists, guess what comes next? The taxpayer should not be fooled into thinking that contracts can not be renegotiated - it's easy to spend other people's money, the problem comes when you run out of it. Then what? "It can't be abrogated", yeah right, contracts are broken every day - this is America, not a socialist country. You want that, go to France - viva la liberte!!!!
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Since EVERYONE should be tightening their belt? Perhaps a girdle would be more appropriate? 
