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No, of course he didn't get into that as he doesn't want to bring on the anger of the union and he doesn't want to scare the public. His intent is to force districts to gut their systems, that's the gist of it, IMHO.
At some point, with a cap in place and no cutback on unfunded mandates, and no change in the way we fund public education, and further cuts in state aid.... etc..... districts will not be able to provide an education as we know it today. You can only cut so many teachers before you don't have enough to educate the children in the schools. You can only cut salaries so much before the people who are expected to work won't be able to afford to anymore. You can only cut benefits so much before people won't even want the job of teacher or administrator. My point here is, the ability to "cut" is finite under these circumstances. If it's Cuomo's intention to totally disable the public education system in the state of NY, this will do it within a few short years, guaranteed.
I'm not saying that something doesn't have to be done to deal with how expensive education has gotten in NYS. But this cap is NOT the solution by itself. Of course, if people are content with NY ending up like Arkansas, or Alabama or Mississipi, then fine.
There has got to be a cap on unfunded mandates too or it will not work. Period.
I agree that the ability to cut is finite, but there is plenty of wiggle room right now when it comes to supers, admins and union members. I do not see people leaving those jobs en masses with reasonable cuts. Do I want to halve teachers' salaries? NO. That is unreasonable. Perhaps there is no need to cut salaries of teachers at all, but to slow down the juggernaut of the constant 2 raises a year and base it more on the local economy (yes that includes bigger raises when the local economy is doing better). Do I want more contributions to pensions (which is happening for later tiers) and more contributions to health insurance? Yes.
Another thing that could definitely help on LI is consolidation of smaller school districts into larger ones with an emphasis on eliminating duplicate administration. Get rid of many of the people in LI education who are paying themselves like the rockstars of civil service.
There has got to be a cap on unfunded mandates too or it will not work. Period.
I agree that the ability to cut is finite, but there is plenty of wiggle room right now when it comes to supers, admins and union members. I do not see people leaving those jobs en masses with reasonable cuts. Do I want to halve teachers' salaries? NO. That is unreasonable. Perhaps there is no need to cut salaries of teachers at all, but to slow down the juggernaut of the constant 2 raises a year and base it more on the local economy (yes that includes bigger raises when the local economy is doing better). Do I want more contributions to pensions (which is happening for later tiers) and more contributions to health insurance? Yes.
Another thing that could definitely help on LI is consolidation of smaller school districts into larger ones with an emphasis on eliminating duplicate administration. Get rid of many of the people in LI education who are paying themselves like the rockstars of civil service.
I have been saying all of this for years now! If districts had started slowing down the rate of increases a few years ago, we might not be in such a deep mess as we are now. If contracts had been negotiated with larger contributions to benefits, we might not be in such a deep mess as we are now.
Teachers, for the most part, have been saying they were willing to take a cut in order to keep jobs - that's just common sense. But for whatever reasons, their union didn't agree to that, or in some cases, school boards didn't agree to their proposed concessions!
I don't know that consolidations are going to ever take place voluntarily anymore. So many attempts I've heard of have failed over the last few years, mostly because one district didn't want to take on another district's debt or higher tax rate, etc. If consolidation is going to happen, it might have to be forced by the state, and I don't know that this can legally occur the way the ed laws are written today. We'd need some major changes in legislation IMHO.
No, of course he didn't get into that as he doesn't want to bring on the anger of the union and he doesn't want to scare the public. His intent is to force districts to gut their systems, that's the gist of it, IMHO.
At some point, with a cap in place and no cutback on unfunded mandates, and no change in the way we fund public education, and further cuts in state aid.... etc..... districts will not be able to provide an education as we know it today. You can only cut so many teachers before you don't have enough to educate the children in the schools. You can only cut salaries so much before the people who are expected to work won't be able to afford to anymore. You can only cut benefits so much before people won't even want the job of teacher or administrator. My point here is, the ability to "cut" is finite under these circumstances. If it's Cuomo's intention to totally disable the public education system in the state of NY, this will do it within a few short years, guaranteed.
I'm not saying that something doesn't have to be done to deal with how expensive education has gotten in NYS. But this cap is NOT the solution by itself. Of course, if people are content with NY ending up like Arkansas, or Alabama or Mississipi, then fine.
You are right, a cap isn't the total solution, but a giant step in the right direction. How they address mandatory items like pension costs, health care still needs to be addressed but it will force districts to take a harder line with contracts being renewed. There is not much they can do with those contracts already in place, but it will most certainly prevent these abusive contracts. Those districts with expiring contracts in 2012 will be forced to take a close look before approval.
Some districts have already reduced contracts, partly pre-emptive, partly out of necessity, but some districts still don't get it.
Oh come on, you don't find it a little annoying that when you go to vote, schools display drawings from kids on the gym wall, some BS press release photos of events, and other items that the teacher's union claim will be axed if you do not vote their way? Don't you think teacher's would b*tch if voting were held off school premises and someone posted a photocopy showing how their property taxes doubled over the last nine years? The school is not enemy headquarters but, any voting venue is supposed to be neutral. You don't see republican/democratic political ads near the voting booth during the presidential vote (in fact, there are laws against doing such)...so, displaying tangible items that reinforce the "It's for the children" bullsh*t is a slight unfair advantage....which may change the minds of those who are on the fence.
This is hysterical! Yes, I am politically brainwashed by little Mary's drawing on the middle school wall. Puh-leeze. I know how I am going to vote before I even get in my car. Oh, I and I did not see any union related messages or event flyers. Why would it matter if I did? I'm there to vote. That stuff should just reinforce your NO vote. No big deal. Oh and for the record, there are repub and dem operatives all over the place on voting day, just a few feet past the fence (legal boundary) and every lawn along the way has a yard sign telling me how to vote. Oh, the horror. I have to think for myself. We vote in schools because it's the most practical public facility that can handle it. The library is too small. Sheesh.
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