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Why is this so hard for people to figure out. Comparing salaries (cops, teachers,etc) on LI to other parts of NY (say Upstate) or the rest of the country is absolutely ridiculous . If you ask anyone from L.I. "just move" you get " I would make 1/2 or 60% of my salary if I move" Which is probably true so maybe this is why taxes and mostly everything else is higher on L.I. including salaries All the numbers are out of whack on L.I on the higher side. People say cut their salaries, they could live on XXX number of dollars, try cutting your salary and see how you'll live. If that's the answer cut everyone's salary, you'll be back at square one.
I love, Joe , Dman what career are you in. I bet you get paid in your line of work more than say someone here in bumliduke VA and I bet it's 40-60 % more. People that live here (natives, not the transplants) and other places i've been sound exactly the same as people on the Island. " I can't believe I'm paying almost 4k in taxes this is an outrage and for someone making 35-40 k it probably is. Yes 80k for a teacher would be great here but on L.I. it's lower-middle class.
The real problem is taxes are going up faster than salaries. With less economic growth and less income growth, you are going to get less sales and income tax. This will put pressure on states and localities to raise property taxes. All over this country they are trying(and most are successful) to raise property taxes to help balance their budgets. It's a problem all over, just plays out on a bigger scale on Long Island ..
Perhaps all teachers should not be paid the same rate? For example, right now it seems that all teachers within a given school district, whether they are teaching kindergarten or advanced high school chemistry, are paid according to the same salary schedule. Now granted, I don't have any firsthand experience in teaching, but it does seem somewhat incongruous to me that a high school teacher in advanced chemistry should be paid the same as a kindergarten teacher, since chemistry is a much more difficult subject to master, or that a kindergarten teacher should be making a six figure salary.
Moreover, certain subjects like math and science are in higher demand in the private sector; school districts may not be able to attract enough qualified candidates to teach these subjects if the pay is not competitive enough.
Maybe what needs to be done is to pay different teachers differently, based on the subjects and grade levels they teach, among other factors, for instance.
I have yet to see one teacher on this forum admit that they are way overpaid especially now with the economic hardship that so many are facing. All I hear them say is that how they truly care for the kids, the future. No one is denying teaching is one of the most important professions in the world and can change a child's life. But let's face it, facts are facts. Fact is the cost/taxes are getting out of hand on LI. Fact is many people are facing unemployment and layoffs everyday. Fact is schools are faced with budget cuts leading to less programs/opportunities for the kids despite the fact that 60% of our outrageous taxes are contributed to them. Fact is teachers' salaries and benefits are too much and continue to increase yearly at the expense of others. Fact is teachers work fewer days and retire 10 years earlier than everyone else. And if all you teachers care so much about our kids, then you should get real, stop being selfish, and work with the community. Because even today, very few young professionals, those kids you have taught and cared so much about, can even afford to live comfortably on LI. What will LI be like in 10 years?
I don't think someone's opinion on this matter should be dismissed because they are a renter instead of a homeowner. Renters have a stake in the communities they live in too. Renters, as residents, are entitled to vote on school board elections also.
Renters (living in LEGAL apartments where their landlord is not cheating the tax man) DO pay property taxes! They pay the rent to their landlord who then pays the property taxes.
Property taxes do affect renters. Why do you think rents are so high around here? Because landlords have to charge significantly higher rents to recoup more for the high property taxes.
Oh. Oh, yeah. So it's not just about the pool, the gym, and the landscaping then.
I am so tired of teacher bashing. I became a teacher because I love to work with children and I love to teach. Not because of the pay for any means. If were so overpaid why isnt everyone running to be a teacher?
Im confused. If teaching is such a "Sweet Deal" and were so "overpaid" why am I so broke? Why is it that I am driving a 99 caravan, have a 3 bedroom one floor ranch with a leaky roof (that we cant afford to fix), and never go on vacations etc? We dont have credit cards, nice clothes, we dont go out to eat, we dont go to the movies.. nothing! What I do have is a whole heck of a lot of student loans that I need to pay back.
Its SO frustrating to me to still hear people bashing teachers when I work so hard and give my heart to your children, when mine are in daycare being raised by someone else and yet I am still getting nowhere.
Instead of focusing on people who are working five days per week after going to college for years and years, why dont you focus on people getting a free ride while doing nothing!?!?!? Focus on illegal immigrants, focus on people who abuse food stamps and welfare,dont focus on hardworking teachers!
God bless you and all the other teachers that work day in and day out making our community and better place to live and enriching the lives of children, many that you probably leave an impression with for the rest of their lives. Besides parents you all are the first step in inspiring them to either make it or not. Unfortunately you can't touch them all, some fail and very few lurk in websites like this and attempt to make you feel as miserable as they do.
Look at your adversaries in this very thread. seriously it only boils down to a couple that pounce repeatedly a few seconds after someone posts their support. You can't say anything that will appease them. They know their opinions mean absolutely nothing because they get off flaming in the guise of civility which is transparent.
This thread died long ago and should have stayed locked. The thread is a clone of so many before it and it is usually the same cast of losers that re-start them. If they were really fired up about it they would contact their local politicians or maybe set about making this island a better place for all of us by voting in the right people and cutting back on excess.
For the record once again I don't think our Teachers, Police, Military, Fire,ambulatory , or emergency personnel get paid enough. It is a thankless job and although the boos may be loud if you listen closely the majority is cheering you on. For you to walk into a classroom every day and teach a developing mind how to survive and strive in todays world while listening to parents complain and the administation on your back in this politically correct environment, it takes a lot of dedication and you deserve accolades. All the years you spent in school, degrees you earned, endless hours studying says a lot. You deserve every penny and then some. I don't know how you do it, I couldn't and I'm a military guy. I would rather battle the Taliban. It's a shame you have to visit a website and read what a few rabble rousers write, who incidently were taught those skills from a teacher.
I am confidant that somewhere along the lines they failed, got into some degree of trouble, and have trouble interacting with their public. They feel better hiding behind a keyboard being an E-thug. And yes those few will point out that I used the usual "got into trouble with the law, dropped out of school argument" but that is because it hits pretty close to home. These few disgruntled could probably do without teachers and cops, it would make their bullying that much easier although I can't see them confronting anyone unless it was done via a computer screen.
When you don't want to argue facts anymore, switch to non-sequitors.
Personally, I think the Grasso's and the guys who traded credit default swaps are the biggest lowlifes going, but that has nothing to do with the fact that a cop on LI takes home twice what the average family does.
Feel free to continue to equate those 2 things, but it doesn't change anything.
This thread is about teachers. Feel free to equate them with cops though. That doesn't change anything.
god bless you and all the other teachers that work day in and day out making our community and better place to live and enriching the lives of children, many that you probably leave an impression with for the rest of their lives. Besides parents you all are the first step in inspiring them to either make it or not. Unfortunately you can't touch them all, some fail and very few lurk in websites like this and attempt to make you feel as miserable as they do.
Look at your adversaries in this very thread. Seriously it only boils down to a couple that pounce repeatedly a few seconds after someone posts their support. You can't say anything that will appease them. They know their opinions mean absolutely nothing because they get off flaming in the guise of civility which is transparent.
This thread died long ago and should have stayed locked. The thread is a clone of so many before it and it is usually the same cast of losers that re-start them. If they were really fired up about it they would contact their local politicians or maybe set about making this island a better place for all of us by voting in the right people and cutting back on excess.
For the record once again i don't think our teachers, police, military, fire,ambulatory , or emergency personnel get paid enough. It is a thankless job and although the boos may be loud if you listen closely the majority is cheering you on. For you to walk into a classroom every day and teach a developing mind how to survive and strive in todays world while listening to parents complain and the administation on your back in this politically correct environment, it takes a lot of dedication and you deserve accolades. All the years you spent in school, degrees you earned, endless hours studying says a lot. You deserve every penny and then some. I don't know how you do it, i couldn't and i'm a military guy. I would rather battle the taliban. It's a shame you have to visit a website and read what a few rabble rousers write, who incidently were taught those skills from a teacher.
I am confidant that somewhere along the lines they failed, got into some degree of trouble, and have trouble interacting with their public. They feel better hiding behind a keyboard being an e-thug. And yes those few will point out that i used the usual "got into trouble with the law, dropped out of school argument" but that is because it hits pretty close to home. These few disgruntled could probably do without teachers and cops, it would make their bullying that much easier although i can't see them confronting anyone unless it was done via a computer screen.
The thread is a clone of so many before it and it is usually the same cast of losers that re-start them. If they were really fired up about it they would contact their local politicians or maybe set about making this island a better place for all of us by voting in the right people and cutting back on excess.
I've lived in a few places and have never seen the animosity directed toward teachers that I've witnessed on this board--and I've lived in some pretty expensive (more expensive than Long Island), highly taxed parts of the country, where teachers are paid pretty well. From what I've seen, Long Island is its own monolith of bitterness with respect to civil service. Other parts of the country just don't have that kind of rancor, even when they have similar expense, similar union strength, and equally lousy politicians.
Then again, I've never run into so many people so concerned with what other people get, not just on these boards, but in places I've worked in the private sector and in things I've seen with locals, right down to someone on line at Subway complaining that the person in front of her might have gotten a few more pepper slices on his sandwich than she did. It seems to be a trait in the area's character.
There are only very few places that have the same or more property taxes than LI and they are probably all in NJ/NY. I've seen just as much controversy over teachers' salaries in NJ. Here's an article written by a retired teacher in NJ.
I blame Newsday! That paper is notoriously anti-teacher and they somehow get Long Islanders to believe that all LI teachers are making six figures. It's all their fault. Newsday. Pshhh.
Anyway, I'm a teacher and I will certainly not say that I'm underpaid, BUT I won't say I'm overpaid either. I fall directly into the middle class -- possibly on the lower side. My teacher's salary has allowed me a co-op in Freeport (a "BAD" area) after living at home (God bless my parents) for my first three years of teaching, and saving like crazy. I drive a Honda and buy my clothes at Kohl's. I don't mind these things, though I do wish I could afford to travel more. I know after the 10 year point or so, the salary increases and I'd probably be pretty well off if I were to stick it out on the island. But I'm leaving. The taxes are too damned high ... Who can define 'irony'?
In all seriousness, I simply hate the climate and the pace among other things.
Bottom line: I feel I'm well compensated and I never complain about my salary, though I do sometimes complain about the job. I am extremely grateful for what I have and I feel I work hard for it. Teachers in my district are paid fairly. (This is something that should be taken into account, by the way. Not all school districts pay the same)!
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. If you ask anyone from L.I. "just move" you get " I would make 1/2 or 60% of my salary if I move" Which is probably true
so maybe this is why taxes and mostly everything else is higher on L.I. including salaries
All the numbers are out of whack on L.I on the higher side. People say cut their salaries, they could live on XXX number of dollars, try cutting your salary and see how you'll live. If that's the answer cut everyone's salary, you'll be back at square one. 
this is an outrage and for someone making 35-40 k it probably is. Yes 80k for a teacher would be great here but on L.I. it's lower-middle class. 
Focus on illegal immigrants, focus on people who abuse food stamps and welfare,dont focus on hardworking teachers!
