Spring School Levy - A modest proposal

Bill Call · Post by **Bill Call** » Thu Oct 13, 2005 1:28 pm

What type of wage or benefit cuts should school district employees accept?
What would be fair to the employees and residents?

Millions of people across the county have accepted 10-25% pay cuts to preserve their organizations. Should school employees do the same?

What about paying 50% of their health insurance premium?

Why does a 20% decline in enrollment result in a 20% increase in costs?

Any ideas/answers?

Donald Farris · Post by **Donald Farris** » Thu Oct 13, 2005 3:14 pm

Hi,
At one point in Lakewood's past, the School Board decided to pay both the employer's 10% of the teachers retirement and the 10% that the teachers pay. I believe it was done during a period when the School Board had promised not to increase teachers salaries. The net was a 10% increase for the teachers and administrators while the School Board could claim they didn't increase salaries.

I don't know everything that revolves around this but it's similiar to FICA in the private sector where the employer pays 7.5% and the employee pays 7.5%. Only in Lakewood (and some other school districts, I guess) the School System pays both parts. It's like like a super increase because from that point on each increase is compounded extra.

I'd like to see this eliminated.

Jim O'Bryan · Post by **Jim O'Bryan** » Thu Oct 13, 2005 5:40 pm

Bill

Although you make many good points, I have problems with some of it.

While I think it a grand idea to ask teachers for money back, it leaves a bad taste in my mouth. The same for cutting health benefits. I live in a world of you make a deal and you live with it.

I generally think that teachers are underpaid. But we do have a school system that gets Rolls Royce numbers. Maybe we have to take a hard look at what goes where. While looking at where else to get it.

I've heard some good ideas that never got traction.

The one thing I see in the coming years is that "government" will have to give up more and more as they try to balance their books, and residents will have to take more and more upon themselves.

It is tough. With a serious effort to dumb down America, we need to keep schools sharp.

.

Bill Call · Post by **Bill Call** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 9:51 am

Don has struck gold.

If school board employee's paid their portion of their retirement contribution the system could save as much as 5.2 million dollars per year. We would not need a school levy for 10 years, if then.

Since no other school system I am aware of offers to pay the employee's portion of pension contributions Lakewood teachers would still be some of the best paid in the country. Our pay and benefit package would still be very generous.

It is time to state the obvious. With planned school and city tax increases Lakewood would be the highest taxed city in the state. What affect would that have on the City?

I am basing my numbers on the data submitted by the school district to the State. If anyone at the school system has better numbers or a more accurate interpretation of those numbers please provide them.

What is everyone afraid of?

kate parker · Post by **kate parker** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 10:23 am

for extra revenue for the schools, why not increase the school fees?

i pay $20.00 per child in elementary school and would gladly pay more. $20.00 dollars is hardly costly. it seems that alot of students are children of 'renters' and do not have to shoulder any tax increase, that seems wrong. an increase in fees would certainly bring in more revenue and at the same time, have everyone, not just homeowners, share the burden.

i'm not sure if my idea belongs in this thread but there it is