First Posted: 3/4/2013
Ordinarily, our property tax dollars are “negotiated” away to the teacher’s union like Monopoly money in secret behind closed doors. Thanks to a childish temper tantrum by this breathtakingly greedy government union, the door was opened for taxpayers to get a peek at what is at stake.
According to information released by our school board, the latest demands by Wyoming Area’s teachers union will cost taxpayers an additional $1,722,000 in property taxes.Their latest demands would also lower health insurance deductibles to zero with no sharing with the premium costs.
This bunch is also demanding a 19% pay raise. Currently, Wyoming Area’s 2013-2014 budget ,even with a 4.42% tax hike, still shows a $500,000 deficit with no allowance for raises or retroactive pay for teachers.
Unless this union agrees to substantial concessions to help close the deficit, I believe our school board should make it up with program cuts, furloughs and pay freezes. Government unions have had their way with taxpayers long enough. It is now time for elected officials to put these public employees in their place and give taxpayers a fair contract for a change.
Let’s give the teachers union a great chance to prove how much they really care about the children. As I was leaving the Feb. 26 meeting of the Wyoming Area School Board, a member of the teachers union suggested that maybe teachers should be paid the same as those who work at McDonald’s.
No one ever suggested such a ridiculous thing, but making fun of people with real jobs in the private sector who work all summer, weekends and holidays is not very bright. If this is the best this “professional” educator can come up with, we are in trouble.
George R. Race Exeter