"A government big enough to give you everything you want, is big enough to take away everything you have"
Thomas Jefferson

Friday, May 30, 2008

Carthage Central School Budget Woes

The Superintendent and his budget debacle woes continue. Unable to adopt a contingency budget that is satisfactory to the Board of Education, he asked the bargaining units to re-open their contracts. This morning the teacher unions voted and once again Militello faces rejection.

Probably would have helped the cause if Militello would have put an adminstrative pay cut on the table first!

12 comments:

ConcernedCitizen said...

It also would help if the Board starts with bringing their absentee Superintendent back to Carthage to live. No school district should allow their Chief Officer to hid from the community he works for.

ConcernedCitizen said...

Sorry...please make that hide.

ConcernedCitizen said...

Good for the teacher unions. Why should they give back what they earn and bargained for? It is difficult enough to work in a district that is using this problem as a way to express every anger they have with education. You will find that teachers will even avoid public businesses and the community in general where they are often accosted for explanations. It will take them a few years to feel comfortable with the community again. Our "super" and the board screwed up!!!!

ConcernedCitizen said...

My heart's in Oswego County," Beardsley told a small group of Republicans who had gathered to hear him endorse Renzi in West Monroe.
Beardsley said the 48th state Senate district had a long history of Republican senators. State Sen. Darrel Aubertine, D-Cape Vincent, won the seat in a February special election.
"We intend to have a Republican in that seat again," Beardsley said. He called Renzi "enthusiastic and committed to the race."
Renzi thanked Beardsley for his support and said he planned to run "a positive, fun-filled campaign."
Renzi said the cost of fuel, the cost of heating and government regulations on small business would be major issues in his campaign to unseat Aubertine.
"Albany hasn't done a good job," he said.
Renzi Discovers the High Price of Fuel





Good luck to David Renzi with his attempt to blame the cost of oil on politicians at the State level.

The voting public is much too smart for that and they realize that Dick Cheney and George Bush adopted our energy policy behind close doors in the first days of their administration. Their goal all along was to play ball with their rich oil friends and bring the United States up to the World norm which is 8 to 10 dollars a gal.

In the mean time, they kept their supporters in the candy jar with the rest of the suckers as they amused them with horrible threats like gay marriages, Muslims coming to get them, yellow cake, WMD's, and terrorists dress like circus clowns.

You supported George Bush? You let him invade Iraq which resulted in taking most of their oil off the market? Then, quit whining and get used to paying the same price as the rest of the world.

Anonymous said...

I have absolutely no conection to the Carthage School District but I give the taxpayers in that district credit for saying "enough is enough." I agree that maybe the cuts should start at the top but I disagree that the teachers should never have to concede anything. Heaven forbid that they should give up anything. The rest of us have to cut our corners and may someday have to give up our homes because we cannot afford the taxes. Not condoning the superintendent for not living in the district but do you suppose that all of the teachers live in their respective district where they teach? How many working people are able to work as few days a year as teachers do and reap as many benefits? That we could all belong to such a strong union!!

Anonymous said...

You're right the rest of us have to make due with less money, how about the teachers???

Anonymous said...

Make do with less? How about they make at least some contribution to their health care coverage. Even fat-cat state workers like me pay a small portion of their health BUT NOT TEACHERS!!!!!

ConcernedCitizen said...

Teachers were smart enough and remained strong enough to retain their unions. In return teachers pay did not ever reach the same standards of other professions requiring a college education. This a perfect example of why union and tenure protection is necessary for retention and protection of teachers. At the first sign of a community problem, residents start getting all excited and want to solve the problem by getting rid of teachers or reducing their salaries. Anyone who goes to a certified college, does intern teaching, and continues to get required hours or advanced degrees can apply for a job as a teacher. Then you can work for 3 to 5 years to prove your worth and get tenure protection from random house cleanings by Boards of Educations and Superintendents who screw up and look for ways out. The cure for your envy would be to become a teacher.

Anonymous said...

You are absolutely right! I am very envious (and outraged) at a tenured teacher who, once he or she obtains that status, can screw up and coast until retirement and no one seems to be able to do anything about it. And don't tell me it doesn't happen because I have seen it. In those cases the students and the taxpayers are being cheated.

ConcernedCitizen said...

Another possibility for cost savings that could be applied to your local budget is to be sure your district does not encourage double dipping from the state pension funds.

The double dipping club in the New York State Teacher's fund is reserved primarily for Administrators and School Lawyers.

It is common for Administrators and Superintendents to retire as early as possible. Then, using the fabrication that there are no good people to replace them, they immediately go back to work. School Boards participate in this scheme by hiring them as "consultants" on an interim basis and pay them a cool 140k on top of the 120K (conservative examples) they are already getting from their pension. lawyers representing the district join in by claiming that they are School District employees and receive credits from the system. The lawyers then cover the butts of the Administrators by pointing out to the Board that the loophole makes it legal. Then, they all join in to negotiate against the teachers, maintenance, and bus drivers to be sure those bargaining units get as little as possible on the job and in retirement.

If you ask around, I bet you will find a lot of these slick freeloaders working in our county districts.

Anonymous said...

Just to clarify, at Carthage Central all employees that belong to unions or bargaining units DO pay a share of their health insurance. It is not a free benefit.

Anonymous said...

As another clarification, most teachers work more hours than any other type of worker I know. So many volunteer with school activities, have work they have to take home every night and on the weekends, and work during the summer. There are professional development workshops that they are required to attend year-round as well. These people are professionals with Masters degrees and deserved to be paid as such. I gladly pay to ensure my children are being taught by the best. Yes, you have your bad apples who screw off once they have tenure, but the good far outweighs the bad and you would see that if you spent any time at all in today's schools.

I also know that most teachers have to work two jobs to earn enough money to support their families.

Don't complain about someone unless you've walked a mile in their shoes (and got the facts straight).

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