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Editorials
The writer attended the Lancaster Central School Board (LCSD) meeting the other evening for the express purpose of questioning the Board of Education (BOE) on what the deficit would be should the governor’s proposed state aid reduction become reality.
Hearing the board discuss that the deficit would be $ 4 million, two million dollars less than what it would have been were it not for federal stimulus money, and that they encouraged public participation at the budget work sessions, the writer addressed the board on the following.
Budget Work Sessions
Residents would be more likely to attend budget work sessions if their meeting dates did not conflict with scheduled Town Board meetings. Some residents believe it is more important to attend Town Board meetings for myriad reasons. However, considering the size of this year’s deficit and the state of the economy, it would behoove residents to attend the works sessions, question spending proposals and becoming better informed before casting a budget vote later in the year.
Sharing the pain
There are residents in town that are already sharing the pain, making sacrifices because of job losses, not receiving salary increases (not only this year, but in the past several years), losing health care coverage, paying more for prescriptions, seniors not receiving an increase in Social Security, etc. There are many families/individuals in Lancaster who can longer afford to pay any more in taxes without sacrificing more of their quality of life.
As a long time resident of Lancaster whose children all attended LCSD schools, I appreciate the education the system has provided. In the last five years school district spending has increased by 33%. Much of the spending had been offset by state aid and this past year by federal stimulus money. This budget deficit is huge enough and next year LCSD could be facing a $6 million deficit.
In today’s world where we are all told we have to share the pain, and where some are making significantly more in sacrifices than others, Lancaster taxpayers expect the school district to share in the pain a well. Sometime in August 2009,Superintendent Ed Myszka presented a dire outlook as to what would have happened had not federal stimulus aid come to the school district this past year. Teacher layoffs would have taken place. Needless to say, we are in a more serious situation.
A spokesperson for the Lancaster Teachers Association (LTA) earlier requested LCSD to come to the table, settle the differences that exist between them, and reach a fair and equitable contract.
I asked the BOE whether teachers receive an automatic 3.4% salary step increase. “Yes” was the answer. I asked whether contract negotiations had entered the Fact Finding part of the process, where the public has access to contract particulars. It has been near a year since negotiations began. Considering the magnitude of the deficit, teachers deserve a fair and equitable contract, but one that takes into consideration what the private sector is receiving and the overall economy. Teachers will be getting a 3.4% salary increase, have health care coverage most of us can only wish for and a retirement program that is generous and secure. Teachers do pay 8% into their health care plan and 3% for 10 years into the retirement system. Taxpayers fund the rest. As such, they have a right to know what the contract hang-up is all about. And, considering taxpayers fund the retirement system even more so when the market does poorly and that teachers pay no state taxes on their pensions, damn straight taxpayers should know what is being negotiated.
Superintendent Myszka responded that the BOE was in the Fact Finder process. “We are about to ask the LTA union to sign a Fact Finder release. It is in the works, right now. It was supposed to take place today, but because of a scheduling conflict it did not take place. Once the Fact Finder is signed, it becomes public. What we don’t want to do is negotiate in the media. We don’t want to back someone in a corner, where they have no place to go.”
Having the contract information made public is important to this individual. When speaking with several teachers this past year and asking them what was holding up contract settlement, they responded that they had a good year and that they wanted a lot in return. When I ask “What’s a lot,” they reply they don’t know; that their union is handling the matter. Perhaps their union is asking too much.
There is no question that Lancaster had a good academic year, especially considering they went from 16th to 12th in Business First’s school district rankings. Well, a lot of private sector employees were required to up their production and did not receive any increase in salary for their effort.
I commended the BOE for its efforts; especially the School Board members who receive no salary, sacrifice so much time in attending outside meetings, seminars, etc. and too often are criticized in the process. It is unfortunate that but a few residents attend the regular BOE meetings and more unfortunate that they do not participate at the budget work sessions. They are missing an opportunity to become better informed on how the school district manages the system and the difficulty in setting a budget that provides the best education possible with the revenue means at its disposal.
Lastly, I stated to the BOE: “We always hear it’s for the kids, that teachers have a tough job and deserve more, please keep in mind that it’s also supposed to be with the interest of the taxpayer in mind as well.
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