Newsday Makes Some Great Points About School Costs

Having been away for several days, I am still catching up on what the local and national media said during that time.

For anyone who has not been living inside a glass bubble for the past few years, or for anyone who has been living in the real world and not been in deep denial about reality, the subject of escalating school costs and its impact on the affordability of living on Long Island is something that we know is critical for all of us.

On Sunday, May 17th, Newsday had its lead editorial titled "A coming crisis in school costs," which appeared on page A40, and which is found on their website, in an updated and slightly modified version, titled "There's a crisis coming for school costs." If this link does not work, you can paste into your browser the following:

http://www.newsday.com/news/opinion/ny-vpschl1712766398may18,0,1629189.story

The entire Newsday editorial is worth your reading and consideration, but I would like to highlight a few sections of particular importance.

The Newsday paragraph that will probably have the various teachers unions up in arms, since an enlightened public is a more likely challenge to the covert and intentionally complicated structure of contracts negotiated by those unions, is as follows:

"Voters would also be better able to exercise local control if they were given more information about teachers' contracts. Salary structures could be posted online, giving a fuller picture of the step raises, educational credits and other boosts to salaries. Parents seeking an excellent district might certainly be willing to pay higher taxes for better performance, but taxpayers should know the details of the planned wage increase as well as the hidden escalators."

Now, to that very point about hidden escalators, on May 21st of 2007 I published a piece, titled "What About That "Elephant in the Room?", that dealt with the intricacies of contracts which allow unions and some complicit boards of education and superintendents to play down the full cost of the teaching staff of a school district. You may read that original commentary on this blog as it has been posted, immediately prior to this posting, for convenient reference.

Earlier in the Newsday editorial, the important point is made that Long Islanders should keep in mind "...that a couple of budget-busters are heading our way in two years, and school districts should begin planning for them now. Federal stimulus money is expected to disappear by 2011. And the teachers' retirement fund has lost so much money in the market crash that schools' pension contributions will soon soar."

At the end of the editorial, Newsday sums up with a plea to all, including the teachers unions:
"School spending, which accounts for 65 to 70 percent of property taxes in Long Island communities, needs to slow down so we can all afford to live here together - teachers included. We shouldn't wait two years for a crisis before taking action."

As I said, the entire Newsday editorial is worth reading, and after you have read it, please consider how you can get involved to prevent the implosion of our school systems on Long Island if rapid, and even radical, change is not made to protect the education of your children, and to preserve your home values from the destruction of unaffordable tax increases.

Jerry Hannon