In recent weeks, The Observer has covered the progress of teacher contract negotiations in Districts 220 and 300. After a one-day strike, District 300 agreed to a tentative contract with their teachers’ union, LEAD 300, Tuesday evening. The details of the agreement have not been released, but the main issues were salary and class sizes. District 220 negotiations, on the other hand, are now entering a mediation phase after talks with the union since last spring resulted in an impasse.
We applaud the openness demonstrated by the District 300 administration during their negotiations. Offers made to the teacher’s union were posted and updated on their website for all to see. CUSD 220 administration, however, as left taxpayers in the dark on what has been offered to teachers. Given the history of the 220 Board of Education’s negotiation prowess, it’s likely the news won’t be satisfying to most taxpayers, and reality is foreshadowed by the maximum five-percent levy increase the board will likely approve at their December 18 meeting.
Teachers in both districts have stated, “It’s not about money,” but an analysis of the numbers might prove otherwise.
Between 2004 and 2012, the average teacher salary in 220 increased from $59,870 to 80,451 – a 34.4% increase in eight years. During that same period, the average administrator salary climbed from $114,148 to 128,615, a more modest 12.7%, and spending per student went from $10,476 to 13,817 (source: Pioneer Press).
Beyond these salaries tied to pensions lies the Illinois $96 billion pension shortfall for all union employees. Our elected officials in Springfield are working feverishly at Governor Pat Quinn’s encouragement to shift teacher pension obligations to local school districts. In other words, taxpayers who have already been hit with a 66% increase in their state income tax rate face even higher property taxes.
Is nearly $14,000 per District 220 student, per year, in expenditures reasonable? Compared to other unionized school districts, it’s debatable, but when compared to more efficient non-union private schools, it’s exorbitant beyond belief.
For example, St. Anne Catholic School in Barrington charges a tuition fee of $6,070 per student, per year, for grades 1-8 including transportation to and from the school via the same bus company District 220 employs. They also offer half and full day kindergarten for less per year. Further, the tuition in Saint Viator in Arlington Heights for grades 9-12 is $11,400 per year, per student.
So in today’s dollars, a K-12 education in District 220 costs $179,621. The same education delivered in local private schools costs $97,460, so clearly something is broken and in need of repair.
So where is this leading? With the current economic climate, Barrington Hills homeowners are under siege from all directions. Unemployment continues to hover around 8%, foreclosures are at record levels and property taxes continue to rise, despite recent drops in assessments in some townships.
Yet, teachers’ unions continue to demand higher salaries, and school boards inevitably cave in. We wonder when our elected representatives on these boards will finally say enough is enough and have the courage to stand tough against the unreasonable demands of these unions and finally give taxpayers a break.
– The Observer
This article, while bordering on shocking, does not begin to scratch the surface of the human suffering that results from the greed and mismanagement of the educational system in Illinois. I have personally witnessed the anguish that our older citizens face when they are priced out of their life long homes due to the exorbitant tax increases that they are burdened with. This is a travesty and one that is overdue for being addressed by the people who are elected to watch out for them. The cost skyrockets and the quality descends to ever increasing levels of mediocrity. It is past time that competition via school vouchers be introduced to break the monopoly that serves only the educators well.
Feeding time for the pigs ….again!
The article fails to mention teacher’s pensions tied to salaries at retirement. Their pensions go up a flat 3% per year. When was the last time Social Security payments went up by that much?
How can teachers who seem to think irrationally every three years when contracts are up provide the students with a “real world” education? The answer is they don’t with this mentality.
Once again, thanks for gathering the facts and presenting them in a concise order. I am one of those older residents who is on a fixed income and certainly don’t want any more taxes. The sad part about the continued hike in teacher and administrator salaries is that it is non-negotiable by the tax payers. Building and operating cost referendum are voted on but not so with the stronghold that the unions have over our communities with their own salary hikes. The only hope for this relentless cycle is to get young parents involved who will stick to their guns with the unions. Run for the school board and stop this spiraling out of control practice. Quinn wants the pensions that he gave away to get elected to be absorbed by our communities. Tell your local school board, State Representative and State Senator “NO!”
The tax payers of Illinois are already obligated to fund a pension system that is 233 Billion in the red. Unlike the Federal Government, Tax payers do not have a printing press at their disposal and their simply are not enough wealth producers to fund it. Truth be told, the Illinois (teacher’s) pension system is already bankrupt, they just don’t know it. Quinn’s solution is to send this financial obligation back to the local communities and wash their hands of it. Monty Ward is correct say “No” .
Our Illinois Economy has stagnated for more than 5 years, our value of our homes has been almost halved by the decline in RE values as evidenced by both recent sales and much lower evaluations if one is trying to refinance their home. Yet, the taxes related to a home in this area are still exorbitantly out of range. And now we read that our school system wants to again increase their take from the taxpayers of Barrington? They should be cutting across the board to bring their expenses back in-line with the values and potential to pay of the citizens of the community. Average take-home pay has plummeted, median income is back to 1980’s levels, and school systems are plowing ahead with more increases and higher taxes – outrageous to say the least! Are they trying to be the last party to extract the last dollar possible from each taxpayer?