 |
| May 05, 2025 |
Welcome! Click here to Login
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
Click to visit the
Official Town Site
|
|
|
|
|
|
Letters to the Editor: School District Should Negotiate Wage Freeze
March 19, 2011
To the Editor:
The Cornwall Central School District is facing major revenue and spending problems. The revenue problem originates at the state level and there is nothing we can do in the short run to address this issue. However, the spending problem is largely in our control and we can, with help and cooperation from taxpayers, district employees, and from the six or seven different unions involved with our school district, address this problem. We all must face economic reality and understand that our community cannot support the current and proposed cost structure of our school system. The original budget proposal called for preserving the status quo at a price of an 8.57 percent increase in the property tax lien this year. Depending upon what happens in Albany, similar increases would be required in each of the next two years just to maintain the status quo. The other extreme, cutting teachers and completely eliminating a host of programs, is an equally unpleasant option.
I believe there is a suitable middle ground that the community, all school district employees, and their unions can accept. We must all work together, and sacrifice together, to make this and future budgets work for us all.
As was mentioned at the School Budget Advisory Committee meeting Wednesday evening, approximately 75 percent of the school budget is directly tied to labor costs. Nearly $1 million of our $59 million budget represents salary increases. Every $390,000 in budget reductions represents an approximate 1.1 percent reduction in the tax levy. Giving up these salary increases would save jobs, preserve all programs in our school district, maintain the high level of education and enrichment for our children, and, coupled with some additional cuts mentioned by the board, increase the lien on taxes by approximately four to five percent this year.
A five percent increase in the property tax ilien is much more onerous than foregoing a wage increase, but it is preferable to job losses and deep program cuts that will negatively impact our kids and our community.
I ask our school board to immediately initiate discussions with the union hierarchy and employees of the CCSD to address the issue of a wage freeze. We need to pull together now to preserve the outstanding people and programs that make our school district great.
I ask all members of our community to attend the Board of Education meeting on March 28th and the School Budget Advisory Committee meeting on April 4th. Both meetings start at 7 pm at the Lee Road School. Make your opinions known now!
Sincerely,
Stephen Vondrak
Comments:
No comments have been posted.
Add a Comment:
Please signup or login to add a comment.
|
 |
|
|
|
