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Letter: Sees 'uncontrolled' school wage hikes

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August 25, 2010

I have just received the 2009-10 Nordonia Hills City Schools Annual Report. The Financial Information section shows total expenses have increased from $33.3 million in FY06 to $46.8 million in FY10.

This is a 40 percent increase in five years, or about 8 percent per year.

The biggest part of this is salaries, which increased from $20.1 million in FY06 to $24 million in FY10. This is a 5 percent increase per year.

Benefits increased from $6.7 million to $9.1 million, or about 7 percent per year.

In the same time frame, revenue increased from $37.2 million to $43.5 million.

It also shows the annual spending per student is estimated to be about $11,724 this year.

I don't think we taxpayers can continue to pay more so that school salaries can increase 5 percent per year and benefits 7 percent per year.

I don't know how the School Board can justify such increases -- especially in a near recession.

Oh yes, they took a pay freeze for the next year -- waiting for the levy to hopefully pass.

I believe the levy will be on the ballot in November 2010, February 2011 and/or May 2011. They just will not take no for an answer.

I think it's obvious the School Board has not controlled salaries and benefits in a fiscally responsibly manner under the circumstances.

We all have been affected by the downturn, and they should sacrifice just like they are asking the students to sacrifice with fee increases and possible busing cuts.

Chuck Starcher

Sagamore Hills




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1.
    Posted by Penny August 25, 2010
I believe the letter in the August 25 issue criticizes the Nordonia Hills school board unfairly. Increased costs for benefits does not necessarily mean increased benefits. Health insurance premiums alone have been increasing by double digit percents for the last several years. Therefore, if they've kept the overall increase to 7%, they've done a good job.
I'd also like to thank the teachers for taking a pay freeze. No one expects salaries to stay stagnant forever, certainly our utility and grocery bills are going up. But, with the number of people unemployed in this area, it showed the community that we're all in this together.
Please don't misunderstand, I don't agree with the way the athletic levy was forced onto us, and I'm opposed to selling the property on Dunham Road. But, I do believe that on these issues the school board and the teachers deserve credit.

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