Help for taxpayers - please

[Rollerblades]

Many districts are having trouble with negotiations this year, because NJEA is pushing local district associations to hold fast for 4 to 5 % . And no concessions on health care, maybe the most costly of all.

How can any BOE justify to their community to raise taxes so they can give teachers (good bad or indifferent) that type of raise? So many homes being foreclosed. So many senior citizens not getting an increase in their Social Security.

Now NJEA is using propaganda at the local level, having parents bombarded with flyers, tshirts and buttons.

Hundreds of teachers attending mediation hearings, boe meetings, etc. You are lucky to get 10 teachers out at dances, sports events, concerts or kids activities.

Tell us again how the teachers care about kids?? Of course they do, and they should. Teaching is their chosen career path.

Any ideas?? thoughts??

[Pineygirl]

I think it's completely ridiculous, and I wish the teachers themselves would stand up against their union.

In our township they offered 2.75% (something like that, anyway), which I consider EXTREMELY generous. Nothing against the quality of the teachers.

It's ALL about the fact that the people who pay the teachers have forgone raises, taken lower raises, given bonuses, or lost their jobs. It's a slap in the face to give any public servant a raise in these times. Many of the people who have suffered NO raises or lost their jobs were very good, too. The economy SUCKS. The teachers need to accept that and understand that this is not a "raise year."

Why can't the union say no raise this year and X% next year and the year after that, if the economy grows by X% each year? I'm sure there's a reasonable formula they could come up with.