Wednesday, May 10, 2006
Threatened Teacher Strike Leads to Higher Taxes
After one 12-day strike in the early part of this school year followed by the threat of another, teachers at the Penn-Trafford School District reached a settlement on a contract dispute. The details were not released. But the results of this accord have come home to roost for district taxpayers. The school board voted to approve a new budget that includes a 5-mill (7 percent) tax increase. The reasons for the tax increase, according to the board president, are the salary increases in the new contract as well as an increase in health care costs.
During the often contentious negotiations, many parents sided with the teachers and pressured board members into giving them what they want. How many of the “give them what they want” crowd also complains about their property taxes? School property taxes account for two-thirds of a property owner’s tax bill. Were these parents aware of this when they pushed for salary increases or will they happily pay the higher millage?
Allowing teachers to hold a community hostage through the right to strike has led to an escalation of teacher salaries, and as a result, the cost of education. Since funding comes from taxpayers, they are the ones who ultimately pay more and more. Two things need to happen to break this cycle. First, the right to strike needs to be eliminated. Strikes give teachers the upper hand in negotiations by pressuring the school board to give in to its demands. Parents, who are inconvenienced by the strike, often take the teachers’ side and become accomplices in this pressure. Secondly, voters should have the right of referendum on all millage increases for any school spending. Those in education should be held accountable for the spending of taxpayer money. Until these measures are put in place, there may be no end in sight for higher taxes to fund education.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06129/688659-56.stm
During the often contentious negotiations, many parents sided with the teachers and pressured board members into giving them what they want. How many of the “give them what they want” crowd also complains about their property taxes? School property taxes account for two-thirds of a property owner’s tax bill. Were these parents aware of this when they pushed for salary increases or will they happily pay the higher millage?
Allowing teachers to hold a community hostage through the right to strike has led to an escalation of teacher salaries, and as a result, the cost of education. Since funding comes from taxpayers, they are the ones who ultimately pay more and more. Two things need to happen to break this cycle. First, the right to strike needs to be eliminated. Strikes give teachers the upper hand in negotiations by pressuring the school board to give in to its demands. Parents, who are inconvenienced by the strike, often take the teachers’ side and become accomplices in this pressure. Secondly, voters should have the right of referendum on all millage increases for any school spending. Those in education should be held accountable for the spending of taxpayer money. Until these measures are put in place, there may be no end in sight for higher taxes to fund education.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06129/688659-56.stm
