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October 5th, 2011 |
Cindy Robert
Budget “Cut” Confusion: An Oregon Parent’s Perspective on Recent Changes to Schools
I feel angry, conflicted and frustrated. I know schools took huge cuts (but was this really cuts to growth, but still more than last year?). I know class sizes had to be bigger (but was this really that unions would not budge?). I know specialties have been cut (but was this really staff inflexibility?). I know teachers are underpaid (but was this a balancing effort due to big benefits?).
All the things “I know” because my school district and the media tell me, yet I cannot make the facts fit with the numbers I saw at the legislature. The cuts to school budgets were not huge – the lack of increase was the key. So why so much change? No more library or computers at my son’s school. No more music options at my daughter’s school. Both have classrooms too big for even the best teachers. If we are just working with the dollars of last year, why are these schools so different?
Meeting agreed upon salary and benefit increases seem the answer to me – can any of you show where I am wrong?
Part of the problem,
\Lousy stock market returns this year means that Oregon public employers will likely be on the hook for much higher pension plan costs during the 2013-15 biennium, according to a report received by the state’s Public Employees Retirement System.
Investment returns for PERS’ $56 billion pension fund through the end of August showed growth of only 3.5 percent, far below the 8 percent earnings target upon which the system’s finances are calculated.
http://www.statesmanjournal.com/article/20111001/NEWS/110010326/PERS-costs-may-rise-poor-market?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Home
If the investment fund doesn’t meet that target, then state agencies, school districts, local governments and other public entities will see their rates increase to make up the difference.
This is bad news for Oregon governments that just saw their PERS rates more than double in the current biennium, with additional pension costs squeezing already tight budgets and eating away money that could be spent on programs and services.\
The evil teacher narrative is so destructive. According to our state constitution, the minimal amount to adequately fund education is 8.1 billion. We budgeted 5.7. We can’t perpetually ask for schools to do more with less, as we have been.
As much as I support and like teachers, the pension guarantees and matches are not sustainable for teachers or public employeees. It’s not realistic to guarantee an 8% return every year. No private employer can afford the high contributions or return guarantees and contain their costs, neither can our public organizations. This must be addressed or it will continue to burden the budget every year.
Ice bacon,
I agree. You said, “The evil teacher narrative is so destructive.
But, who said anything about an “evil teacher”?