School Budget Cuts Should Start at
the Top
Editorial Until very recently, this meant tax cuts: the “cure-all” solution
to propel the economy onward and upward was simply to cut people’s
taxes – or so we were told. Today, the failure of this policy
and the realities of lopsided spending have ushered in a new wave
of cuts.
Budget cuts.
The New York State government faces a massive budget deficit and has
no remaining option but to reduce spending at almost every level. The
biggest immediate impact to students comes from the loss of significant
amounts of state aid to schools, especially those in relatively financially
healthy areas like Canandaigua. Our district stands to lose up to $1.69
million for next year’s budget – a significant sum that
will have an impact across the board.
The school district is currently looking for the obvious things to cut from the
budget, and some “nonessential” items are already gone. No longer
is there money for field trips, sports scrimmages, or printing costs of student
publications.
In a letter posted on the District website,
Canandaigua Superintendent-of-Schools Don
Raw has promised to “look at
every aspect” of the school district’s budget, “seeking efficiencies
and cost cuts wherever they are applicable.” But before they sacrifice
any of the items that form the foundation of the educational experience for the
student body, the school board and the administration should look to trim the
top of the pyramid.
According to District Spokesman Andy Thomas, Mr. Raw currently draws a salary
of $183,000 for his work in managing the school system, as well as a $7,800 stipend
for travel costs.
Given the current economic state of both the school district and the taxpayers
who support it financially, Mr. Raw should consider taking a small salary cut.
A 10% reduction in his pay would have two benefits: the superintendant could
save the district $18,300 – more than the annual salary of many District
employees – and, more importantly,
show
Canandaigua residents that the man in charge of our school system is serious
about the need
to tighten our belts. Mr. Raw could also contemplate either returning his travel
stipend to the District or at least, since the taxpayers are buying his gas,
driving a more fuel-efficient vehicle.
These aren’t unprecedented suggestions – the
superintendent of the
Godfrey Lee School District in Wyoming recently took a voluntary ten percent
reduction to his smaller salary of $109,000 in order to help meet his district’s
budget shortfall of $1.05 million. Governor Patterson - who is paid less than our superintendant -
recently pleged to do the same.
Even after taking these cuts, Mr. Raw would
still earn about $165,000, a sum that in upstate New York supports a very comfortable
lifestyle. By contrast,
a teacher in this district with 20 years of experience who teaches six classes
a day makes between sixty and sixty-five thousand dollars – the same amount
paid to Mr. Raw’s recently
hired secretary.
Tough economic times require sacrifices from all; before cutting student activities
and the positions held by aides, who earn marginally more than the minimum wage,
our superintendent should demonstrate that he fully appreciates the gravity of
his district’s financial situation. A serious gesture of personal sacrifice
from Mr. Raw would go a long way towards increasing the taxpayers’ faith
in the fiscal responsibility of a district that has recently grown accustomed
to ambitious spending programs.
The superintendent no doubt has a tough job,
made even more difficult by the current predicament, and he deserves adequate
compensation for his efforts. But when the school cannot afford the most basic
classroom supplies it becomes impossible to justify paying him three times the
salary of a veteran teacher. Return
to top
See Also: No More Pencils,
No More Books - District Takes Axe to Budget |
