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Members of Teamsters Local 695 at City Brewery voted to give up some scheduled wage and benefit increases for the final year of their three-year contract to help the brewery deal with higher costs.

….“It is a very competitive environment,” City Brewing Co. CEO George Parke III said Friday, while declining to give specifics about the company’s proposal.

….City Brewing and its salaried and union employees have been working together to improve the company’s competitive position, Parke said.

Imagine that. Working together to improve the company’s competitive position. Admirable. Constructive. Hopefully good for the economy, the community and all of that.

Ok. If folks can pull together for the economy, for the heritage of the brewery, for their jobs – wouldn’t you think folks could pull together – for the kids????

But no. Referendum after referendum in the state is asking for more and more operating dollars. Districts are struggling to make really tough tradeoffs. You’ve seen the press reports… Keep French or orchestra, but not both. Eliminate gymnastics. Increase class sizes. Don’t paint the classrooms. Use older and older textbooks.

But ask the staff to “give up some scheduled wage and benefit increases?” NEVER.

NO bottom line, just the bottomless well of the taxpayer’s pockets. Cadillac health care plans, generous retirement plans – and still ongoing wage and benefit increases. We tiptoe around it – and it’s just not right that Wisconsin’s teachers aren’t offering to begin to control wage and benefit costs.

I know. We're going to hear how hard this teacher works or that teacher works for the 180 days of the year (or whatever it is) that they work. And we're going to here how much they've suffered at the hands of the QEO. Lots of folks in this economy work hard - and have paid more and more for health care.

And yes, most teachers do a fantastic job at what they do – and we appreciate them. But you know what? Many, many Wisconsinites in this economy of the 21st century do a fantastic job at the work they’re doing.

So let's look at Wausaukee School District, north of Crivitz in Marinette County.

The District is asking taxpayers to vote on a 4-year, $4.125 million referendum. And unlike many referendums, this one actually has some organized opposition. “Citizens for a Sustainable Education” members are working to defeat the referendum and will ask the Board to make long-term plans to address the “continuous practice of deficit spending” (per Jerry Gerbers, one of the opposition leaders). Good. Wonderful.

Just for the heck of it, let’s just pretend this is a private sector operation that’s got to find a way to end a year with a positive P & L (imagine that) in an environment where it’s more and more difficult to raise prices (i.e…. taxes).

Helpful facts (from SchoolFacts 07, Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance):

• Total enrollment is 617 students. A tiny district. Consolidation is a possibility, though hasn’t been carefully analyzed. The district is large geographically and travel distances are an issue.
  
• Because of comparatively high property values, state aid for the Wausaukee District is relatively low.
  
• Even though average income of District taxpayers ($32,367 per household, for 12 months) is 30% below the state average, teacher salaries (Starting salary, $29,485, maximum salary, $56,055 for a 9-month contract) are at or above average state teacher salaries.
• Pupil to teacher ratios are similar to state averages.
  
• Cost per student is 5% above the state average.
  
• Student performance is not great – in the bottom half, and for some measures, the bottom 10th of the state.

What does all that say? How would you produce a quality product and a positive P & L?

Well, certainly it’s a multi-front battle. Consider consolidation. Do some heavy-duty lobbying for change in the equalization formula (talk about hitting your head against a wall…) and maybe, just maybe, consider freezing teacher salaries, enhance (?) accountability measures, do what it takes to reduce health care costs, and increase employee contributions to health care and retirement plans.

Can you imagine teacher salaries ever being frozen? Even if it was for the kids? I’m not holding my breath…..

Sure, "It's all for the Kids"

Glenn L Schilling (Fri Feb 15 10:39:18 2008)

If Obama wins the dem's nomination, it's only getting worse:

I'm a lifelong republican, hate Hilldog, and know she'd be a God-awful president, but at least she'd lose to McCain handedly in the general election.

If Obama gets the nomination of the Democrats, he could very well beat McCain in November. That's a reality we as a party need to face now.

Wisconsin Republicans- get out the vote for Hillary on Tuesday. I know it will feel disgusting, but what you're doing is for the good of the country.

Wisconsin GOP for Hillary (for now)!

redbadgercourage@hotmail.com (Fri Feb 15 10:48:29 2008)

Wouldn't it be great if every American could received the wages and benefits they feel they deserve. Any American who believes that's possible is living in fantasyland.

Globalization has forced vitually all American manufacturers and many service companies to compete on a global scale. American private sector companies are slowly adapting to this reality, not because they want to, but because they have to.

Sadly most public school teachers have been sheltered from the economic reality of globalization due to their monopoly status and the teachers union. The education monopoly together with unrealistic union demands have succeeded in pricing public education at a level where taxapyers can no longer afford it.

There is only one answer to the problem of unsustainable spiraling public school costs. Deregulation. A breakup of the education monopoly in this country is the only way teachers will understand they must share the pain of globalization.

Russ (Fri Feb 15 10:59:45 2008)

Interesting that the average per student cost in the U.S. in near $10.00, most other western civilized countries it's closer to $5.00.
Under President Bush the Federal budget amount for schools grew from $36 Billion to $90 Billion in 2007. But yet, only 50% of college grads are proficient in reading and math. But the liberals keep hollering for more and more dollars every year and still we stay near the bottom of all civilized countries in math, sciences, etc.
Some college students can't even tell you who's buried in Grant's Tomb.
Maybe another few billion will correct all that. Right...........Wrong!

John Hyland (Fri Feb 15 16:01:58 2008)

Unfortunately Jo I do not believe that many teachers have a basic understanding of economics. The money for education comes out of someone's pocket. I have witnessed that many times. And as a previous writer mentioned there are very few jobs with such great security.

Especially troubling are the "special programs" such as SAGE that highly inflate the costs of education. Only a very brave person would take that program on.

We should call on the Board of Education and Superintendent Allinger to create a "Blue Ribbon" panel with the charge of containing education costs, without compromising quality. (And create a workable definition of quality).

Rudy Giuliani talked of what it would take to do for America what he did for New York city. Rudy referred to the US effort to get a man to the moon. He said that it took a "Herculean" effort. Thats what we need in education. A Herculean effort to solve the problem.

David (Fri Feb 15 16:27:20 2008)

So I'm demonizing teachers? I think not. I'm stating a well-reasoned opinion - and I'm stating it publicly, not anonymously as you have chosen to do.

Wage and benefit packages for teachers compare very favorably with comparable positions in the private sector, including the starting salaries - at which teachers don't stay for long.

Yes, I expect that someone in our society who opts for a 9-month position should not be paid for a 12-month position. Yes, I expect, that just as many occupations, continuing education, paid by the worker, is part of the job. Certainly those who choose the profession should be well aware of it.

Yes, our society and our kids need teachers - good teachers, effective teachers. But that doesn't mean that teacher wages and benefits should be higher than what taxpayers can and should afford to pay.

Jo E. (Mon Feb 18 2:06:10)

Hooray! More teacher bashing. So the starting salary of under $30,000 is too high? Remember, teaching requires a 4-year degree plus some form of teaching certification that often takes longer than just getting the 4-year degree. Also, teachers usually have to take classes during the summers (that they pay for out of their own pocket) to maintain their certification.

Finally, even though they have a 9-month contract, do you really expect them to get a lucrative job for their 3-month "break"? Doing what?

If you want to reduce school costs, do the following: 1) Look at the administration, 99% of the time there are to many administrators and they are paid double or triple the salary of teachers in the district 2) Stop chasing after the educational fad of the month. Every "amazing" new reading or math program requires the changeover to new books and new training that costs thousands of dollars 3) Cut athletic programs - yeah, people get up in arms about this, but they suck down tons of money.

If none of those options work for you, don't demonize teachers. Pay a few more bucks in property taxes and appreciate that you're contributing to the education of the next generation.

a concerned citizen (Sun Feb 17 23:38:23 2008)

Jo:
It will be interesting to see if Governor Doyle offers up the 4th grade kindergarten program to address the current fiscal crisis facing the state. He will probably borrow more money and shift funds rather than go against WEAC. This program was a good example of pushing through a concept that we could neither afford or that we really needed. I would have rather spent the money on other key areas and or reduce the amount of other cuts that are going to be necessary to stay within the budget.

Again, no one really sat down and prioritized what schools really need and just added a "feel good" program without thinking about the financial consequences. It really will take the voters to make this a part of their questioning of potential legislative candidates this fall to effect any meaningful change.

Mike Thomas (Mon Feb 18 08:38:45 2008)

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