Keep Framingham Affordable
Working to Keep Your | 
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Every tax is a pay cut. |
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| Layoffs are preferable to override | Friday, May 12, 2006 |
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| Harold J. Wolfe, Framingham | Framingham Tab |
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Framingham's fiscal year 2007 budget calls for a $5.4 million increase in
revenues through Proposition 2 1/2 and new growth. Unfortunately,
an eye-opening, greedy and price gouging 7 percent across the board school
pay hike and health insurance, retirement and oil/gas cost increases requires
$11.4 million.
The options are an override to transfer more money from the taxpayers pockets to the teachers union or trimming $6 million from the $113 million that we will be giving to the schools. Given this attempt at price gouging by the Framingham Teachers Association, I strongly recommend layoffs. State enrollment data shows Framingham's current enrollment is the same as it was in 2000 when there was 690 teachers but this year we have 721 teachers. Union seniority allows Framingham to have as many kindergarten teachers making over $70,000 as it has math teachers making over $70,000. Teachers only work a 180 day year. The latest MERC figures shows Framingham's average 2006 wage (adjusted for 3 percent inflation since 2004) to be $61,426. The average Framingham teacher salary (for a nine month year) is $60,189. If teachers worked a full year, their average salary would be $74,901. At an average cost of $13,000 per student, Framingham public schools cost more than most public universities while their results are in the realm of mediocrity. The three year contract with Dr. Christopher Martes signed on Aug. 1, 2003 has now been extended until July 31, 2010. Current compensation is approximately $190,000, not including retirement and health insurance. |
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Send comments to:
hjw2001@gmail.com
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