It's hard to write a post against Teachers.
Teachers are overworked and underpaid. They often spend their own money on supplies for their classrooms and, all too often, for students.
I haven't met anyone that thinks Teachers are paid too much or don't deserve a raise. In Jefferson Parish, the starting salary for a teacher is $40,949. Which, according to the School System, is the lowest starting salary in the Metro New Orleans area. The "Teacher Tax" would raise JP to $44,949, or 2nd in the area behind only Plaquemines Parish ($46,300).
Like I said, it's hard to write a post against Teachers, especially JP Teachers.
So, I won't.
But, if you believe the spin coming from the Jefferson Parish Public School System (JPPSS), it's high-priced PR firm, and the Teacher's Union, if YOU vote No on the "Teacher Tax" YOU are against Teachers.
Sadly, that perception just doesn't match reality.
So, while I won't write a post against Teachers, I will tell you why I think the "Teacher Tax" is not needed and why you should vote NO.
Let's break things down a little and look at the numbers.
According to the school system, in 2015/16 (the last year noted on their website) the JPPSS had 48,835 students and 6,029 employees, of which only 2,892 are "Certified Teachers". That's a Student/Teacher ratio of 16.88/1. The US Department of Education only has data through 2013 and that shows that the average Student/Teacher ratio nationwide was 16.1/1. The State of Louisiana sets the maximum number of Students per Teacher at 20/1.
That also means that, the JPPSS has more non-teachers than teachers.
The JPPSS has a FY 2017 budget of $579 Million which means it spends over $11,856 per student per year. Again, according to the Federal Government, spending per pupil in 2013 was $10,700. Louisiana averaged $10,490 in 2013.
So, if the amount spent per student is above both the National and State averages, what's the problem?
That answer is simple: like most government entities, and many people, the JPPSS has a spending and a debt problem.
They spend and borrow too much and, instead of being prudent and cutting back, the JPPSS simply comes back to the taxpayer for more.
On November 18th, it's an 8.45 mills tax for "Teacher Pay". This Spring it will be another tax for new buildings.
This despite the fact that in 2012, voters approved a 9 mill renewal for "Teacher Salaries and Benefits", and, in 2013, voters also approved a 7 mill renewal for "Buildings". In addition, in 2015 and 2016, the School System added over $89 Million in new debt and paid an almost $10 Million "Premium on bond issuance".
And, voters also approved an additional 1/2% sales tax for "increasing salaries and benefits of school teachers and other employees" among other things. This raised the amount the of sales tax the JPPSS receives to 2% of JP's 4.75%.
Oh yeah, and in 2015, the School Board approved a $32 Million settlement as part of the BP Oil Spill.
The new debt added to the School System's existing debt means that, as of 6/30/2016, the JPPSS had outstanding debt of $206,492,000. The annual interest payments alone on the debt are $28.4 Million.
The new tax is estimated to generate $27 Million annually for 10 years, or less than the amount the JPPSS pays annually in interest payments.
In fact, the JPPSS is budgeted to spend $89 Million in "Purchased Professional & Technical Services" in 2017, up from $40 Million in 2016, and both more than the amount of revenue the new tax would generate.
What are "Purchased Professional & Technical Services"? Legal, accounting, engineering and architectural services primarily (or, things not directly related to educating our youth).
In addition, "General Administration" costs ballooned by almost 50% from $23.4 Million in 2015 to $31.2 Million in 2016.
Clearly, some money could be cut from both of those items to fund teachers and I'm certain there is even more fat that could be cut before asking taxpayers to dole out even more money.
The "Teacher Tax" will giver every JP Teacher an additional $4,000 per year. It would also give employees earning $20,000 per year a $3,000 increase and those earning less than $20,000 a 10% salary increase.
If we round things off and say that there are 3,000 teachers in JP, giving every one of them $4,000 would still only total $12 Million, so only about 44% of this tax will actually go to increasing teacher salaries.
The remaining 56% or so will go towards increasing the pay of other JPPSS employees, from Administrators to Janitors.
But, don't they deserve to be paid more too?
Perhaps, but not until all of the fat in the JPPSS budget is cut and teachers (which should be the #1 priority of the JPPSS) have their salaries increased.
And, we haven't even brought up the School System's continued mediocre performance.
The JPPSS says that it needs this tax to "be competitive".
In a statement supporting the tax, the JPPSS also says, "Teachers are the key drivers for improving educational outcomes in the classroom. We are losing teachers at all levels, but especially newer teachers."
What the JPPSS can't say is if newer teachers are leaving because of the pay or for other reasons and, if it is the pay, is another $76 a week (before taxes) going to get them to stay?
But, if MORE money from this tax is going to non-teachers, how is this tax about making our schools competitive and retaining and attracting quality teachers?
And, if the situation is as dire as the JPPSS would have you believe, why can't they cut some money from non-teacher spending to afford the raises?
Until the JPPSS can get it's non-teacher related spending and it's debt under control, no JP resident should support spending more of our money for below average performance.
Whether it's called a "Teacher Tax" or not.
Sorry if that makes you say that I'm "Against Teachers".
The reality is that I'm just a guy against more taxes, especially before you cut government first.
