State budget deal includes cuts in teacher salaries

nolongersilent said on May 25, 2011 at 9:32 PM

I've been reading Rattler's posts for several days now, and his bitter arguments ring hollow with me. Rattler, you chose the sacrifices that go with steep tuition in a private school. You chose to entrust your child's education to someone else (or you would be home schooling). You separate yourself from "us" as an "abused taxpayer", without acknowledging the fact that we are parents and abused taxpayers too. You're angry that, in your mind, you work harder than we do, with no apparent grasp of our pride in and commitment to this very important work that we do. Every day, we stand right in the middle of a tug of war between the administrations that really call the shots and the reality of what our students really need from us...and we try to do it well, while saving something of ourselves to take home to our own families at night, just like you. We're no different than you...except that you talk the talk and we walk the walk. And we do it with no help from people like you. What a shame.

moonrane said on May 25, 2011 at 8:44 PM

I think Rattler needs to check his facts before he opens his mouth. He said "pay $7000 per year (or more) for health care." For a family of three, a teacher pays a min of 12,000 a year just for the basic coverage. 1279.38 is what comes out of my paycheck every month for medical. I have been teaching for six years and I love teaching and love my students. They are the reason I work as hard as I do. When it comes to how much I make, it's hard. I bring home around $1600 a month. The problem with our pay is this: How can we take care of other people's children to the best of our ability, when we have to worry whether we can feed our own families or pay our bills? No one thinks about how teaching effects our families, they only think about theirs. As teachers we think and care for everyone's children. Who thinks about ours? Who takes care of our families while we are spending 50-60 hours a week taking care of others? I would like to see Rattler become teacher and see how it feels.

banditrider said on May 25, 2011 at 4:47 PM

The model used for determining state workers salaries is out of whack, not so much the bottom rung teachers but the upper level administrators. We have principals making over $100K per year, superintendents making several hundred K per year, and university presidents making millions. Time to cut fat from the top!

iamsuuusan said on May 25, 2011 at 4:12 PM

Why can't teachers say to a parent, "I am sorry but your child is an idiot." Why can't they say, "Standard tests show your child should participate in life skills training and may be a good brick layer. Why can't they say, "As a professional educator this is what I would recommend for your child." I would think good teachers would be able to identify which students would be good doctors, lawyers or Indian chiefs. In the USA if an involved parent is convinced the tests or the professional are wrong that parent and that child can prove them wrong. In my opinion if we are to revamp or make cuts in education HS is where it should be. We learn the basics in K-9. Who keeps insisting a college degree and public education is the only way to gain knowledge. HS should prepare children for their move into the adult world. It should help establish goals and help with plans on how to reach them. It should help with issues such as needs. I need shelter. I want a castle on the Rhine.

nolongersilent said on May 25, 2011 at 3:29 PM

Rattler, before you make fun of gfjohn...did you mean to write "highy educated" or were you perhaps thinking "highly educated" and simply can't spell or type big words yourself?? Straighten yourself out before you throw your big ugly rocks at other people. And for your information, WEA is probably not the union that objected to your "help". It was probably some district IT department. Good grief.

hebeshebewebe said on May 25, 2011 at 2:34 PM

Cut out Half of the state reps

Rattler said on May 25, 2011 at 2:06 PM

oh yea gfjohn..hope the misspellings are typos...like "hense" v.s. hence... bet one thing for sure..your wife didn't get tenure did she?

Rattler said on May 25, 2011 at 2:03 PM

Oh.. so because schools are "not for profit" they are immune from results? This is the heart of the matter for public employees. Sorry, the vast majority of taxpayers do expect results and if a "highy educated" masters degreed individual can't fathom that concept the open war between abused taxpayers and public employees will escalate. WEA and the members ignore the strapped taxpayer until the purse strings are tightened...it's the only message they "get". Tim Eyeman may be a gadfly at times, but when he finally put car tabs to referendum..well, surprise, surprise... the message was finally received. As we used to say in the military... "stand by"... more of the same is coming. You cannot hide behind self authored (WEA) rhetoric. I can find thousands of potential employees who can point out problems...dime a dozen. A problem solver is a rarity...and in public education, non-existant.

musicfreak said on May 25, 2011 at 9:37 AM

Rattler, I lived in Utah for a year (2007/2008) with a 6th grader, and I didn't have to buy ONE SINGLE SCHOOL SUPPLY for my son, it was all provided by the school. I only needed to buy things for home. Meanwhile, back here in Washington, I spend a minimum, MINIMUM of $150 on school supplies EVERY YEAR.

gfjohn77 said on May 25, 2011 at 9:24 AM

Furthermore people are not widgets you can't say here is your education now get smarter. You can't say well you are not learning to the extent that we need so you are gone like a private school can. As one person said we take them all, hense the public part of public education. We don't have a say in who we teach we can't just say you have no hope of getting it I don't want you in my class like can be done in the private sector. Now I will agree that bad teachers who are under performing need to be removed. I agree that we have people in the profession that shouldn't be here and it is hard to get rid of them and that does need to be changed. But complaining about how the system needs change and justifying why pay cuts and funding cuts need to happen isn't going to change it. You need let people who have researched what works dictate changes not private sector people who see things as black and white as education is a huge grey area.

gfjohn77 said on May 25, 2011 at 9:08 AM

Rattler my wife who is a professional and not a union employee is one of the ones who told me I should have it bargined into my contract because she had it bargined into her individual contract with her private employer. The contract between her boss (company representative) and her ( employee) that her professional development would be paid for, granted to a certain amount, by the company. I have talked with friends who are professionals not union employees (psychologists, doctors, mangers/excutives and line workers at Boeing) who have their continuing ed paid for by the clinic or the company they work for. I will give you that unions are part of the problem. Als the studies I have read have not come from the WEA but from independent universities back East. They had no bias in whether the outcome was good or bad. The fact is that teaching like all social programs is not and never will be a for profit enterprise.

Rattler said on May 25, 2011 at 8:44 AM

bnfrank...you have it tough. You don't like your working conditions. Don't like to interact with students. Yet you think a masters degree is some kind of entitlement to some magical compensation figure in your imagination. Tell ya wha...take all that towering work ethic and your masters degree to the private sector. Mortgage your home two or three times and try coaxing along a start-up ... figure at least 100 hours per week for years. Your benefits package is a full 35% additional compensation, non taxable too! Shuck that tenure, ride the thrilling waves of the ups and downs of the business cycle, take two weeks off each summer (bring cell phone, the office will call frequently and peeved customers) pay 14% of your gross pay to FICA,.. scramble to set aside retirement, pay $7000 per year (or more) for health care..You will be held accountable for results in the private sector. whining is not an accepted strategy. Quit...please.

Rattler said on May 25, 2011 at 8:25 AM

Geez... still ignoring what you say is the core issue. If as you all (teachers) assert the pathology that plagues public schools is the dysfunctional families that these kids come from then why are those issues not addressed? Class size is not going inspire negligent parents to magically appear with time, talents, or treasures. More time off, better pay are not addressing these issues. The WEA is hostile to parent involvement. Heaven forbid accountability to parents is embraced. When I volunteer to install a new network, I am not turned away as a violation of WEA work rules...yes it happened. It is this accountability that makes private schools better. WEA does everything in its power to insulate itself from parent accountability. In short, you don't like your customers or their demands. We go elsewhere. So you have a masters degree? Great. You want all the perks that the private sector offers..and none of the risks. Try the private sector for a few years.

unhappy said on May 25, 2011 at 6:47 AM

i agree with outback..... i don't think most teachers work 730 to 430. more like 8 to 3. they get there right before the bell and leave right after...

unhappy said on May 25, 2011 at 6:45 AM

why doesnt the house and senate take a pay cut like everyone else....

bnfrank said on May 24, 2011 at 10:36 PM

Hey Outback.... Does your great 2080 hour job require you to work with 30 little kids or 150 teenagers every day? Do you have to read an grade that many papers? Enter that many grades? Talk to parents? And your math is wrong. My hourly rate with a masters degree higher step works out to 26.41 per hour. I teach high school. My lunch is 40 minutes, my prep is 50. My prep is filled with kids taking tests, making up work. Same with my lunch. I don't recall the last time I had lunch in my room with no one in there. I don't remember the last time I was able to use my prep period to actually grade. I do that for 1-2 hours before school and another 1-2 after school, plus planning at home. I don't get paid for any of that.

Curlygirl said on May 24, 2011 at 10:20 PM

Outback, teachers are working on their prep time. And as an elementary teacher, half of that is recess time which is time I have students in my room finishing un-done work. Oh, and my lunch is 30 minutes, half of which I am working.

nolongersilent said on May 24, 2011 at 10:09 PM

Rattler...I get it. You're an involved parent. You are willing to sacrifice for your child. You believe that other parents should "engage" and "volunteer". Well, guess what? They don't, or they can't. And just because they don't doesn't mean that we should try less with their children. Their children are no less deserving than yours, and, if they sometimes come to school hungrier, more tired and with less supplies than you are able to provide...well, it's not your concern anymore...it's ours. I'm glad your concern for special need children is unqualified. I hope that the special needs children at your private school benefit from your compassion and involvement. I know that I am doing my part, day after day and year after year, with those kids in my class, and if you feel better blaming the WEA for the breakdown of the family, lack of parent involvement at school, the messed up tax base in this state - whatever- then have at it. I will continue to work with and for these kids.

Outback3 said on May 24, 2011 at 9:52 PM

Well I work for a school and I know that some teachers that work from 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM 5 days a weeks for 180 day. So lets do some Math. 7:30 to 4:30 = 9 Hours - 55 minutes for prep time - 55 minutes for lunch = about 7.5 hours of workable time per day. Which = 7.5 x 180 = 1350 hours per year of workable time. I start at 8 AM and work till 5 PM and I do this 2080 workable hours per year. Teachers on the averge get a yearly income of about $64,000 per year. I get about $72,000 per year. So the averge teacher makes about $47.00 per hour. Where I make $34.61 per hour. You see the differance is that I only get 3 weeks off and a teacher gets about 25 weeks off and only makes $8,000 less then I do. Now if school was 12 months and the teachers worked 8 hours a day. The teachers would make about $97,760 per year. So if you want more money maybe you should ask for a 12 month school year at 5 days a week.

sellasunrise said on May 24, 2011 at 9:33 PM

And when I say impact on the students, I also mean teachers, instructors, and administrators. Everyone involved in the Washington school system.

sellasunrise said on May 24, 2011 at 9:32 PM

I just watched your piece on this on the television news, and then came online to read the article. As a university student, these budget issues SIGNIFICANTLY affect me, and whether or not I can even attend school. I find it absolutely despicable that you don't feel it worth your time to comment on the impact on secondary education. I am in no way disputing the crisis for kindergarten, elementary, middle, and high school students. But you are flat out ignoring tens of thousands of other individuals who are deeply--and to a very large degree negatively--affected by recent developments. What is the reason for ignoring those thousands of individuals who are 1) greatly affected by this, 2) have been fighting for months to, at the very least, keep what we have, and 3) a resource everyone has invested in for the coming years? As important as K-12 information is, ignoring the tens of thousands who are affected by this is not acceptable.

Curlygirl said on May 24, 2011 at 8:57 PM

I am hurt by and tired of the disrespect lawmakers and most of the general public have for pubic education. Most people think they know what teachers do because they spent 13 years in school as a student. They are clueless. I'm tired of being told that we are doing a crappy job because not enough students are "meeting the standard". Give me a smaller class size, the supplies I need, and students who come to school ready to learn, and more kids will pass. It hurts repeatedly hearing the opinion that we are lazy and only have to work half the year. The state pays districts for teachers to work 7.5 hours a day for 180 days. I average almost 300 hrs a year beyond that, and I'm not alone. The public expects us to put in that extra time planning, correcting papers, calling parents, attending meetings & parent conferences, etc. Maybe we should only work 180/ 7.5 hour days and stop volunteering so many hours. That would have a huge impact on student learning.

Rattler said on May 24, 2011 at 8:53 PM

nolongersilent..just checked my daughters yearbook for 7th grade... 28 students. The other class, 29...so much for the class size argument.

Rattler said on May 24, 2011 at 8:47 PM

We can afford it because we sacrifice to a degree you cannot imagine. It is our priority. No new cars, no flat screen Tv's, no TiVo, Nikes, not XBox, no iPhones... WEA is directly responsible...if vouchers were allowed and indexed to public school per capita expenditures...the political support would re-appear. Catholic schools take parish members first...that is hardly selective. It is as random as public school assignments. Try this one on for size....if you are receiving public assistance, it is at risk if you do not do at least 50 school service hours to support your children.... and...you are well above the state median income. Trust me, every Catholic school tracks the MANDATORY service hours that determined by the schools. Port that strategy to public schools eh? If crappy parenting and parental involvement is a core issue, I see nothing done by the Seattle school district to a thing about it. Except cry... smaller classes, more money. BTY private schools pay less salr

arcticfireguy said on May 24, 2011 at 8:35 PM

Um'... why doesn't the State just quit spending so much money? Seems kinda simple. If you want to cut salaries look at what professors are paid in Higher Ed. and a good portion of them never teach a class.

nolongersilent said on May 24, 2011 at 8:33 PM

And one final note to Rattler...parents who can afford $13,000 per year to send their child to a private school SHOULD provide school supplies, bandaids and kleenex. Public school programs don't have the luxury of picking and choosing our students...we are open to everyone, as we should be. You should thank your lucky stars that you can somehow manage to afford it. Based on salary, the children of a beginning public school teacher (2 parents, 2 children) would actually qualify for the free/reduced lunch program at the school where their daddy or mommy teaches. Don't blame the teachers or WEA for this. We are working our tails off to help the students who can't go to your child's school. And we do it with the best of intentions, and a whole lot of heart, even in the face of people blaming us for things over which we have never had any control at all.

Rattler said on May 24, 2011 at 8:27 PM

My support for special needs is unqualified. Careful about quoting Utah...they were a couple of years ago, spending less per capita than every state except MS. They too like ND are national leaders in outcomes...class size is not the determinant of outcomes. Catholic schools are NOT selective...go visit Holy Families in White Center. The demographics are as discouraging as the Central district. I know when I pay 10-13 K in tuition i am subsidizing scholarships. What is selective is they do not tolerate or "make excuses" for anti-social behavior. You don't assault fellow students, your preferred adjective better not be "mother____" or you are gone. You are on the right track.... parenting style and disengagement is a major problem...and that is NOT a class size problem. we are too timid and afraid to stand up and tell parents the truth. Address THAT issue.... too hot to handle? Too much PC handwringing? Sub standard parenting is a central issue...address it and maybe???

nolongersilent said on May 24, 2011 at 8:14 PM

Rattler, as it happens, I am a Special Education teacher. You are right...private schools, with their very small class sizes and select clientele, are often in a position to outperform public schools, which are open to everyone...rich, poor, Catholic or whatever, and they don't often open their doors to students like mine. People who pay for private education for their children have a vested interest in the school that they select, and tend to be visible and involved. You wouldn't believe how many parents of my students have never even BEEN to school for a conference, a play, a PTA event...nothing. What you neglect to mention in your citing of ND is class size. I don't care if the teacher is Maria Montessori or Annie Sullivan...if the class is so big that she can't even get to each child, performance is sacrificed...along with morale, confidence, etc. With WA ranking only ahead of CA and Utah in class size, ND has us beat in this critical area. And it is NOT the teacher's fault.

lsmith5870400119 said on May 24, 2011 at 8:08 PM

Tell me JACKWONG, are you an apartment dweller. or just a fool. why should business and real estate pay the bill. The business owners and property owners are footing most of the money now. What about you apartment dwellers and your kids? Don't try to tell me that you pay taxes with your rent. It don't even begin to cover it.

Rattler said on May 24, 2011 at 8:07 PM

A last note.. I pay 13K a year for one of my children's HS...yep..Catholic HS. The seattle school system private and public is en masse is privatized already. Watch the morning ferry as Seattle eligible students flee to Bainbridge. So many middle class families have fled the seattle school system that any empathy for public schools has long vaporized. We used to support two school systems,..but the WEA refuses to acknowledge the obvious...we are gone. The stress of supporting private schools and dysfunctional public schools has come to a financial head. WEA won't allow charter schools or vouchers.. fine. We can't afford both so we go with the private schools that give us the results we expect, and balk at throwing more money at a system that is too preoccupied with self interest and preservation of perks than teaching OUR kids.. Thank WEA representation. The biggest club we have? Teachers serve at the pleasure of private school boards and parents are heard...loud and clear.

lsmith5870400119 said on May 24, 2011 at 8:03 PM

When the teachers decide to trim their own deadwood, and get out of the WEA, them maybe I will side with them. Most of our teachers are very good at what they do, but they need to get rid of the slackers.

Rattler said on May 24, 2011 at 7:53 PM

nolongersilent...ND has multiple age groups in some classes. The poverty far exceeds WA state. Teachers make far less and the state per capita is in the bottom 5 of the country. Yet, it is one of the leaders in number of college graduates, SAT scores. Wonder why that is... one of the poorest states, lowest per captia spending, and multiple grades in one classroom...and they kick the collective areses of Seattle public schools by every measure of achievement. You bemoan the lack of "funds", yet your liberal, PC bias has driven the middle class out of the Seattle schools. Seattle leads the nation in the number of white, middle class kids who are elegible to attend public school but don't. Seattle area Catholic schools regularly outperform the public schools. With less resources, non-unionized teachers, ... what they do get is a massive infusion of parental involvement and, yes, there are no Kleenex, paper, pencil shortages. Granted they are not prepared for special needs kids..

Rattler said on May 24, 2011 at 7:41 PM

First, professionals...by definition, are not represented by unions. gfjohn, that means there are no contracts. Teachers are clueless as to the dynamics of private enterprise. We spend more, we get less. That is the taxpayer dilema. Fix it. Don' whine, we pay you and your administrators to solve problems, Education "studies" are suspect just on their origin alone. If WEA quotes it..it is self serving. Your private sector friends who "bargained" in their contract? That sounds like union terms to me. You should keep abreast and current...that's what a "professional" does. I expect to pay my hourly employees for trade and craft schools..but they are not professionals. They are trade groups. Only a teacher or public employee would hear the word "reform" and wonder where the money is coming from. When I tell the shop floor I want reform...I mean attitude and behavior changes. Amazing how that works. Can't figure it out? I will get some one who can.

nolongersilent said on May 24, 2011 at 6:22 PM

Do you see any connection between poor classroom performance and huge class sizes that are the 3rd highest in the whole country...and that includes Appalachia?? Or is this really good enough for your children?? Personally, I think it's a travesty. There are many, many reasons why I don't think teacher's salaries should be cut, and one of those reasons is that I buy some of your children's school supplies with it. Every single year...and I often buy breakfasts and lunches too, because nobody else will (no funding, we are told), and tired, hungry kids can't (and don't) learn. When our health room has to send out repeated requests for donations of bandaids and kleenex because there aren't any, and there aren't funds to buy them, things have gotten ridiculous. This problem is so much bigger than teacher's salaries. Considering the number of years we have to go to college for this, and the level of responsibility we have for the care and education of YOUR children, it's not that much.

quiquine61 said on May 24, 2011 at 6:15 PM

Way to go Olympia. Let's make sure our kids get the worst level of education in the country, discourage young people from entering the teaching profession, and continue to make our teachers second class citizens. Becoming a teacher should not require one to sign a vow of poverty. People complain about the quality of our teachers, but keep making it less and less attractive as a profession to our college graduates... Let's keep biting our nose to spite our face... (eye roll !!!!!)

rwesleynelson said on May 24, 2011 at 5:53 PM

My initial reaction was to suggest that teacher pay cuts are disgraceful in a time when the rest of the world is leaving the USA behind in terms of education. Then I thought that I would criticize some of the illiterates that have responded to this article. Then I realized that if some of these folks are educators, their salaries should be cut. Then I thought I would just shut up and I'm sure many of you would wish that I would do so. Instead, I would like to provide an example. At the UW there is a person with the title of Director who directs fewer than two people (most directors have managers and supervisors below them). This person earns a salary in excess of six figures and, in addition, is a so-called "double dipper", that is one who gets a large pension from previous employment but is allowed to earn full salary due to a loophole in the law.

gfjohn77 said on May 24, 2011 at 5:46 PM

Rattler I do keep up with my craft I am forced to keep up with my craft every 5 years. I do read trade journals, I do take classes. And yes I do do on my own time out of my own pocket. I am gawked at and made fun of by my private sector friends who have their professional development paid for by their employer and/or are allowed to do it while they are working. They ask why I don't have it bargined in as part of our contract like they did. As for merit pay? most studies on this have shown that merit pay doesn't produce better students it produces richer teachers and nothing more. You want reforms how do you propose we pay for these reform programs? How do you propose we clear out the red tape and endless studying and red tape that is put up when change is proposed?

realitychk said on May 24, 2011 at 5:22 PM

It MUST be the end times. This is the only time I have ever agreed with Jack Wong. Leave teachers alone and cut pay for representatives and others making 100K as someone else already said. Those making the decisions who are paid with our tax $ should share the pain.

Rattler said on May 24, 2011 at 5:00 PM

what a hoot.. in the private sector, PROFESSIONALS are assumed to keep abreast of the industries they are employed in. The vast majority do that through seminars, trade journals, research reports etc... teachers?.. oh no,not them...they are too special. they demand time off with pay for professional development... if we become obsolete in the private sector, we lose our jobs. Better yet, if we are eclipsed by sharper, smarter, more productive peers... they keep their jobs in downturns and we hit the bricks... teachers? Noooo....too special, once they get tenure they do the minimum to get by...the best, brightest, most motivated, capable ones are not rewarded by merit...they are rewarded by union dues flooding the campaign coffers of our politicians.... witness "Ole Leatherfacce" and her reforms....do you as taxpayers see any substantive reforms? I sure don't. We have the power of referendum... and we ALL know how desperate Gregoire wants that right curtailed.

invalid said on May 24, 2011 at 5:00 PM

"Let's listen to the right wing whack jobs and privatize everything. We can privatize education..." because, you know, the quality of education is directly proportional to the salary of the teacher and administration providing that education. The teachers' union has you all snowed. Hasn't anybody noticed that private schools, which don't pay teachers as much as public schools, consistently provide better education than their publicly-funded counterparts? Watch the movie "Waiting for Superman" and then tell me that higher salaries result in a good education.

c8lsonics said on May 24, 2011 at 4:44 PM

"President" Linquist is a moron! She states: "Students in the state of Washington will not get the same quality of education this coming year that they got even just three years ago,” Really! 1.9% cut for some teachers equals poor education for students? Sounds like the teachers are not really doing their career of choice best to their ability because they really love and care for the students they teach.

pamby said on May 24, 2011 at 4:22 PM

I've got an idea! Postpone the tunnel and use that money towards the budget!

bcjlmcrew said on May 24, 2011 at 4:05 PM

We need to take our teabags to Boston!!!! That's right Olympia lets give our kids a bunch of idiots to teach them. You really think a sane person is going to go into a classroom of 35 after attending college for 4 years and get pay cuts when they are making peanuts anyway!!! You guys are all a joke. Can't even get your job done on time. You have to cause us taxpayers more money with your special session.Wow job well done. Sit on your butts and keep discussing what your going to do with latte's in hand. Listen up everyone and make sure all these people are on the umemployment rolls as soon as possible. Maybe you would all care to share your salaries and bene's on king 5 homepage!! Don't forget to add sick pay, health insurance cost, and expense accounts. Dig in investigative reporters. This should be good.

whatsyurbeef said on May 24, 2011 at 4:00 PM

Well on the positive side taking a 1.9 percent decrease in pay is alot better than losing a job. If your salary is say 5000.00 per month then you take a hit of 90.00 per month. You can cut 3 peoples lawns per mo. to make up your loss plus some extra and get some good excersise. Think outside the box and be happy for what you have.

Warren_Sawye329 said on May 24, 2011 at 3:40 PM

Right wing Agenda: Make the rich MORE rich. Make the poor MORE poor! Our government has issues, but before you "privatize" everything for the benefit of the TOP CEO's, you better make sure YOU are one of those selected few. If you are not one of the CEO's or a "Bush/Reagon" clone carbon copy crazy person you might want to think twice. Poindexters standing in the unemployment line might get beat up. LOL

Warren_Sawye329 said on May 24, 2011 at 3:34 PM

I have an idea! Let's listen to the right wing whack jobs and privatize everything. We can privatize education and road construction, we can privatize corrections and DSHS. We can privatize all state government agency programs! So now all tax payers are free! Now, the owners of the (private) companies can hire low wage workers to teach, build and work with offenders. Like most CEO and business types they will pay the lowest wage possible to get results; NO benefits included. Well, so then we have thousands of workers making ten bucks an hour - with no benefits. Suddenly, the (private) business goes OUT of business. The rich CEO has a problem. The rich CEO thinks hard: "You mean if I don't pay my people, and treat them bad they will quit for better jobs?" For all you right wing whack jobs our there, just remember one thing: It's great when you own the company and you are making some cash. It sucks when people get smart and leave for better jobs.

freshair said on May 24, 2011 at 3:28 PM

This state is in a world of hurt when it comes to education. They can't even step up and follow their own constitution. Yes, these are tough times, yes, we are in a budget crunch, and yes Olympia is full of polititions who refuse to make ugly choices. Does anyone want to pay more in taxes, well of course not, but the reality is we pay now or later. Closing loopholes is the first thing that should happen, then start making decisions that don't hurt our children. Those of you who think every thing is ok with schools, think again. Those of you who think it was good enough for me, think again. Our schools are a different place then they were 20 years ago, and technology is happening so fast if we don't keep up our children will not be able to find jobs in our own state. Many can't even get into our own colleges. While I agree throwing money at the problem won't fix it, taking it away isn't going to work either. Let's start funding education at an appropriate level.

jdtt1 said on May 24, 2011 at 3:20 PM

Well...we need any extra money for that bike trail. C'mon people. I also think we should keep talking about projects for like 10 years before actually doing something so that project costs about 10 billion more that it would have. Oh...and more studies. We need more studies...especially the ones that tell us what we already know or the ones you could ask a 12 year old to common sense and get a pretty accurate answer to. Yeah...more of those. Oh...and lets keep giving money to illegals. That's cool. And...make sure we don't verify anything (cause it would be prejudicial) when they apply, etc. Let's also be more lenient on criminals. You know...so they can get out earlier to do it again so a ton of cops can investigate it, they can get a defense attorney for their 10 pending cases (and go to court on all those), cost us a ton in insurance premiums when they destroy and/or steal our stuff only to get a plea deal, get out in a couple months and do it all over again. I can go on

Trojan22 said on May 24, 2011 at 3:16 PM

Cut teachers pay? Works for me!!! They have to save money somewhere in order to pay Washington State Ferry works over $100k per year in bogus overtime pay and Washington D.O.T. officials that are making over $150k per year to mess up highway projects with cost over runs and sidewalk errors that cost millions of dollars to fix.. We have to find money somewhere!!!

jackwong said on May 24, 2011 at 3:10 PM

Cut teacher's pay? for all I know, we need to raise their pay... teachers are one of the most underpaid, overqualified positions in america. We need to raise revenue on local businesses and real estate to raise revenue.

Rattler said on May 24, 2011 at 3:05 PM

I see a connection. We have more incarcerated, record numbers, than ever in our history. See the Supreme Court ruling against California today. We also spend more on teachers and schools then ever. So taxpayer16323.. your answer is to spend yet more? It doesn't equate. The more we spend on schools, the greater the number of criminals we should have. Joint the club of those who have to ride out economic cycles in the private sector. Join the unemployment lines and the reductions in pay just like taxpayers. Either you join us and share the sacrifice or like private sector unions, you are on the verge of being obsolete and one voter initiative away from being in a right to work state with no organizing rights for state and municipal workers. We are overly burdened with tenured mediocrity that cannot motivate and educate.

chuckstr76 said on May 24, 2011 at 2:51 PM

What about all the other budget deals? Where are they listed?

chuckstr76 said on May 24, 2011 at 2:50 PM

How about a 3% pay cut for ALL state employees !!!! From the high priestess all the way down the ladder.

fwkc63 said on May 24, 2011 at 2:48 PM

ALL Government officials with their 6 figure incomeS need to cut...PERIOD!!

taxpayer16323 said on May 24, 2011 at 2:44 PM

Leave the teachers alone and cut the representitives pay. Charge them for the special session that they made necessary. Why do we always cut teachers pay then whine when we end up with more criminals? Do we not see the connection? We could easily afford better education if we weren"t studing road projects and tunneling everywhere.

okedokee31922640 said on May 24, 2011 at 2:27 PM

Suggesting that we fire road construction crews to make up the shortfall is not based on reality. Those projects mentioned are contracts government awarded to private sector contractors that had low bid. You try getting your work done on a road that carries hundreds of thousands of cars each day in inclimate weather.

okedokee31922640 said on May 24, 2011 at 2:23 PM

My hours have been cut 10% this year and raises were froze 2 years ago. My husband works for the state and had his wage cut and benefits reduced. It is just the times we are living in. As much as people don't like to see hospital admin making lots of money, to attract qualified and capable people they have to pay them high wages. I'd prefer sharp top notch people run our healthcare facilities.

southlakeunion said on May 24, 2011 at 2:18 PM

Please VOTE in the next election! We have the power to change this!

wrenavery said on May 24, 2011 at 1:55 PM

How about all legislators taking a 1% tax cut, huh? You people can afford it!

ccole said on May 24, 2011 at 1:30 PM

How about firing the road crews that are fixing Aurora for the last 7 years between 145th & 185th in Shoreline. And the road crew that is repairing I5 in Lynnwood that has left the freeway surface shredded for 10 months.

musicfreak said on May 24, 2011 at 1:21 PM

I've got a better idea...forget that stupid pedestrian/bike overpass thing that's $10 million, and give that administrator for that hospital a pay cut, and leave the teacher's salaries ALONE. There's excess everywhere, so why in the world do they keep taking away from our children's education?

eastsiderocks said on May 24, 2011 at 1:14 PM

More like a 5-6% paycut if you factor in inflation.

petercindi said on May 24, 2011 at 1:13 PM

One slight change however. Not all government employees receive step increases for longevity or any other automatice increase. Non-union, non-educational state employees are also looking at a 3% salary reduction but have not seen any increase in salary for the last 3 years. Those in that category are going to be looking at a real decrease in their pocketbooks. The combination of no increases and the salary reductions are taking those state employee salaries back to what they were earning back in 2007.

maryannmarrs said on May 24, 2011 at 12:41 PM

If I remember right, there is something in the State constitution that legislatures and congress folks (and the governor) cannot take pay cuts. That's where the change needs to start, is in the State constitution. They are responsible for cutting everyone's salary, but are not only protected from paycuts they subject everyone else to, but they can say "well, we would have taken a paycut, but alas, we cannot boo-woo". It's all stupid. The mayor is spending $10 for a bike bridge and teachers and all other line-staff workers are losing income needed to put food on the table. We need someone with skill to start the initiative to change the constitution to allow for upper government pay-cuts and firings if they cannot do their work in the allocated timeframes (all other "real" people get fired if they don't meet goals and timeframes, why do they get "special sessions" and more pay?????).

dkjamerican said on May 24, 2011 at 12:38 PM

How about cutting all the aiding & abetting illegals in this State & country instead of citizens. I haven't heard of cuts to their programs.

4grandma said on May 24, 2011 at 12:30 PM

Rattler said it well! All government official should take a pay cut too. Any ideas on how to make this happen?

Rattler said on May 24, 2011 at 12:24 PM

Join the rest of us. Share the sacrifices. The cost of government is breaking the middle class. It's about time the WEA figures it out.... because of government mismanagement and "feel good" programs, property values have plummeted (eh Barney Frak, Pelosi et al) because of Fannie and Freddie following a poliical agenda not a fiscally responsible one,... it should be a constitutional requirement that public employees are compensated relative to the fiscal condition of the taxpayers...

remainingreal said on May 24, 2011 at 12:15 PM

Rather cut politicians' pay instead of teachers.

stryker said on May 24, 2011 at 11:56 AM

Cut the governments pay 20%

brewster said on May 24, 2011 at 11:43 AM

How about cutting a million of the Valley medical center executives pay, and give that to the teachers?