Dexter school board, teachers union approve concessions to save money, avoid layoffs
The school board and the Dexter school district’s teachers union have approved concessions that will save the district money while preserving jobs for teachers. The three letters of understanding between the board and Dexter Education Association involve teachers’ health benefits, extra duty compensation for teachers and a retirement incentive. The board approved the letters at its meeting Monday night. Teachers approved them shortly before the meeting.
The first letter requires teachers to pay at least 10 percent of their health insurance benefits, which will save the district $285,000. The second letter reduces extra duty compensation by 20 percent. That means cutting the amount paid to teachers who have secondary jobs in the district coaching athletics. That will save the district $58,000. Those two provisions are effective through the end of the teachers’ contract, which expires June 30, 2013.
The retirement incentive offer is only in effect until June 30. Teachers who retire before that date will receive an incentive to retire, but the letter does not spell out the dollar amount. It reads, "The cost of this incentive must be covered completely by savings realized within one fiscal year and is contingent upon such savings."
DEA President Joe Romeo assured the school board, "The district will make money on this."
Mary Marshall
Like most other districts, including Ann Arbor, Dexter needs to make cuts because of reductions in aid from the state. The district expects to have to absorb a $300 cut in per-pupil aid for next year, as well as $170 that was cut this year and is not being restored.
The district is also struggling to meet its obligations for retirement costs. The state requires that every school district to pay a certain amount money toward retirement. Five million of our $36 million budget goes to retirement," said board Treasurer Dick Lundy.
The district does, however, expect to receive $113 per-pupil from the state as a one-time offset to its retirement costs. The district could also qualify for more money from the state if it meets four of five “best practices.” They are:
- The district pays no more than 90 percent of health benefits for employees
- The district is the “policy holder” for employee health insurance policies
- The district develops or continues service consolidation plans
- The district obtains competitive bids for at least one non-instructional service over $50,000 in value
- The district provides a report card or dashboard with financial and performance data on its website
The district is also considering increasing pay-to-play participation fees for sports. Parents who want to give their input about that idea are invited to a meeting Thursday, June 9, from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Creekside Intermediate School cafeteria, 7714 Ann Arbor St.
Comments
clownfish
Thu, Jun 9, 2011 : 2:24 p.m.
I ask once again, expecting no answer again, what sacrifice are the Whiners willing to make to balance our budgets? 2%, 5% extra in taxes? As mentioned, copr profits are very high, the top % is making more money than ever, but it is the middle and bottom that are being asked to take the hit. "shared sacrifice " my sweet bippy! So many people come here and whine,, but will make NO sacrifice themselves. Why is that?
snapshot
Thu, Jun 9, 2011 : 4:16 a.m.
About time government employees start making compensation concessions to save each others jobs instead of raising taxes and fees. Is it enough? Maybe, maybe not but don't spend money you don't have.
clownfish
Thu, Jun 9, 2011 : 2:26 p.m.
Some history is in order for your, sir or madam. Unions have been making concession for years, the UAW, teachers, bus drivers have all made concessions. Are you willing to pay an extra 2% to balance the budget? The unions have made more than that.
walker101
Wed, Jun 8, 2011 : 7:57 p.m.
Those that make the claim "the tax cuts help the rich" will claim that the reason why the rich paid so much more in taxes is because they made so much more money. There is truth to that, though the progressive nature of the tax code also insures that the rich pay more than they should, proportionally speaking. However, the reason for the rich paying so much more is irrelevant to this discussion: If the "rich" are paying 96.7% of the income taxes and the poor are only paying 3.3%, then it's simply common sense that most of any income tax cut will benefit those that are paying it. You can't reduce taxes on someone who isn't paying any.First, we should agree that there's nothing wrong with the rich getting richer. It would require a selfish, ignorant, and hateful person to want anyone to get poorer. I might not be rich, but I have no vindictive anger that desires that those who've had better fortune do poorly just because I've not done as well myself. That kind of trite material jealousy is best left in grade school. Second, we should agree that even if the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer, the good fortune of the rich is only objectionable if it came at the expense of the poor. It is not honest or useful to complain about some people doing well simply because other people aren't doing as well unless it can be shown that one's success came at the expense of other people's failure.
clownfish
Thu, Jun 9, 2011 : 2:36 p.m.
MOJO, In 2010, the top 20% of Americans earned 49.4% of the nation's income,the top 1% account for 24% of all income. 400 people in this country hold as much wealth as the bottom 150,000,000. Warren Buffet pays less % in income tax than does his secretary. Cry me a river about how overtaxed they are.
clownfish
Thu, Jun 9, 2011 : 2:28 p.m.
BRAGG, teachers did what you suggest, they went to school, many have Masters degrees and continue to educate themselves. But, evidently what you suggest they do is not really good enough for you.
mojo
Thu, Jun 9, 2011 : 12:16 p.m.
And let's not forget the the top 50% of tax payers already pay 97% of all taxes! Is that not "fair share"? - - It is beyond "fair share" - it is obscene.
braggslaw
Thu, Jun 9, 2011 : 2:03 a.m.
If you don't like your job or life... change Goto school, get skills etc. There are 3 million open jobs in the U.S that cannot be filled because there are not enough engineers, nurses, linux programmers, accountants etc. People are responsible for the decisions they make... don't blame others for bad choices.
snoopdog
Wed, Jun 8, 2011 : 10:34 p.m.
An excellent post walker101, well thought out and bullet proof . I am far from rich myself but I don't begrudge anyone who is. Good Day
John B.
Wed, Jun 8, 2011 : 9:20 p.m.
"Second, we should agree that even if the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer, the good fortune of the rich is only objectionable if it came at the expense of the poor." Which is EXACTLY what has occurred (altough personally I would use the term 'middle class' instead of 'poor.' Soon, it won't make any difference, though, if we keep electing Republicans to office.). It's called a massive transfer of wealth, and has been going on steadily since 1981. We've destroyed our long-envied Middle Class that made our country #1 in the World after WWII, while repeatedly lowering the taxes of those at the very top of the pyramid. Now the top 1% have as much wealth as the bottom 90%. What part of those facts don't you get?
Roger Roth
Wed, Jun 8, 2011 : 8:46 p.m.
You must love the Duggers. It's not so much that the rich are rich. It's that a value is placed on a job--people call it market--and many full-time jobs don't pay a living wage. Most people would be happy enough with a living wage and they have little desire to get "rich." To them, "living" is food, clothing and a roof over their heads along with an occasional night out at McDonalds. Big Three now have increased their profits by significantly lowering employee benefits and wages (to Asian standards.) I think this illustrates what you mention in your last sentence and it's only representative of a trend that has been going on since Reagan and his infamous trickle down. People should be--and are--greatly affected and bothered by this truth. If the working class is financially losing ground, where is the money going? Think what you like. In the long run, it really doesn't matter. There are people living above the Arctic Circle who get by on nothing, so I suppose, after the poor have been finally put in their place, they can learn from the Eskimos how to sustain themselves on nothing. The instinct to survive is incredibly strong.
braggslaw
Wed, Jun 8, 2011 : 7:29 p.m.
The taxpayers(you and me) employ the teachers. The taxpayers are broke. I do not want to pay more taxes so that teachers can have gold-plated benefits and pensions. A rational result and I have to give props to the teachers for giving up benefits to retain teachers.
braggslaw
Thu, Jun 9, 2011 : 2:01 a.m.
ridiculous, inane, flawed logic to justify giving gold plated benefits to a union.. Govt. budgets do not have to increase. I would prefer to decide how my money (taxes or otherwise) are spent.
Roger Roth
Wed, Jun 8, 2011 : 9:18 p.m.
One way or another, be assured, you will pay more taxes. That's an economic law. They may be in the form of higher prices for goods and services made necessary by the need for corps. to increase profits and dividends but, if government budgets increase (and they do), then they'll have to raise more money, either by increasing taxes of one sort or another or borrowing it, which they'll have to pay interest on. You're screwed! It's not teachers, contrary to what your beloved Governor would have you believe. BTW, taxpayers are NOT broke. Some are, granted. But many aren't. Corp. profits are now higher than they've been in a long time. Where's that money coming from? Santa?
Floyd
Wed, Jun 8, 2011 : 6:46 p.m.
And with each squeeze like this, the few rich guys in Michigan get richer. Soon we'll be the Colombia of the North!
mojo
Thu, Jun 9, 2011 : 12:11 p.m.
"each" As if there have been multiple cuts to school funding. - This may be the first real - 'year over year cut' to per pupil funding in a decade. Perhaps the second cut in 3 decades. The education funding in this state has increased - forever. Some folks just don't know how good they have it. I am a taxpayer and I am broke.