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Does he though monster? He’s pretty much a lame duck at this point no? Why is he beholden to anyone?
My cynical guess is cause these hack politicians never voluntarily give up power, plus he's the defacto head of the local D team until he's not and those ties run deep. Stupid, but deep. lol
Everyone hates school admins, until they try to do it. Most cushy union teachers couldn't get paid enough to take those jobs. Would you leave a 35hr wk, lifetime benefits cush job paying $140k for a 100hr week (24/7), deal w/ Newsday, parents, teachers and union, cops, politicians, utilities, civic groups, staff, every angry cranky whiny person in the district for $235k?! That is why Supts get the money. Cause NO ONE wants the job and they have to do national searches or double dip into previous appointees to find them. Teachers on the other hand make the money because of a) powerful union b) ignorant voters c) weak boards (see b). Wrap up the winnings in contracts that promise the moon to alleviate potential work stoppages (strikes) and you have our mess. It's not the 3 or 4 admins wrecking budgets, it's the thousands of teachers with guaranteed contractual and step raises. But really, it's still US, because WE vote in the boards and they determine what everyone gets paid. If you don't like it, vote in a better one. Good luck with that. Seems only ding dongs with silly personal agendas join school boards these days.
I am not a fan of high LI teacher pay. They are in the school buildings longer than 35 hours per week plus they do engage in lesson planning, grading, etc., after school hours. I give them credit for that.
Six figures for 180 days per year (maybe 190 with non-instructional days) with only a small contribution to their health care is excessive, along with contractual raises. Social Security recipients receive increases based upon the cost of living. There have been years they've gone without. If that system is good enough for the millions collecting SS benefits (teachers among them) why not put this same system into place for ALL public/taxpayer-funded employees?
Other states pay their teachers less while achieving good results. Paying out the hinie does not ensure quality teachers.
I am not a fan of high LI teacher pay. They are in the school buildings longer than 35 hours per week plus they do engage in lesson planning, grading, etc., after school hours. I give them credit for that.
Six figures for 180 days per year (maybe 190 with non-instructional days) with only a small contribution to their health care is excessive, along with contractual raises. Social Security recipients receive increases based upon the cost of living. There have been years they've gone without. If that system is good enough for the millions collecting SS benefits (teachers among them) why not put this same system into place for ALL public/taxpayer-funded employees?
Other states pay their teachers less while achieving good results. Paying out the hinie does not ensure quality teachers.
I don't agree or disagree with what you said with regards to salary and retirement benefits, but I do want to correct a part of your post. My sister is a teacher, and her district (a high-paying north shore school district) is up to 24% contribution for healthcare premiums, and from what I am told, her district is not atypical among the north shore school districts in terms of the percentage of healthcare premium contribution. She was unsure how it compares to some of the south shore districts, though she did mention the UFT in the city pays $0 for health insurance. The 24% contribution she pays works out to her laying out $8k a year in premiums.
Although I am by no means comparing this to small business owners or small business employees who most likely pay for their healthcare insurance out of pocket, I will say that most of my friends in the private sector (myself included) have their family health insurance plans far more subsidized than that by their employer (some of which even offer insurance completely covered).
I don't agree or disagree with what you said with regards to salary and retirement benefits, but I do want to correct a part of your post. My sister is a teacher, and her district (a high-paying north shore school district) is up to 24% contribution for healthcare premiums, and from what I am told, her district is not atypical among the north shore school districts in terms of the percentage of healthcare premium contribution. She was unsure how it compares to some of the south shore districts, though she did mention the UFT in the city pays $0 for health insurance. The 24% contribution she pays works out to her laying out $8k a year in premiums.
Although I am by no means comparing this to small business owners or small business employees who most likely pay for their healthcare insurance out of pocket, I will say that most of my friends in the private sector (myself included) have their family health insurance plans far more subsidized than that by their employer (some of which even offer insurance completely covered).
Is your sister single or married with kids? I’d love to be paying only $600-650 a month for healthcare premiums, and my plan is through a large private sector employer. That’s for a family with pretty good coverage yet fairly high deductibles and co-insurance.
I haven’t had all premiums covered for over a decade.
Is your sister single or married with kids? I’d love to be paying only $600-650 a month for healthcare premiums, and my plan is through a large private sector employer. That’s for a family with pretty good coverage yet fairly high deductibles and co-insurance.
I haven’t had all premiums covered for over a decade.
She is married with one child, but her husband gets free coverage -- but my nephew is on it with her so this is for a family plan.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2020 the average yearly employee contribution for family health insurance in this country was $6,797, which seems to be in line with what she is paying. As I said, I am sure there are exceptions in the private sector who pay more and others who pay less (like myself, also employed by a large private sector employer). My point is just that this notion that teachers get free healthcare (which hasn't been the case for at least the 15 years she has been a teacher) is false. That being said, I do think they have a lot of other benefits some of which may or may not be excessive (such as their pension), but I don't personally feel health insurance is one of them.
I don't agree or disagree with what you said with regards to salary and retirement benefits, but I do want to correct a part of your post. My sister is a teacher, and her district (a high-paying north shore school district) is up to 24% contribution for healthcare premiums, and from what I am told, her district is not atypical among the north shore school districts in terms of the percentage of healthcare premium contribution. She was unsure how it compares to some of the south shore districts, though she did mention the UFT in the city pays $0 for health insurance. The 24% contribution she pays works out to her laying out $8k a year in premiums.
Although I am by no means comparing this to small business owners or small business employees who most likely pay for their healthcare insurance out of pocket, I will say that most of my friends in the private sector (myself included) have their family health insurance plans far more subsidized than that by their employer (some of which even offer insurance completely covered).
So that math tells me each teacher is subscribed to a ~$32k health insurance plan (I had guessed $40k), for which we are paying ~$24k per teacher (probably more in many instances). Many of us don't even have $24k insurance plans ourselves. WE are the ones subsidizing this lunacy for them, which is completely unnecessary. The 1/4 they are paying on their own is irrelevant in the big picture and draws no sympathy from me.
In a given school district, that's $13M school budget dollars we're responsible for, spread across say 7k households = $2k in school taxes per household going into their healthcare. Now figure out the math for a teacher with a salary of $120k per year which is 5x (and in addition to) what we're paying for their healthcare.
Meanwhile in other states with good schools, they do it just fine with less than HALF what we pay. Is cost of living a factor of double? What a crock.
So that math tells me each teacher is subscribed to a ~$32k health insurance plan (I had guessed $40k), for which we are paying ~$24k per teacher (probably more in many instances). Many of us don't even have $24k insurance plans ourselves. WE are the ones subsidizing this lunacy for them, which is completely unnecessary. The 1/4 they are paying on their own is irrelevant in the big picture and draws no sympathy from me.
In a given school district, that's $13M school budget dollars we're responsible for, spread across say 7k households = $2k in school taxes per household going into their healthcare. Now figure out the math for a teacher with a salary of $120k per year which is 5x (and in addition to) what we're paying for their healthcare.
Meanwhile in other states with good schools, they do it just fine with less than HALF what we pay. Is cost of living a factor of double? What a crock.
Oh wait, she’s contributing 24% as opposed to all but 24%?
What’s more relevant is with that plan what are the deductibles, co-pays and co-insurance? I took my son to the doctor yesterday and it was a $45 co-pay.
I will confirm NYC teachers pay no premiums. Our plan was 21k for 4 people. They buying power is of course a huge factor that same plan on LI is 100% more. We barley even have copays. $10 is the max and it’s rare. At some point the UFT will sell out the next gen and the newbs will pay premiums. LI teacher salaries should be tied to the UFT payscale. Even though the gap in pay is less than ever LI still makes more. LI doesn’t get the annuity and that’s worth 1-2m for the smart uft members when they retire.
I will confirm NYC teachers pay no premiums. Our plan was 21k for 4 people. They buying power is of course a huge factor that same plan on LI is 100% more. We barley even have copays. $10 is the max and it’s rare. At some point the UFT will sell out the next gen and the newbs will pay premiums. LI teacher salaries should be tied to the UFT payscale. Even though the gap in pay is less than ever LI still makes more. LI doesn’t get the annuity and that’s worth 1-2m for the smart uft members when they retire.
The UFT annuity is insane. It’s a fixed interest retirement account of 8%? Although theoretically someone can beat that in the market over 30 years, the next 30 most likely will be less as it reverts to the mean.
What I find fascinating coming from the city is that very few talk about teacher pay there compared to Long Island. Their salaries are as close as they ever have been and if you deduct health insurance premiums as well as that retirement fixed annuity, I would argue over 30 years a NYC teacher can make way more if they play their cards right.
City inhabitants are paying similar taxes but it just comes out of their income tax for the city. I have a house with 18k taxes and I pay less than I did in Queens (almost 12k nyc income tax between me and my wife and another 8800 in property taxes). I guess the perspective is different when you don’t see the words “school tax.” I’ll take LI schools right now over NYC schools any day- especially with everything going on with them now. Again I’m not saying I disagree with what everyone is saying, I just find the perspective very different. Maybe they should rebrand the name of the tax
The UFT annuity is insane. It’s a fixed interest retirement account of 8%? Although theoretically someone can beat that in the market over 30 years, the next 30 most likely will be less as it reverts to the mean.
What I find fascinating coming from the city is that very few talk about teacher pay there compared to Long Island. Their salaries are as close as they ever have been and if you deduct health insurance premiums as well as that retirement fixed annuity, I would argue over 30 years a NYC teacher can make way more if they play their cards right.
City inhabitants are paying similar taxes but it just comes out of their income tax for the city. I have a house with 18k taxes and I pay less than I did in Queens (almost 12k nyc income tax between me and my wife and another 8800 in property taxes). I guess the perspective is different when you don’t see the words “school tax.” I’ll take LI schools right now over NYC schools any day- especially with everything going on with them now. Again I’m not saying I disagree with what everyone is saying, I just find the perspective very different. Maybe they should rebrand the name of the tax
It’s 7% used to be 8.25% I’m not sure if people got grandfathered into that rate. My wife because of me plays her cards rite. I’ve had her maxing our the annuity since her 3rd month in the job when she mentioned it to me. If the annuity falls short the nyc tax payers eat the difference. She could of gotten a LI job 2 years ago. It was a bit more $$ and the pension would of been more. As you said health insurance savings and the annuity she will out earn LI salaries long term by a decent margin. Plus NYC jobs are more stable due to ATR and the last in first out system that’s city wide base of license not school or district.
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