Wisconsin is Broke

 The Examiner

I would like to hear just one TV news show explain to us exactly what is in the bill that the governor of Wisconsin is proposing, that is causing the furor. Instead of bringing on people who could explain what part of collective bargaining the governor is talking about, we are shown young, tearful and frustrated teachers who are being manipulated by the union and worked into a frenzy. Do those teachers even know what the governor is suggesting with this bill? or do they simply have their collective fingers in their ears as they stand screaming at the capitol?

Although teachers' salaries are not what the bill addresses, just in case anyone is interested in knowing what kind of salaries the public educators in Wisconsin are making, here's a link that will take you to that information. It is public information (since they are public employees) and shows both the base salary and the benefits package.

http://www.jsonline.com/watchdog/dataondemand/33534649.html?appSession=698282434363950

With the exception of administrative staff, those salaries reflect work for nine months of the year. And included in that nine months is approximately three weeks of paid vacation.

In our area, it appears that the average teacher's wage is approximately twice that of the average non-teacher worker. Some of the benefits packages alone are more than what others in our area are making for salaries!

But remember, our governor is not talking about adjusting salaries, but adjusting benefits. I realize that many people don't consider their benefits package to be part of their income, but for those of us who pay out of pocket and are not part of a union, we realize how expensive those benefits packages are - and come from the taxpayers - your friends and neighbors.

How is it that some can retire at age 55 with nearly full pay for the rest of their lives. Why does anyone think the taxpayer can sustain that kind of support??

Don't get me wrong. I don't begrudge anyone making a fair wage. And I don't think the problem here is the teachers. It's the unions. Wouldn't any individual reasonable teacher rather negotiate with a school district to keep their job than be manipulated by the union to hold out for the impossible and lose their job altogether?

Author, Second Chance - A Tale of Two Puppies

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