Dear Editor,
On Dec. 18, the OACSD Superintendent made a budget presentation for school year 2015-16. The message is “Keeping [the] tax levy increase as low as we have is unsustainable”. It is without reference to where we are or direction. It identifies revenue problems, no solutions, no control of expenditures, or how much is needed.
There is one problem, and it is excessive employee compensation packages. These facts were presented in depth during the 2014 budget cycle and remain unacknowledged.
The documentation proving this has since been removed from our District’s website. Other documentation proving this is found at New York State’s Education Department and Comptroller’s Office.
These facts show that beginning in 2007, our District ratcheted up salaries and benefits faster than any other school District in the Southern Tier and New York State. Prudent Districts did the opposite. The annual bloodletting of reduced teaching staff will only end when the problem is acknowledged, a solution defined, and a resolve made. The simplest solution is the best solution. Return employee compensation back to their relative positions of 2006. They were above average then.
Since 2006, 100 percent of all tax increases have funded the annual ratcheting up of compensation to the highest in the Southern Tier! Students and taxpayers have not benefited and taxes have lessened business enterprise in our community.
Should you be skeptical, read the 2008 OAEA union contract.
Sincerely,
Haig McNamee
Owego, N.Y.
