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God, when will this man's term be OVER??
ATLANTA --- Georgians could hear talk of higher fees for state services, increased tuition at public colleges and cuts to salaries for teachers and other state workers when the General Assembly begins discussing the budget next month, the senior Senate budget writer said Tuesday.
What won't be considered is a boost in taxes, said Sen. Jack Hill, the chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. The Reidsville Republican told a luncheon at the Georgia Public Policy Foundation that $1.3 billion needs to be cut from the budget, or about $400 million more than Gov. Sonny Perdue has ordered withheld from state agencies.
"We're like a home, where we've lost one of our incomes, and yet we're still spending at a higher level because we just haven't reduced our spending enough," he said.
House Republican Leader Jerry Keen of St. Simons Island joined Mr. Hill in the presentation and said a tax boost wasn't an option for the Republicans who run the General Assembly.
"Sometimes it sounds good, is politically expedient to say, 'Boy, look at this money we can generate in the short term.' But you harm yourself in the long term with new job growth and sustainable job growth," Mr. Keen said.
Mr. Hill noted that Georgia charges lower fees than some other low-tax states. Georgia's tuition for its 35 public colleges and universities is also among the lowest in the nation, even after an increase for new students instituted in August.
"If there's anything to be looked at, maybe those are areas that somebody ought to take a look at as well," Mr. Hill said.
In kindergarten to 12th grade, cuts are almost unavoidable, even to personnel costs, he said.
Because K-12 education has been cut less than other state agencies in the past two years, its relative share of the budget has grown to 42 percent, with teacher salaries constituting four of every five cents spent on education. Teacher salaries make up one-third of every dollar the state spends.
"That's why, when you start to cutting the budget, you can't go far without looking at teacher salaries, and all state salaries as well," Mr. Hill said.
Mr. Perdue hasn't given any hints about what he will ask for when he makes his budget recommendations. He will have to make his final decisions soon so the documentation can be printed in time for the first week of the legislative session, which begins Jan. 11.
On Tuesday, he issued a news release noting the state's financial reserves stand at $103 million, slightly more than the state spends in two days of operation. Agencies returned $54 million in unspent funds from the budget year that ended June 30, almost doubling the reserves.
Lower-than-expected interest rates allowed the state to issue bonds at a $35 million savings as well.
"For every dollar that is saved, that is less that has to be cut from an already lean state budget," Mr. Perdue said.
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God, when will this man's term be OVER??
Amen to that!
Maybe the school teachers will have a different opinion of Roy Barnes in the next election...
Reducing teacher salaries in about the worst thing they can do. Why don't they reduce salaries in the state's congress?
How about all state salaries, including yours. I will go along with cutting teacher salaries as long as it is not the classroom teacher. Supers, principlas and administrative staffs, have at it!! By the way, just my opinion, your opinion sucks--he is trying to balance a budget without raising taxes. I would like to know the credit card burden you are under!
How do they classify Ga. as a low-tax state. State & Federal income tax, ad-valorem taxes, high property taxes, etc. Getting time for another tea party. Property taxes have already gone up 30% thanks to Sonny's plan; get ready to drain what you have left.
When will people admit that the more people a state has on government assistance, the more taxes that state will require. Do something about that. Problem solved.
The Augusta Chronicle has a HUGE MISTAKE in this article. It reads something about a salary cut for teachers? NO WAY can this be true. No way............. Can it?
The cuts will happen. Parents, you need to step up and take on more of the responsibility of educating your children. Don't say "it's the school's job." Nope, ultimately educating YOUR children is YOUR responsibility. The classes are going to be very full, and your child is going to get ONE TIME to learn whatever lesson is taught that day. There will be too many kids in a class for a teacher to help each one individually. And you can say all you want about how it was when you went to school. It is very different now, and that's just the way it is.
It may surprise posters but the top 10 percent of teachers in the K,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12 grades all make far above $100,000.00 a year with benefits. I for one believe that is a little steep for a job that entails teaching 180 days a year. Granted not all teachers make huge salaries but something must be done to stop the runaway train.
It may surprise posters but the top 10 percent of teachers in the K,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12 grades all make far above $100,000.00 a year with benefits. I for one believe that is a little steep for a job that entails teaching 180 days a year. Granted not all teachers make huge salaries but something must be done to stop the runaway train.
Teachers in GA donot make $100,000.00 a year. I don't know where you got your info, but it is incorrect. Teachers begin with a salary of around $30,000.00 in GA after ten years with a masters maybe $40.000.00. I know what I am talking about. BEEN THERE, DONE THAT!
dissman, say again what planet you are from?
Most teachers are working 2 jobs now to make ends meet. If the salarys are cut they should cut back on their job performance. Why doesn't the Gov cut some of the state people's salaries? Why are teachers asked to do more and get less pay. The Gonernor is crazy.
dissman, where are you from? You lie like a politician!
thank goodness we have a republican governor who has the best interest of taxpayers in mind.
whacker, it's been told you are a whacker, but it is not bush you are whacking!, hee, hee!
disssman, Iwill have to say that you are stretching the truth a bit there about teacher's salaries. Actually, you stretched it a long way! If there is such a place where teachers make WAY over $100,000 a year, I want to put in an application...quickly!
disssman, I will have to say that you are stretching the truth a bit there about teacher's salaries. Actually, you stretched it a long way! If there is such a place where teachers make WAY over $100,000 a year, I want to put in an application...quickly!
Ushouldnthave I wouldnt count on a tea party about Sonny's plan.
if you don't want the budget cut and want the state to spend more than it has on hand. Go to the dept of revenue web page, get the address send a check, or now they even take credit card payments.If the idiot in the white house was not trying to destroy our economy maybe the state would have the money to fund all of its liabilities, elections have consequences.
Disssman must have teacher's salaries confused with ADMINISTRATION salaries. I WISH I made $100,000 a year. It takes almost 15 years for a teacher to even make 63K or more. That is also with 3 degrees that mostly likely are still being paid on from student loans. What Sonny needs to eliminate is the National Teacher Certification raises. I know too many people who got theirs by "hand picking" the "good" students in order to video tape their lessons. These folks have enjoyed a nice 10% pay increase for too long. The ones I personally work with are NO better teachers than any of the others who don't have it. I know first year teachers who put in more effort and time than some of this bunch.
Way to go Republicans! Wow you jerks have governed poorly since you bought your way into office. Wake up, Georgia!!! REPUBLICANS OVER TIME HAVE PROVEN FOR ALL TO SEE THAT THEY CANNOT GOVERN!!!! WHEN WILL YOU DOPES REALIZE THAT? And Scooby, get off your rump and get your own certification rather than gripe about people that do. REPUBLICANS ENRICH THEMSELVES AND LEAVE A MESS WHEN THEY GO!!!
Yellowcat, Skidroejoe, workingmon and scoobynews you folks need to look at what your money is being paid for. Believe me I wouldn't make a statement that I can't back up with facts. The state has an open records and budget act that requires transparancy, unlike augusta, That document lists the salary of every teacher in the state. If you are interested just do the following: One - Google Open.Georgia.Gov and look at salaries of Richmond county school teachers. Two - download a class size to an excel program. Three - do a sort by salary. Four count the number of records for that group. Five count the number of people at the top ten percent. Now do the same for every grade. It only takes a few minutes.
dissman...you could be one of the most uneducated, most ignorant people who has ever commented on the AC! You have NO clue what you are talking about...Educators are paid on Years of Experience and Degree Levels...T4, T5, T6 etc. Perhaps your stupidity can't decipher a T CERTIFICATE (TEACHER) versus and L CERTIFICATE (LEADERSHIP AKA ADMINISTRATORS)...Please refrain from all other comments...and go ahead and re-configure your almighty Excel Spreadsheet again...Columbia County only has a Handful of ADMINISTRATORS making 6 figures you FRUITCAKE!!!! IGNORANCE...your picture must be right next to that term in the Dictionary...or is it next to the DONKEY!?!?!
Dissman...not to mention that your comments about 180 days per year is completely absurd...1) Teachers are Salaried for 190 days (180 with kids)...2) Teachers work about 50-60 hours per week (without Unions or Overtime)...3) Teachers spend countless amounts of money out of their own pockets on their students and classrooms. All in all, the typical American/Georgia Teacher works about 1980 Hours (if you figure 55 hpw @ 36 Weeks) and an Average Person (I USE THAT LOOSELY) works (40 hpw @ 50 Weeks) about 2000 Hours...You need to realize that Hours per Week make up the difference...Teachers typically work many more HOURS PER WEEK in a shorter Amount of time...
But then again, I wouldn't expect donkeyman to understand that!!!
and Mr. Donkeyman...the 36 Weeks are the weeks with kids...Teachers still work another 1 1/2 weeks without kids which would equate to about 60 more hours bringing that total up to 2040 hours yearly (or in a Contract Year). Does that put it into perspective for you a little bit...or are you still that oblivious to reality?
here we go again....always talk of reducing teachers, parapro, busdrivers or anyone directly related to the education process...georgia will always be at or near the bottom regarding academic achievement because it's priorities are sports and useless, ineffective and costly "programs" aimed at the "at risk youths" meanwhile the children who want to learn and strive to get an education are squeezed and left out in the cold..hey sonny, state dept of education, and heck, even the local school board (ESPECIALLY MS. CAIN) why not 1) make it easier to expel the disruptive, disrespectful and children who don't want an education, 2) suspend all sprots programs and extra curricular activities not directly associated with education until schools with low graduation rates-failing to meet ayp, and/or the state budgetary crisis improves...but i guess not just take the easy way out and get rid of teachers, increase fees to push higher education further out of reach..yeah that will work...NOT!!!!
It's spelled lifelongresident not lifelongresidient.
DB16 I will attempt to answer your Qs in order. It is obvious you didn't go to the state web site because if you had you wouldn't have made such ridiculous statements. One - yes an educator can start out teaching 1st grade at a low wage, the problem is at the end of 20+ years that person is teaching the same class at 5 times what their starting salary was, same number of kids, same subject and probably same lesson plans as all other 1st graders. Two - you are correct about 190 days or about 9 months. Three - The actual salary of teachers in about 70 percent of the cost for that teacher. Given that, a teacher encoded in the finance department as a "in school detention teacher" makes in excess of $80,000 in salary, with benefits that would be Approximately $115,000 per year. These are not my figures, by the way the RCBOE provides the state with all figures. The 70 percent figure has been used by the RCBOE in numerous articles in the paper.
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