Comments on: A HOME 1 http://sycamoretaxpayer.com/blog Demanding Fiscal Responsibility Wed, 22 Feb 2012 22:31:13 -0800 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: notaxjack http://sycamoretaxpayer.com/blog/comment-page-1/#comment-12610 notaxjack Thu, 22 Dec 2011 01:55:22 +0000 http://sycamoretaxpayer.com/blog/#comment-12610 Lets all just stop paying property taxes NOW Lets all just stop paying property taxes NOW

]]> By: Administrator http://sycamoretaxpayer.com/blog/comment-page-1/#comment-7746 Administrator Thu, 20 Oct 2011 08:12:34 +0000 http://sycamoretaxpayer.com/blog/#comment-7746 Sycamore, for one, is trying to do everything while the overall lack of basic K-12 educational global competiveness is a serious national problem. ©Copyright October, 2011 Sycamore, for one, is trying to do everything while the overall lack of basic K-12 educational global competiveness is a serious national problem. ©Copyright October, 2011

]]> By: Administrator http://sycamoretaxpayer.com/blog/comment-page-1/#comment-6629 Administrator Sat, 24 Sep 2011 16:40:08 +0000 http://sycamoretaxpayer.com/blog/#comment-6629 (MORE PIECES OF THE PUZZLE) THIS PAGE AND WEB SITE WILL BE UPDATED WITH ADDITIONAL PERSPECTIVES ON: ---STRUGGLING INNER CITY SCHOOLS ---NEW SCHOOL MODELS ---UNION IMPACT ---SCHOOL AS A GOVERNMENT MONOPOLY ---FEDERAL OR STATE & LOCAL CONTROL OF PUBLIC K-12 EDUCATION ---GROWING BUREACURACY IMPACT ON EFFECTIVENESS AND EFFICENCY OF THE SYSTEM ---AMERICA’S FINANCIAL & ECONOMIC CONDITIONS ---CURRICULUM AND STANDARDS CHANGES ---ROLE OF PUBLIC EDUCATION ---WANING GLOBAL COMPETITIVENESS (MORE PIECES OF THE PUZZLE)

THIS PAGE AND WEB SITE WILL BE UPDATED WITH ADDITIONAL PERSPECTIVES ON:
—STRUGGLING INNER CITY SCHOOLS
—NEW SCHOOL MODELS
—UNION IMPACT
—SCHOOL AS A GOVERNMENT MONOPOLY
—FEDERAL OR STATE & LOCAL CONTROL OF PUBLIC K-12 EDUCATION
—GROWING BUREACURACY IMPACT ON EFFECTIVENESS AND EFFICENCY OF THE SYSTEM
—AMERICA’S FINANCIAL & ECONOMIC CONDITIONS
—CURRICULUM AND STANDARDS CHANGES
—ROLE OF PUBLIC EDUCATION
—WANING GLOBAL COMPETITIVENESS

]]> By: mike kessler http://sycamoretaxpayer.com/blog/comment-page-1/#comment-4165 mike kessler Thu, 30 Jun 2011 23:24:05 +0000 http://sycamoretaxpayer.com/blog/#comment-4165 I have to wonder if the Sycamore Community District has the ability to spell "Balanced Budget." The taxpayers of the Sycamore Community District should demand Fiscal Responsibility from those they have elected/voted into office. During this tough economy which will not start to ease up until 2013, the citizens should expect nothing less than a conservative budget. If the District spends more than they take it, I would find it intolerable for the local community to sit back and be passive instead of holding those elected to office accountable for their loose and unacceptable spending habits. I have to wonder if the Sycamore Community District has the ability to spell “Balanced Budget.” The taxpayers of the Sycamore Community District should demand Fiscal Responsibility from those they have elected/voted into office. During this tough economy which will not start to ease up until 2013, the citizens should expect nothing less than a conservative budget. If the District spends more than they take it, I would find it intolerable for the local community to sit back and be passive instead of holding those elected to office accountable for their loose and unacceptable spending habits.

]]> By: Administrator http://sycamoretaxpayer.com/blog/comment-page-1/#comment-3835 Administrator Tue, 14 Jun 2011 17:39:19 +0000 http://sycamoretaxpayer.com/blog/#comment-3835 <strong>Comparing Ohioans Compensation to Peers in State Government</strong> <em>Imbalance of government worker pay and private sector pay</em> . The following are excerpts of The Buckeye Institute for Public Policy Solutions’ president Matt A. Mayer being interviewed by Bob Connors (June 9, 2011 audio blog) about its new compensation tool: . Q – <strong>Why</strong> did you develop the new compensation tool? A –To give Ohioans a chance to <strong>compare themselves</strong>, <em>how much they are making in total compensation</em>, <strong>to their peers in state government</strong>. And to further educate them to the <strong>imbalance of government worker pay and private sector pay.</strong>. . Q – <strong>How did this imbalance come about?</strong> A – Collective bargaining existed since 1983, public compensation increased that was <strong>greater than inflation </strong>because of pay steps, birthday bonuses, longevity pay for <strong>28 years compounded </strong>to where the pay is fairly high and unsustainable. . Q – The wage increases were won fairly by the unions and management agreed, weren’t they? A – True. This highlights an <strong>inherent problem with collective bargaining in government</strong>. There is <strong>no profit motive</strong>. If the money is there they pay it, if not, they just have the taxpayers bail them out. . Q – The highest hourly rate $101.70 per hour is paid is to a physician. Isn’t that fair? A – It may be, we want <strong>taxpayers to decide what is fair</strong>. To see the low, high and average pay for each of the 500 job codes. . Q – The highest paid state worker made $325,700 including about $100,000 in overtime pay. They could have hired two other workers for that amount. A – Yes, this situation shows the <strong>inherent inability to properly manage</strong>. A limitation in government is not being able to determine productivity measures. The system needs reform that is the <strong>thrust of Senate Bill 5</strong>. We need to get <strong>reform, the kind that gets control over wages.</strong> . We talked about the 613 Ohio school districts (based on October, 2010 Five Year Forecasts) are headed to a <strong>$7.6 billion deficit by 2015</strong>. By then, 96% of cost is compensation. If you don’t get the wages under control you will have to raise taxes, cut kids programs, or be unable to respond to safety concerns. . There should be across the board reforms to align to the Ohio economy. The state average is $52,580, just under the top 40% of all wage earners. There are a lot of surprises in the tool. . Note: There have been <strong>over 3.1 million searches </strong>of the data since April 30, 2010. The information can be found at <strong>http://www.buckeyeinstitute.org/</strong>. Comparing Ohioans Compensation to Peers in State Government
Imbalance of government worker pay and private sector pay
.
The following are excerpts of The Buckeye Institute for Public Policy Solutions’ president Matt A. Mayer being interviewed by Bob Connors (June 9, 2011 audio blog) about its new compensation tool:
.
Q – Why did you develop the new compensation tool?
A –To give Ohioans a chance to compare themselves, how much they are making in total compensation, to their peers in state government. And to further educate them to the imbalance of government worker pay and private sector pay..
.
Q – How did this imbalance come about?
A – Collective bargaining existed since 1983, public compensation increased that was greater than inflation because of pay steps, birthday bonuses, longevity pay for 28 years compounded to where the pay is fairly high and unsustainable.
.
Q – The wage increases were won fairly by the unions and management agreed, weren’t they?
A – True. This highlights an inherent problem with collective bargaining in government. There is no profit motive. If the money is there they pay it, if not, they just have the taxpayers bail them out.
.
Q – The highest hourly rate $101.70 per hour is paid is to a physician. Isn’t that fair?
A – It may be, we want taxpayers to decide what is fair. To see the low, high and average pay for each of the 500 job codes.
.
Q – The highest paid state worker made $325,700 including about $100,000 in overtime pay. They could have hired two other workers for that amount.
A – Yes, this situation shows the inherent inability to properly manage. A limitation in government is not being able to determine productivity measures. The system needs reform that is the thrust of Senate Bill 5. We need to get reform, the kind that gets control over wages.
. We talked about the 613 Ohio school districts (based on October, 2010 Five Year Forecasts) are headed to a $7.6 billion deficit by 2015. By then, 96% of cost is compensation. If you don’t get the wages under control you will have to raise taxes, cut kids programs, or be unable to respond to safety concerns.
. There should be across the board reforms to align to the Ohio economy. The state average is $52,580, just under the top 40% of all wage earners. There are a lot of surprises in the tool.
.
Note: There have been over 3.1 million searches of the data since April 30, 2010. The information can be found at http://www.buckeyeinstitute.org/.

]]> By: Administrator http://sycamoretaxpayer.com/blog/comment-page-1/#comment-3208 Administrator Mon, 11 Apr 2011 06:25:50 +0000 http://sycamoretaxpayer.com/blog/#comment-3208 Want to really understand American education? Read the 2011 book, Special Interest. <em>Teachers Unions and America's Public Schools</em>. By Terry M. Moe. Brookings Institution Press, Wasington, D. C. Want to really understand American education?

Read the 2011 book,

Special Interest. Teachers Unions and America’s Public Schools.
By Terry M. Moe.

Brookings Institution Press,
Wasington, D. C.

]]> By: Administrator http://sycamoretaxpayer.com/blog/comment-page-1/#comment-2709 Administrator Fri, 04 Mar 2011 01:13:47 +0000 http://sycamoretaxpayer.com/blog/#comment-2709 Learn what Ohio Superintendents say about Ohio's Collective Bargaining Law Go to: http://www.edexcellence.net/publications-issues/publications/yearning-to-break-free-ohio.html Learn what Ohio Superintendents say about Ohio’s Collective Bargaining Law

Go to: http://www.edexcellence.net/publications-issues/publications/yearning-to-break-free-ohio.html

]]> By: Administrator http://sycamoretaxpayer.com/blog/comment-page-1/#comment-2415 Administrator Tue, 08 Feb 2011 21:15:45 +0000 http://sycamoretaxpayer.com/blog/#comment-2415 An eighteen page study by a SycamoreTaxpayer was recently discussed with Mr. Mercurio, Sycamore school board member and Mr. Kirtpatrick, local businessman and parent. It is hoped that the other board members (Adamec, Richter, Cole and Stauback) will take the time to discuss the data before beginning teacher contract negotiations. Table of contents: 1 Total Sycamore Expenditures FY10 School Year 2 Teacher Salaries: 2009-2010 School Year 3 Public-Private Sector Pay Gap 4 Sycamore Wage/COLA Increase Comparison 5 Types of Wage Increases 6 Actual Teacher Increase 7 Top and Bottom of Wage Scale Comparison 8 Master Degree (Extra Pay, Value) 9 Senority Value 10 Benefits See pages <strong>Huge Compensation Imbalance</strong> of this web blog. An eighteen page study by a SycamoreTaxpayer was recently discussed with Mr. Mercurio, Sycamore school board member and Mr. Kirtpatrick, local businessman and parent.

It is hoped that the other board members (Adamec, Richter, Cole and Stauback) will take the time to discuss the data before beginning teacher contract negotiations.

Table of contents:
1 Total Sycamore Expenditures FY10 School Year
2 Teacher Salaries: 2009-2010 School Year
3 Public-Private Sector Pay Gap
4 Sycamore Wage/COLA Increase Comparison
5 Types of Wage Increases
6 Actual Teacher Increase
7 Top and Bottom of Wage Scale Comparison
8 Master Degree (Extra Pay, Value)
9 Senority Value
10 Benefits

See pages Huge Compensation Imbalance of this web blog.

]]> By: Administrator http://sycamoretaxpayer.com/blog/comment-page-1/#comment-2136 Administrator Fri, 21 Jan 2011 15:19:29 +0000 http://sycamoretaxpayer.com/blog/#comment-2136 Check out this interview of Buckeye Institute President. http://www.buckeyeinstitute.org/audio-blog?id=45 There have been over 1.5 million data searches since April last year (2010) for the Teacher Salary Data. The hits are now (Feb.27, 2011) over 2 million. The hits are now (Mar 27, 2011) 2.4 million. The hits are now (May 30, 2011) over 3 million. As of Oct 17, 2011 the hits are over 5.2 million. Check out this interview of Buckeye Institute President.

http://www.buckeyeinstitute.org/audio-blog?id=45

There have been over 1.5 million data searches since April last year (2010) for the Teacher Salary Data. The hits are now (Feb.27, 2011) over 2 million. The hits are now (Mar 27, 2011) 2.4 million. The hits are now (May 30, 2011) over 3 million. As of Oct 17, 2011 the hits are over 5.2 million.

]]> By: Administrator http://sycamoretaxpayer.com/blog/comment-page-1/#comment-2096 Administrator Tue, 11 Jan 2011 17:09:18 +0000 http://sycamoretaxpayer.com/blog/#comment-2096 Go to and read this policy brief to learn what states can do. http://www.edexcellence.net/publications-issues/publications/stretching-the-school-dollar-policy-brief.html "This new policy brief lists fifteen concrete ways that states can “stretch the school dollar” in these difficult financial times. Written by Marguerite Roza, senior data and economics advisor at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Michael J. Petrilli, executive vice president at the Fordham Institute, it argues that budget cuts alone, without concurrent reforms, could set our schools back years. But by addressing state mandates around teacher tenure, “last hired, first fired” policies, minimum class sizes, and more, states can free local leaders’ hands to make smart, courageous cuts and do more with less. In other words, this challenging climate is an opportunity to make some real changes in education. " Go to and read this policy brief to learn what states can do.

http://www.edexcellence.net/publications-issues/publications/stretching-the-school-dollar-policy-brief.html

“This new policy brief lists fifteen concrete ways that states can “stretch the school dollar” in these difficult financial times. Written by Marguerite Roza, senior data and economics advisor at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Michael J. Petrilli, executive vice president at the Fordham Institute, it argues that budget cuts alone, without concurrent reforms, could set our schools back years. But by addressing state mandates around teacher tenure, “last hired, first fired” policies, minimum class sizes, and more, states can free local leaders’ hands to make smart, courageous cuts and do more with less. In other words, this challenging climate is an opportunity to make some real changes in education. “

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