This latest series of reports by Robert Fellner of Transparent Calfornia covers the increase in CalSTRS pensions over the past five years. This doubling of overly generous pension costs comes at a time when schools in Marin are struggling to retain teachers, staff, aides and programs.
Obviously this is a losing battle, as we read in the Marin Independent Journal.
In addition, school parcel taxes are now the norm, with appeals to the taxpayer to vote yes - but pension costs are rarely mentioned. It's time for all schools to be upfront about their budgets and to get on board with pension reform. Good teachers should earn good salaries. Poor teachers should be dismissed. Teachers should expect reasonable pensions. School consolidation should be seriously considered, thus reducing administrative staff, including superintendents, who get the overly-generous salaries, pensions and benefits.
Mimi Willard, founder of Coalition of Sensible Taxpayers, will be speaking at the upcoming April 4th Marin Coalition luncheon on the topic:
“Marin Taxpayer Dilemma - Voting on Parcel Taxes”.
To attend, go to: https://marincoalition.org/events/ I hope to see you there.
This particular report is the statewide study, but there are links to specific regions, including the Bay Area.