The teacher did have a legitimate point about teachers buying school supplies, though. Many (most?) teachers lay out around $500 per year from their own pocket to buy materials for their classrooms. I wish Christie had answered that portion, since it was valid.
The teahcers get free health care for life. A few hundred for supplies is nothing.
“I wish Christie had answered that portion, since it was valid.”
I’d rather the teachers union answered that question.
Hate to burst your bubble on Christie. Standing up to Teachers Unions is very courageous /sarc/
But standing up to radical Islam and to leftists in your own party is what makes a President. Christie has no such qualities. But the New York Slimes will love him, because he is not....Sarah Palin.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2582604/posts
Many if not all schools have incidental funding from outside sources to help teachers with material costs. PTA's. PTSA's, Dad's Clubs, etc. basically parents and community help the teachers. While many teachers do purchase the items they are reimbursed.
Let's give the teachers union a choice: the state will provide an additional $500 a year per teacher for school supplies but teachers will have to accept ordinary health plans similar to the plans the rest of us have. Or, teachers may keep their current Cadillac health plans and not receive an additional $500 a year for school supplies.
Of course, the teacher's union will respond, "We want BOTH." That's exactly the point Gov Christie was making.
Christie had no reason to answer that point. The teacher doesn’t work for the State of New Jersey — she works for her local school district. If she has a problem paying out of her pocket for school expenses, she should take that up with her school principal and/or her local school board.
Why do they do that? If extra supplies are needed, then the PTA needs to step up. Should be able to go hat in hand to local businesses. A little thinking outside the box could easily solve that.
“Many (most?) teachers lay out around $500 per year from their own pocket to buy materials for their classrooms.”
They can always hold a bake sale.
He pretty much did. He started with a $1B shortfall from the previous year [when Corzine spent the one-time boost like a drunken sailor in a French whorehouse on "Dollar Day"]. He only cut $820M, which meant that he actually spent $180M more of taxpayer funds over that from the previous year.
He said that if the teachers had taken a pay freeze [instead of an automatic 4.9% pay raise] AND contributed 1.5% of their income towards their healthcare, then $700M of the $820M cut would have been saved. So, the net cut from the previous year ould have only been $120M.
So, if an average teacher makes $55K - then, this year he got a $2695 raise. And, most teachers in New Jersey DO NOT contribute to their healthcare. Assuming $4K for an individual teacher, then this is a $6695 hit to the state per teacher. And, even if the teacher was made to contribute 8% of his health plan towards healthcare [92% covered by the state], his cost is only $320. So, the cost to the state would then be $6375.
If a teacher had taken the deal, he would have forgone a $2695 raise for one year [which he would not miss since he never had it to begin with]. And, he would contribute $320 towards his healthcare.
So, even if he has to pay $500 for supplies, that teacher is getting $6695 [ or $6375 if he pays 8%] in benefits [raise plus healthcare]. He is $6195 [or $5875] towards the good.
I CALL THAT A DEAL !!!