[Ghost of Philip Marlowe]

If you want lower property taxes, you need to go to EVERY school board meeting en masse. You need to confront and intimidate the teaching unions in your district so that they are terrified to ask for more money (YOUR PROPERTY TAXES) to fund BS programs and supplies.

[Plumres]

Our teachers get a 3.5% pat raise every year no matter what the economy does. They also have steps in their contract, so during a year they move up a step they get a raise on top of the 3.5% They are union and pay almost nothing for health care. Some of the teachers top $80,000 for 8 months work. Not too bad I would say.

In the real world there is no such thing as steps. In the last 5 years I have gotten a grand total of 5.5% raise TOTAL.

[Fresh Wind]

...to fund BS programs and supplies...

You mean like how the Chicago school system spent $67K on cappuccino machines?