Herald Reports: Can Districts Work Together for Lower Salaries?

http://www.antonnews.com/syossetjerichotribune/news/13513-can-school-districts-work-together-for-lower-salaries.html
Also found in Plainview Herald

Can School Districts Work Together for Lower Salaries?

Friday, 11 February 2011 00:00
North Shore Leads Meeting of Boards on
Legal Cooperation

This unforgiving economic climate has dealt hard blows to many people working in the private sector. Those lucky enough to hold on to jobs do so knowing that, in this era, it is unlikely to expect ideal financial compensation. Many employees are paying larger benefit contributions; some, like the Syosset Council of Teachers voted to do on Jan. 20, are forgoing raises. As the pain persists and time goes on, eyes are turning to the public sector, where many say their own, harder-to-earn tax dollars are funding a better situation than what they themselves are experiencing.

Nassau County has been working to negotiate a new deal with its primary union, seeking to remove what many found to be excessive items of compensation. Across local municipalities and at the state level, the microscope has gone down on the books and taxpayers are looking for change.

School districts account for the bulk of property taxes. In this arena, residents seek relief from a tax levy increase while boards of education face the challenge of providing an environment that 1) educates children properly and 2) keeps the value of property somewhere near the high values that brought residents into their communities in the first place. ......click link