Chicago School Board Passes CPS Budget, Property Tax Hike

You're getting a property tax hike, homeowners. The Chicago School Board unanimously approved that tax hike, part of the now ratified budget that also includes $400 million in cuts for the upcoming school year and the possibility of hundreds of layoffs.

All that and dipping into reserve funds to balance this year's budget still doesn't alleviate concerns about the school system's long-term fiscal future. Assuming current expenses remain static, CPS staff say escalating pension and health care costs will contribute to a projected $860 million deficit for 2014. The Civic Federation also cited this ticking time bomb as something to be very concerned about in their endorsement of the budget.

CPS CEO Jean-Claude Brizard formally offered his proposal for a 2 percent pay raise to elementary teachers in exchange for extending the school day by 90 minutes, effective in January. By the time Brizard emailed Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis with the offer, CTU members, who likely heard about or watched Brizard's appearance on Chicago Tonight Tuesday night, were breathing down Lewis's neck to reject the offer, which equates to $3 an hour.

Lewis admitted her rank-and-file aren't happy with the offer and suggested it "would have been nice" if Brizard made it while the two sides were still negotiating the 4 percent pay raise the School Board rescinded in June. A veteran union delegate told the Sun-Times the pay raise may also not fly because it would place the salaries of elementary teachers above that of their high school counterparts.

The School Board did find time to make two new hires, according to the Bright One.

(B)oard members approved the hiring of Oliver Sicat to the new $162,500-a year position of Portfolio Officer, charged with developing a long-term strategy for facilities planning. Sicat is the director and a founder of Noble Street Charter School’s UIC College Prep campus. Also, Jamiko Rose, executive director of the community group Organization of the North East, was hired to the new $152,000 position of Chief Family and Community Engagement Officer.

The school budget calls for cuts for more than 500 teachers and school workers, many of them focused on the kids who need it most. School Board officials added the caveat they could be hired back thanks to discretionary funding.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@chicagoist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Chuck Sudo in News on August 25, 2011 9:00 AM

Comments [rss]

twocee

Again, Karen Lewis is doing a horrible job of making people sympathetic to her cause.

Is she bitching about a $3 per hour raise? If you assume a 40 hour work week, with a 9 month work year, that equates to about a $4300 a year raise. Not too shabby in today's economy, where most people I know who have jobs were happy to get a 1% cost of living adjustment and have their health insurance rates kept the same.

Navin_Johnson

If you assume a 40 hour work week, with a 9 month work year.

I think it's been shown that most teachers work a hell of a lot more hours than that.

I know who have jobs were happy to get a 1% cost of living adjustment and have their health insurance rates kept the same.

Which is a good case for why labor is so necessary.

BlueFairlane

I think it's been shown that most teachers work a hell of a lot more hours than that.

Lewis presented it as a $3/hour raise. While you are correct that teachers work a hell of a lot more hours than that, if Lewis is including that fact in her equations then it translates to even more money per year than the oddly-named twocee figured.

Which is a good case for why labor is so necessary.

I've come to the conclusion that you don't believe in the concept of limited resources.

Navin_Johnson

I am talking about work that is not 'on the clock' or part of a salary.

I don't believe in false choices, or scapegoating.

ChicagoD

But that is your own fallacy. People who are paid salaries are not paid hourly. And, to be perfectly honest, five 45 minute contact hours a day (as another poster indicated they had) means that some of the time "on the clock" can be used for grading, planning, etc. In fact, I bet it often is. In other words, time "on the clock" has some time built in for the "other stuff" that people talk about.

I'd be more impressed with your "scapegoating" allegation if the CTU had even one good faith proposal that had to do with educating kids. As it is, I see a lot of teachers, some good and dedicated, some dogs (as is true in every profession) being led over a cliff by terrible leadership.

BlueFairlane

I am talking about work that is not 'on the clock' or part of a salary.

Which is irrelevant to Lewis's statement, or twocee's analysis of Lewis's statement. Both statements have to do with "on the clock" work.

I don't believe in false choices, or scapegoating

Who said anything about either?

ChicagoD

Lewis is a disaster. The CTU is going to be broken under her watch.

Wilson St Pierre

Is there anyway taxpayers can say no to these type of tax increases? When does it end?

chicagoist_tips

Wilson - This is the first property tax increase CPS has requested in five years and, considering the situation, it is unfortunate and necessary, - Chuck

Navin_Johnson

If you look at Wilson's 'activity' you'll see that in his brief history he's not exactly happy with anything. And probably doesn't live in Chicago either...

sat3911

Doesn't invalidate the question though. It is still a good question.

It does change my reply to him to "when you get off your rump and do something about it."

Navin_Johnson

Maybe so, but it exposes its motivation as simple and ideologically driven. There's no interest whatsoever in the nuances involved in school funding, property taxes, TIFs etc., it's just populist anti-tax jibber-jabber.

sat3911

Go read up on the TIF districts then get a list of your city and state reps. Show up at their office and make a strongly worded statement. It should be polite but firm and short. Wait one month. Repeat.

Convince enough neighbors to do the same and it ends.