Money From Your Wallet Straight To "Teachers'"

There was recently a survey done of Texas school teachers, by their union. SURPRISE it found that Texas teachers are underpaid and want a raise. A couple of days ago, local teachers were talking to the people responsible for setting up the upcoming budget for the City of Austin. This is my shocked face: the teachers said they want a raise. It would be just fine with them if you lost $120 a year from your own wallet - $10 a month you would use to feed your own children - or if services were cut somewhere else, to provide the teachers with a raise.

Leave aside for the moment that, in a place where you have 20 people standing in line for every position that opens, NOBODY should get a raise. Leave aside for the moment that AISD is top-heavy and could have a raise with no difficulty on their current budget if they would lay off some mid-level administrators. No, my opinion is that you should not be surprised to see a proposed property tax rate increase to pay for teachers' raises.

Why?

Because less is never an option. It doesn't matter that your budget is also being cut back. When it comes time to write the government's operating budget, "they only answer more, more more." Due to my diligent searching, I was able to find a photo of the representative for the Austin teachers' association: Click here.