WEAC's top priority: Elimination of the QEO
By Mary Lazich
Thursday, Aug 14 2008, 06:06 PM
WEAC (The Wisconsin Education Association Council), the state teacher's union has released its 2009-10 Legislative Agenda. Topping WEAC's list of priorities is repealing the QEO (Qualified Economic Offer).
This is another reason the November election is critical. If Democrats maintain control of the state Senate and take back control of the state Assembly, a legislature controlled by Democrats along with Governor Doyle will kill the QEO. The result will be a property tax explosion.
Some background is in order. The QEO was instituted by the Legislature after angry taxpayers statewide demanded action be taken to stop the tidal wave of huge property tax increases. Since its inception, the QEO has helped keep property taxes from being even higher than they already are.
Under the QEO, the compensation package for teachers including salaries and benefits is to be limited to a 3.8 percent increase. Prior to the implementation of the QEO, settlement packages with teachers were much larger, forcing a tremendous burden on taxpayers.
According to data from the Wisconsin Association of School Boards (WASB) that used figures from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, the average total teacher salary and benefit package increase in the years before the QEO was 8 percent during 1984-85, 8.4 percent during 1985-86, 7.7 percent during 1986-87, 7.4 percent during 1987-88, 7.1 percent during 1988-89, 7.3 percent during 1989-90, 7.4 percent during 1990-91 and 6.9 percent during both 1991-92 and 1992-93.
Enough was enough. Taxpayers protested. The Legislature heard and listened, and the QEO was adopted.
In reality, most school districts do not stay within the QEO, agreeing to settlements that surpass the 3.8 percent limit. The WASB reports that the average total package of salaries and benefits was 4.29 percent during 2006-07, 4.25 percent during 2005-06, and 4.31 percent during 2004-05. The percentages are higher than the rate of inflation, and more than likely are greater than increases provided in the private sector.
The QEO must remain intact. Without the QEO, spending and taxes will rise substantially, more people will leave their homes, more people will leave the state, and more jobs will be lost. We cannot afford to lose the QEO.
4 comments:
We are at the breaking point as it is, we can not take any more of this out of control taxing. The school districts are the worst offenders!
Thank you for keeping us informed guys. Keep up the great work!
Then again... without the QEO we simply cut teachers pay in half and REDUCE our property taxes.
Looks like we must replace many school board members who are responsible for agreeing to these ridiculous packages as well.
The QEO is not the problem. I would like to get rid of the QEO, but at the same time we need to get rid of binding arbitration. Arbitration boards were loaded with past school officials that always sided with the teachers causing the huge increases we have seen in the past.
Back in the 60s and 70s, teachers went out on strike. This showed their true colors. It was about them, not the children. It is the same today, but they don’t have to go on strike to get their increases.
The average teacher makes more in 9 months of work than the average taxpayer makes all year. That’s before we include the huge benefit packages and early retirement. The average tax payer works until Medicare kicks in (67 for me). Most teachers plan to retire soon after 55 years old. That’s an extra benefit that doesn’t show up on any spreadsheet of teacher’s cost.
If you look at the increases that the well paid state and county workers have made, you will find that their increases pale in comparison to the teacher’s union.
The company that I work is doing quite well and last year I received a 3% increase. Many companies had lower or no increases in wages. Even after my 3%, I had to pay for higher insurance cost as well as higher taxes and cost of goods.
The QEO guarantees a minimum of 3.8% of both salaries and benefits. That is before they figure in the extra increases for years of service and more increases for more education. The WGSD school board gave the teachers a 4.1% increase in both salaries and benefits. With the years of service increase and education increases, this turned out to be about a 4.5% increase.
As I right this, the three houses to the North of me are empty. Many houses in the town and village are in foreclosure. Many businesses have closed resulting in loss of jobs and tax base. Why do we all have to “tighten our belts” when the schools do not?
Let’s get rid of the QEO and binding arbitration.
Paul B.
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