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approach, noting that such health insurance might well result in savings. H<? also applauded the budget’s focus on teacher salaries and benefits, noting that the result of not staying competitive would be “an ugly, rapid slide to the tail end of the pack.”
Tom Junk prefaced his criticism of the budget with a statement of support for the good job that the schools are doing. He noted however that the past four budgets have increased roughly ten percent per year and that the school population has decreased, resulting in what he characterized as real increases—$2 million over the past few years. He suggested that, in light of continuing declining enrollments and budget increases, “we’re gonna have a problem.”
Roger Cordani also expressed his concern about budget increases, and in a thinly veiled attack on the superintendent said that it “seems like every year Gangel’s been here we’ve had an increase.” He also criticized the superintendent’s enrollment projections noting that “three years ago Gangel projected more students-now there’s less.” Mr. Cordani suggested that savings could be realized by eliminating administrative positions that the “state doesn’t require us to have,” such as an assistant superintendent, assistant principals, and a “middle school principal that we don’t need.” He also criticized salary increases, reflecting on his employment in Prince William County when he said “I went five years without a raise.”
A divergent opinion was forwarded by Bill Dietel who introduced his comments by saying that he “would like to begin my remarks in terms of trying something I haven’t heard in the pastspeaking for the student body.” He said that he “wondered what they [the student body] would think if they found that the board was looking at average salaries?” Mr. Dietel suggested that the budget’s focus on salary averages would result in a school system staffed with average teachers, to the great disadvantage of the students and their futures. He said that he “would consider the budget de minimus-costs are peanuts” when compared to the children’s need for a good education. He continued to stress the need for competitive teacher salaries in the face of “competition for teachers that you’ve never seen before” and mentioned that, for example, Fairfax teachers are being heavily recruited and have been offered signing bonuses of $12,000 by other school systems. “There is no cheap way out,” he said.
Former Jackson District School Board representative Ron Makela echoed Mr. Dietel’s remarks regarding the children and their educational needs. He said that “if a child is physically ill, the parents will pay whatever it takes, but they lose sight of the fact when it comes to an education that “assures the future.” Mr. Makela spoke of his support for teacher salary increas
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