This is crazy - eliminating music and art and physical education. Three huge things that inspire imagination, creativity, increased brain activity, intelligence and health. Way to go Dist 15. That's your solution? Drop gym so that our kids don't get physical activity, Maybe the only they get during the day for some. They become lethargic, unstimulated, gain weight and oh they blame Nutrition Services for poor meals. Not the fact they had to cut teachers. Music and art is the back bone. You teach a child music, you teach them math, self confidence, socialization. Yep, cut that too so the kids can go home with no instrument to practice with and they'll further just sit on a couch with video games. Art: Stimulates the brain also, inspires a child to grow, reach out, try different things, see the world a different way-a better way. Joe Heather's idea of freezing salaries would be great if you can get the teacher's on board. Better to freeze a job rather than lose it. Hopefully Thompson and crew will consider saving jobs and programs rather than destroying..

Mary - please keep in mind that Thompson had to present options that *could* be done. I don't think eliminating gym is an option (as it is we're already on a state waiver to not present it daily).

While cutting the arts is distasteful he had to present it as an option because it is something the district is not mandated to offer.

The salary freeze is one of the best options. Let's see what the teachers union (CTC) says to that during negotiations. They ultimately control much of what determines if teachers are laid off.

Next time we hire a superintendent lets make sure they play a musical instrument and paint and draw. Only a musician or artist understands the lifelong benefits of these programs.

Cuts in music programs were just ONE EXAMPLE of what could be cut to bring the deficit in line. Since the Teachers Union contract comprises 85% of the entire (deficit) budget we must have freezes or THEN we have to look at examples like music, extra-curricular volleyball, or art.

Since, for the past 10 years teachers have had raises that well exceed CPI is it time to cut music, or is it time to bring that salary raise rate back into line with reality?

Ultimately, this is what the community needs to decide.

One thing that came out of the meeting was the need to keep 35 million in reserve. Fine. But that still leaves 20 million that can be used as a rainy day fund. Obviously 9.6 million is unsustainable, but if the deficit can be cut to one or two million, why not tap those reserves?

Because it is foolish to use reserves for fixed expenses. Especially the single largest fixed expense. Your recommendation is equivalent to using a household savings account to pay your monthly mortgage. If your sloppy financial logic is used we'll be in a dire financial situation 2-3 years from now.

Keep in mind this is the same Administration that not long ago wanted to purchase acreage to pursue a Farming program to teach the Children about self-sustainment and caring for and growing thier own food.
It's all about the Children - isn't that what we've been told? Keep the Children in mind when you renegotiate the Contracts. This is just the same old Sky-is-Falling cry before they ask for a Tax increase - Ohh yeah - they already increased the Levy.............

Did you not see the reserve funding? I'm talking about using three-six million out of 55 million. That's not even cutting to the district's 30% minimum reserve.

The decline in property values lies at the heart of all this. Teacher pay that could be afforded in 2006 cannot now. Health care costs that could've absorbed cannot now. But the housing market will recover. The trick is making the district financially sound enough to last until then. Slashing everything defeats the point of a reserve function.

The point of having a savings account is to cover holes. I'd rather pay one mortgage payment out if savings than destroy what made me buy my house.

Keep in mind the Superintendent is not the enemy here. He has inherited a decade of unbridled spending that is now coming back to bite us.

He was tasked by the BOE to come up with a list of *possible* cuts to eliminate the deficit [for the next year].

sad - only the kids lose here

A significant amount in reserve is needed for cash flow purposes. See slide 10 of http://www.scottherr.org/2011/doc/school-finances-20120121.pdf for details. I believe this is because the district receives most revenues from property taxes, and that just happens twice a year. Imagine if you were paid twice a year for your job. You would want to keep a lot in your bank account to make sure you could keep paying all the bills before your next paycheck comes in.

Teacher and staff pay is a big part of the budget, but it's not the fastest growing cost by far. Health care costs are already big and growing fast (estimated 10% per year for the next few years). If we don't address health care costs, this problem will keep coming up every few years.

Ultimately, I think the district has done a good job (much better than previous years) at educating the community at the problems we face. Revenues can't go up much, costs are rising, and there isn't really a lot to cut. District 15 already has a relatively high student:teacher ratio for the area, so I hope layoffs don't turn out to be necessary.

To a large degree, much of what happens to fix the shortfall will be up to the upcoming negotiations for the teacher's new contract. I really appreciate and respect the teachers and staff in District 15, and I hope they will be able to find some creative solutions with the administration to minimize job cuts.

It will be decades before the property levels rebound. Keep dreaming.

I wll respect the teachers and staff of District 15 a lot more in the negotiations when they admit we are living in an economy when even they must tighten their belts for the good of the children. Let's see how that works out.

Nobody wants one, but pay-cuts should be on the table.

One thing that should be considered is the elimination of the HMO option; they are money pits.

In an HMO the patient does not have much of a stake in the cost of health care since their own out of pocket cost is so low.

I am sorry that I missed the meeting. From everything that was been written here there was no mention of increasing property taxes? I believe that increasing taxes is always the first thing mentioned. Somebody please refresh my memory but it was 5 or so years ago where we were offered a referendum for D15 and 211 for tax increases and the voters passed the one for 15 but rejected 211. I think that D15 was offering big program cuts before that election.
There is no easy answer and since there was no "Mr. Hollands Opus 2" was never made we will never no what Hollywood would do.

Can students start paying union dues so their rights also get represented by the CTC?

"Also, I believe the contract includes a provision that the DISTRICT pays the 9.2 percent contribution to TRS for the teachers, so the teachers pay nothing towards their own retirement"

Actually this is not the case for D15, though it does happen in other districts.

Until we see some restraint on the part of the CTC there is zero chance of a referendum passing. So the only tax increase the district gets is CPI (plus new growth).

At an earlier meeting in the last month or two (not yesterday), Superintendant Thompson went into some detail regarding how much tax revenues can increase from year-to-year. In short, homeowners' tax bills won't go up more than CPI unless bonds are issued (and there is no plan to do so this year). The district plans to increase property taxes by that CPI figure again this year, which was somewhere around 1.6% if I remember correctly. In addition, they will bring in additional tax revenue for new construction. That increased revenue isn't enough to cover the amount expenses are rising.

Overall, I am glad to see the administration isn't asking for a referendum to pay for non-captial costs. That would be like taking out a second mortgage so you could buy groceries and gas. It might help in the short run, but it makes the long-term problem worse.

Susan, Scott is quite right. That question was raised repeatedly last night and HHS answer was unequivocal. The teachers' 9.4% is pulled out of their paychecks and is not paid by the district, nor do the teachers receive any compensation from the district to replace that 9.4%.

Bucephalus. Yes, you are correct. However, I only wish I could have a guaranteed return on that 9.4% investment like they do. A teacher teaching 30 years puts an estimated $250,000 into the retirement pot. If they live only 25 years after retirement, receiving on average almost $70,000/yr., they will reap $1.7million.

I'd love a chance at investing my money with that system! What a dream!!

I have two kids in D15 elementary. They were originally in a local private school and we switched to the district school to see if we like it better. No comparison. They LOVE their school. They LOVE their teachers. They LOVE their art and music programs. My daughter cried at the end of school last year because she didn't want it to end.

Being actively involved in the school, I spend time in classrooms and I hear the teachers concern for the kids. They spend significant funds of their own for materials in the class. They spend hours before and after school in preparation. Our teachers and staff provide an awesome environment for learning and they get results.

We must be careful not to point the finger at the teachers all the time. Are there teachers who are just biding time until retirement? Absolutely, as there are people in any employment situation just coasting. But I want great teachers in our schools. The best way to get and keep great teachers is to pay (and respect) them enough to make them want to stay. I don't begrudge our teachers their salaries.

CaB - of course the teachers are great but should they have been getting 6% raises over the past 3 years while the rest of us were just thankful to have a job and maybe if wew were lucky a 2% pay increase? We need to point our fingers at the 400 lb gorilla in the room which is the fact that district employee salaries and benefits eat up over 80% of the budget. Cutting back on paper clips won't solve our budget problem, namely that expenses far outpace revenues.

You are exactly correct Jenny, and THAT is the math that needs to be explained.

While saving the same % of their income, what would a non-teacher have to earn in the way of a salary and return on investment in order to match that of a teacher. You can also calculate the # of work days in the man-year and hours in the work day as well, and this math will even get uglier when compared to the private sector. I think we are now finding out why our state and district are in the debt that they are in.

Another option is to open the teaching positions to the free-market, like everyone else's job, and have cost/performance govern it.

This annual haggling about small cost items is simply wasting so much time of our School Board resources, when it should be spent addressing the bigger picture issues.

CaB- I too respect and admire a great number of my kids' public school teachers. -No question about that. Saying that we just can't continue to afford their raises at double the rate of what the folks in the District earn is NOT "point[ing] the finger at teachers all the time."

Try this scenario. You have an employee you think the world of and you think he/she deserves an amazing raise of 7%. However, last year your company earned made a 1% profit. Are you still going to give him/her that raise?

If you keep operating like that, what you're going to end up giving him/her is a pink slip because you won't be able to meet anybody's payroll.

The point is, we need to strive to keep our kids' programs, and keep the great teachers we have in place. It's just impossible to give them more money that the community earns.

Jenny, thank you for your respectful and clear response to my comments. Your example is a good one, and I guess it's a situation many business owners face. I get frustrated with people who hold it against teachers that they have a contract where they give and get. That's what a contract is. If someone is resentful of a teacher's pay, maybe they should become a teacher and reap all the benefits. I know I wouldn't last a week! I'm happy there are good people out there who can.

When will a child's education actually be for their benefit instead of a benefit to one's retirement fund? While I see that a teacher's job is a hard one, it baffles me that the focus on cuts comes down to their job and not capping what can be capped... Retirement plans for Administrative staff. I recall that the last Superintendent gave himself a huge raise to increase his retirement benefits. Did that benefit the kids? NO! Alas, the chopping block has been pulled out and the damage that greed has been highlighted is going to result in less diversity for our children. Taking away music and art just kills the creativity children have, while dissolving physical education just increases obesity and sluggish motivational skills. Nice to see that this deficit can make things far less educational for the children these people are responsible for educating. Increase classrooms. decrease teachers, and see that "no child left behind" theory blow up. Nice job Superintendent Thompson! You are just another administrator that cannot make a positive difference for our children...

Superintendent Thompson did not create this problem. He didn't even work for the district at the time the tab ran up. What really created this problem in the first place is parents, and other community members not paying attention.

steven, have you done research before posting here? If you even bothered to read the title of this topic you would know that this is about district 15, not 211 (those are different numbers by the way). Do you have any research or evidence to support your claim that district 15 students don't know basic math?

You make outlandish claims about teacher pay (and the wrong district) but don't appear to have looked at the numbers provided by the board? No, because if you had you'd see that they aren't out of line with the region and certainly not when compared to schools of equal academic stature.

You may think that it is an exercise in simplicity to fire 850 teachers and immediately replace them. Somehow being a teacher makes you much easier to replace. Most people though recognize that it would be extremely detrimental to the children's education.

Jenny, Superintendent Thompson may not have created this problem, but he was hired to solve it. What caused it is the Unions, ,the School Boards, this counties, State's politicians not taking proper care of the pension funds, and last but I am certain it will happen again, not least, voting in people who keep giving us stuff.

@Jenny~ I agree that Superintendent Thompson did not create this problem, but does have the power to make a difference. Why is it that the things that should benefit a child's education get squandered or dissolved every time the budget shows some stress? Instead of taking the easy way out with cuts to programs or increasing student to teacher ratios... why not do a little capping of benefits that both the teachers and staff can contribute to instead of get entitlement to? While I am not a teacher, nor an administrator, I do hear that the retirement packages and health care coverage is taken care of by the budget due to percentages from annual salary. People higher up the corporate ladder get their health care paid for with no matching contribution from their own income. Think of it this way.... It would be nice to get my healthcare paid for by my employer... I don't, but they do. Unless I am wrong, that is something they get as a benefit. The last Superintendent gave himself a huge raise prior to retirement so his benefits pay him more. Also, his health insurance still gets paid by the school district well after he retired. Does that sound fair and just? Does the demand for everything without actual personal contribution sound reasonable? Not to me. Especially when it affects the education our children should be getting.

I don't have kids in the district, but I find it laughable that teachers still consider a union the best way for them to promote themselves. IF they want to be treated like professionals, then they should disband the union, and face free market consequences like every other professional. I say, vouchers for everyone and let new private schools and charter schools provide our children's education.

Stephen, in your esteemed wisdom how should teachers promote themselves and their interests? Would you be more inclined to give them average wages or any benefits if they disbanded their union? You've displayed nothing but contempt for them, so why in the world would they all subject themselves to being individually singled out?

You've presented no realistic views on the issue, just spouted about the evil teachers and your desire to eliminate the whole system. Well that sing happening sublets try and focus about what actually can bd done with the budget and for the students.

As a teacher and resident in D15, it sickens me to have the real potential of loosing music and art programs. It also sickens me that many people blame the teachers and their salaries for the debt. I have been a teacher now for 10 years and I deserve the salary I make. I have an undergraduate and graduate degree in education. The recession has hit many of us very hard. (My husband has been unemployed for over a year) The teachers making the most money are teachers who have been in the district for a very long time or higher up admin. When we get our yearly raises, it equals to be about 40$ more a paycheck than the previous year. Is that too big of a raise? I can't even afford to add my husband to the school insurance policy because it is too expensive. I wish the board would look at higher up administrator salary freezes/eliminating or combining jobs before they look at cutting teachers and programs. Don't blame the teachers people! We work our tails off teaching your children!

It's not a matter of blaming the teachers, but the hard cold truth is salary and benefits make up the largest chunk of the budget. I hope the board looks at higher up administration salary/freezes as well. I appreciate how hard you work. If the money isn't enough for you, and a $40 raise wasn't enough, you are (a free individual) quite able to take your talent and services and find someone else to pay you more. That's what all the taxpayers have to do - those that don't work for the government, that is.

I once asked a teacher friend how they could handle being in the union. Their explanation was, "The union will help to protect me from the one parent who disagrees with my class and decides to get me fired." I can appreciate that sentiment, especially if you are a teacher who feels it's important to prepare kids for the world.

I think teaching is a really hard job. The kids are challenging, parents complain about everything, and the academic standards keep getting pushed higher and higher. They are also on the front lines of identifying any learning differences or behavior issues. I can't believe teachers do it year after year, and also manage to inspire kids along the way! I read somewhere that teachers have the highest incindence of stress related illnesses (high blood pressure, ulcers, etc.) of any white collar profession. (Police and Fire were different category. if I can find that article I will post the link). Maybe that is one reason why the health insurance is so expensive? In any case, the true mark of a good society is how we treat the most needed people - people like teachers, nursing home workers, police, fire, and service people. Seems like we should think about what kind of society we want as we debate the budget.

"The union will help to protect me from the one parent who disagrees with my class and decides to get me fired."

Sounds like propaganda from the union. Do we really think one parent could get the entire chain of command to agree that a teacher should *unjustly* get fired?

Just a few questions - has the teachers union made any statements in regards to this issue? Were they at this meeting? If something does not change, will this issue ever be able to resolve itself? So for arguments sake, let's say they do cut these program (which I agree is a horrible idea) what happens next year? Is there anything else to be cut? When the board negotiates with the teachers union later this year - is that meeting public?

The negotiations are private. The public usually does not find out the terms of the contract until *after* it is signed by both sides.

Which I find unfair because obviously the teachers get to review it before they agree to it, but the public does not get to see it before it's legally binding.

Thompson has indicated the teachers union has stated they are willing to work on health insurance costs.

We already have a class size of 30 students in the 6th grade classes in our school how is that different?

The average class size target for grades 4-6 is 28, but you know how averages work...

"They can side with the teacher and are therefore be called an overpaid union stooge"

So what; they can't handle being called a name in order to protect what they feel is a qualified teacher? They would fire the teacher instead? Sounds like a principal with no backbone.

The issue here as with any government taxing body is the cost of healthcare coverage. Wake up everybody! The health insurance induustry will bankrupt us all! Until some alternate form of funding healthcare costs is found our country will continue to decline. Sorry for being a bit off topic. I have had 3 children go through Dist 15 schools and all but one of their teachers have been good to outstanding! I know how much work they put in and don't begrudge them their pay or pension. America needs to address healthcare and we will all end up in a better place as a result.

Citizens for Accountability in D15 presented our recommendations to Supt. Thompson at Monday's meetings. Please visit www.d15citizens.org for our list of common-sense recommendations that will maintain current programs, current classroom sizes, and current teaching staff level. There is no reason any programs need to be cut to address this budget crisis.

@Vicki-- Wow! I give you a ton of credit for all your hard work and research that I'm sure went into your recommendations! But....... Unfortunatly some are completely unrealistic. None more than your recommendations for the huge increase in the amount you want the teachers to pay towards health insurance premiums! I suggest you research how contract negotiations take place, the legal aspect. No arbitrator will place such an immediate increase in contributions.

Video of the D15 budget forum is available online www.youtube.com/d15spotlight
Four 30 minute videos. Six board members were in attendance the entire time and heard the questions & comments from the audience.

@ Jenny-- first of all I am not a teacher or administrator, nor is my spouse. One must consider that I'm certain that when teachers negotiate a labor contract the negotiating committee reviews the contracts from area school districts with similar aspects to Dist 15,such as student enrollment etc. They will make comparisons and determine what is to be bargained for. That is where for a lack of a better term "baselines" are decided upon from both sides. So I think it is very unlikely that the Dist. 15 teachers will end up paying a significan more of a contribution than say for example teachers in Arlington Hts or Schaumburg.like it or not this is basically how it works. From the teaachers side it really isn't unfair in any way in my opinion. I will point out once again that the entire healthcare system we have in place in our country is to blame, not as in this case teachers. If all the people who are upset about the cost of teachers healthcare costs took a broader look at ALL OF OUR HEALTHCARE COSTS perhaps meaningful change for the better could begin for all. In my mind the costs of healthcare is unsustainable for all but the smallest segment of our population. All we are seeing with the issue in Dist. 15 is a micro-version of a massively larger problem that threatens to bring our entire nation to its knees. I choose to lay blame on the system currently in place and not the teachers who happen to receive health ins. Just my opinion.

Regardless of how broken the health care system is cutbacks will need to made somewhere - otherwise teachers lose jobs and programs are cut.

The only way to keep all the programs *and* keep all the jobs is for costs to be cut.

All we are asking for is for all employees of District 15 contribute to his/her own health care costs. All employees should be put on the same health care plan. Currently, Administrators are on a different, more generous, plan than the rest of the employees. Administrators currently contribute ZERO dollars to their health care plan costs, whether single or married. Those covered under a negotiated agreement contribute ZERO dollars to their health care plan if they are single. For those with family coverage, they are responsible for only 50% of the added cost. It is not sustainable for our district.

I agree that with the cost of health coverage today it is not out of line to have employees contribute towards the premium. Doesn't seem unreasonable in any way. And if the teachers are contributing it seems that the higher paid admins absolutely should do the same. I do take exception when people criticize teachers (not administrators as I feel there are many who are at the end of their careers and end up going on a money grab) just because they receive health coverage and a pension. I do like to discuss the health insurance crisis on a national level if only to raise awareness. I do believe that what is being discussed really applies in the big picture.

Very interesting dialogue. I posted additional information about the following comments at http://www.scottherr.org/2012-01/budget-questions/.

"My home's value in Palatine has dropped about 18%, yet my taxes just went up 13%"

"The decline in property values lies at the heart of all this"

"Teacher and staff pay is a big part of the budget, but it's not the fastest growing cost by far. Health care costs are already big and growing fast"

"teachers ... have been getting 6% raises over the past 3 years"

"our yearly raises ... about 40$ more a paycheck than the previous year"

"Start at the top and freeze their salaries for a few years" and "higher up administration salary/freezes"

Why do people feel the need to rip benefits that others in a similar pay bracket have, when they should stand up with them and say " I should have that benefit too "

It is like the rich (and businesses and society in general) pit us against each other instead so they are left blameless

@ADW-- I agree with you. It certainly appears that the status of the American middle class his declined so much that it is causing infighting amongst people in the same socio-economic catergory. I wish people age 40 and older would look back upon their childhood and think about the decent to excellent jobs the adults they knew had. Back then absolutely no adults I knew wanted to be a teacher! That's why I always point out the larger forces at play in my posts. We have way bigger issues for us all to be concerned about. When the avaerage worker residing in Palatine has worse benefits than a 1st grade teacher there are way bigger issues taking place in our country! Why people seem to have little interest in why we are where we are I'm amazed! Then again, maybe its just me!

@Jenny-- I missed your previous post regarding comparables with other school districts used during negotiations. I was just merely loosely pointing out how the collective bargaining process works. Without comparables where would the process begin? I have experience in this process, however not in school districts. Therefore, I can only profess to a basic overall understanding. While there are numerous differences to how a wage and salary negotiation takes place in the private sector, there are more similarities than not. The main difference is that the teachers are backed by a labor contract whlie say a sales executive is not. In a way once a teacher is employed in the district for a number of years it really isn't easy for them to leave and teach for a different district. Where a sales exec who decides he no longer likes the benefits earned at one employer can contact a head hunter and then find a new job at a different firm where he feels he will be better compensated in one way or another. Not so easy for a teacher. If the issue of teachers having the ability to collectively bargain frustrates you, that is an entirely different issue. I get the feeling from your earlier post you don't like the process. But if you puy yourself in the shoes of the teachers, I would be willing to bet that you would be in favor of collectively bargaining.

Of COURSE every teacher prefers to have the union negotiate for them. Who wouldn't want high powered, professional negotiators on their side? But where is the well-funded union to negotiate on behalf of the taxpayers on the other side? Can the taxpayers go on strike to strengthen their negotiation position? The unions have completely overpowered the 99% - the 99% being the average taxpayer who is currently overburdened with property taxes and a 66 percent increased state income tax to support egregious salaries and benefits. There are thousands of unemployed teachers, and if it's difficult for a teacher to leave and get another job - it's because no other district is willing to bring them in at the inflated 15+year salary scale negotiated by unions so that teachers get paid more simply for AGING in place, rather than if they are actually any good at their job.

@Steve--I agree with you! I am all in for a taxpayers strike! Let us know where to go for the meeting! I'm all for striking against that evil 1%! Wait... Which 1% are we talking about!? Those strikes have been taking place for months, right?

Occupy D-15!

to Bucephalus - sure, the taxpayers have the Board of Ed. Let's see, 7 people, doing a job for no pay, going up against a powerful funded union paying full time negotiators to work on behalf of their members' interests. Oh, right, and that same powerful union provides help from all across the country based on the funding from the thousands of union members. All up against 7 individuals, volunteering their time for no pay, with no support from anyone, to defend the taxpayers' interests. Sounds really fair to me! And, as I mentioned, when the union doesn't get what it wants, it threatens a strike, putting the very kids that the teachers are "SO DEDICATED TO" at risk for interruption in their education, and in some cases, at risk for any place to go during the day. Again, sounds really fair. I, for one, am sick of the special interests and their powerful lobbys/unions that suck the regular guy (who has no lobby or union to fight for him) dry.

http://www.ctcteachers.com/

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2006-09-19/news/0609190211_1_strike-authorization-vote-salaries-increase-over-three-years

Either CTC President, Lisa Nuss or the Executive Director, Anne Bridges is the chief negotiator.

Bucephalus, What are you referring to when you say "The union, conversely, has to balance the music teachers, who don't want their jobs cut, with the desires of the rest of the union who would have to make steeper cuts on their end to allow the 11 art, music, and PE teachers to remain." What are the "steeper cuts" the rest of the union would have to make so that children aren't directly affected by this crisis? Citizens for Accountability NEVER suggested a pay cut for union members, only a pay freeze.

Based on the article from 2006, CTC is gonna ask for, let's say, a 9% salary increase over 3 years. Then, the Board has to counter with pay cuts to get a salary freeze in the final contract.

Bucephalus,
To summarize your response: yes a pay freeze (which is NOT a pay cut) would save teacher jobs: i.e. all for one and one for all. Sounds good to me - save teacher jobs, don't affect the kids, all through a simple pay freeze - something MANY in the private sector have taken with no complaint because they are grateful to have a job - and contributing to one's own health care - something people in the private sector also do willingly. Don't misinterpret me. I am grateful for the hard work and dedication of teachers who do their job well, just as my boss and my husband's boss is grateful for our hard work. But, there is a limited amount of money. So, the choice is: kids or adults?

Bucephalus,
I am also wondering how you can speak for the 860 union members. How do you know 2/3 would not approve saving the jobs of their peers and preserving the current educational environment? How can anyone know this without interviewing each and every one of them? They are individuals with their own minds and values. The teachers I know definitely would put saving a coworker's job and the students above their own self interest. I know I would.

"Objectively there's a wealth of research showing that wage and benefit cuts have the effect of lowering morale more than the immediate cut of some employees who are then forgotten as time goes on." I am just really trying to wrap my head around that statement. I sure hope the vast majority of teachers do not feel this way - and if they do, then our district is in way more trouble than I thought. See, from my point of view, people these days are happy to be employed and to be paid a fair wage. I want teachers to be paid well and our career teachers in D15 are (see www.d15citizens.org). If a one-year freeze affects morale so much, then sadly, perhaps they are in the wrong profession anyway. And if they can so easily forget fellow co-workers and be okay with programs getting eliminated, all for an increase in the paycheck, well I don't even know how to wrap my head around that. The teachers my kids had who impacted them positively would not choose that route.

"Even good people have limits of what they can tolerate." That is true. Just ask all the "good people" in our community who have been or are currently unemployed, despite going to college and also earning a degree (or 2) and working very hard. Ask the people who after a year of unemployment had to take a pay CUT and less benefits just to get back among the ranks of the employed. And, I for one, am not "demanding" anything and nothing has been "thrown at them." I can't help but wonder why you use such language. You really sound like someone in a union leadership position but I guess we will never know since you use an alias. In any event, for those who are interested please visit www.d15citizens.org in case you want to know what we have asked all of the employees of D15 (not just teachers) to "tolerate" over the years. As you will see, we've treated our employees VERY well over the years. Again, I want to restate that I appreciate hard-working, dedicated teachers and want them paid well. They are here in D15. And if a one-year freeze and chipping in something to their health care costs is too much to "tolerate", then that is very, very sad.

Why is it that anytime cuts have to be made in Illinois it's always the mentally ill, the eldery, the disabled, music, arts. Why don't we hear about school sports, government salaries, duplicated government agencies, and other well funded areas?

Personally, any activity in school that only includes a small elite group should be added fees. Music and art are subjects that all students can participate in, not just those that 'tried out'. Scale back the activities at the schools that do not include everyone and allow people to pay for their children they wish to participate in league sports. Keep basic physical education sports that are all inclusive.

You misread the areas I was targeting perhaps, Jenny. Government is not teachers in my mind, perhaps I should have clarified myself better. If we paid teachers what rock stars make, think of the amazing talent we'd have in our school, not that we don't have this level already but I do not feel teachers are paid enough and would fully endorse a merit system over a union system to reward wonderful teachers while being able to cull out the ones that are not.

Sports are a very expensive part of a school budget, particularly maintaining huge sports fields for football for instance. This is not a sport that every student can participate in. Perhaps moving elective sports to a fee based structure would be more prudent and allowing the parents that wish their child to be an All Star to pay additional fees that cover that area. Transferring the maintenance costs of the sports fields and arenas to the people that are actually participating in the sports might help get the budget in control.

I hope this presents a level of clarity that was not expressed in my original post. I have no problem reading a budget, I'm probably one of the few people that read the Obama Health plan prior to it being voted in. Have a great day.

I realize that healthcare and pensions are a huge compounding problem that does need to be addressed. My question is what about the huge change in the demographics? If a greater population of kids in the D15 School system is now falling into the “economically disadvantaged” and/or “Bi-Lingual” programs, are rentals to blame? Are the commercial rental properties being taxed at an appropriate rate to cover the increase in students? I heard that Round Lake school district was bankrupted a few years ago due to multiple families sharing larger homes which resulted instead of the projected 2.5 kids per household to a much higher number which the school system could not handle. Hands down D15’s job is to educate ALL students and that should not be changed, anything else would be short sighted and wrong. But are we sure that apartment owners taxes are covering the number of children coming from their properties? Are there any studies or checks and balances?

Saying "Are the commercial rental properties being taxed at an appropriate rate to cover the increase in students?" is certainly an implied request for a tax increase if they are not.

Jenny - not sure why you are so easily irritated, it was really just a question. I thought that was the point of these blogs. I do not think your comments always need to end with a "zingger" to whoever brings up an idea. For the record, I agree that the salary issue needs to be resolved along with pensions and healthcare. But let's be careful not to bully people off the board if they have questions or a different view. Afterall last I checked we all only get one vote. So try to get people on your side instead of slamming them for a simple questions.

Ms Wilson - Please try to cite an unbiased source - just reading who is behind "Champion News" tells me it's going to be anti-teacher. Jack Roeser is anti-tax-at-all- cost. Your argument would be much more valid if it didn't rely on him for support.

Bucephalus, there are no two ways about interpreting 'Informed citizen's' sentences:

"Are the commercial rental properties being taxed at an appropriate rate to cover the increase in students?" AND "But are we sure that apartment owners taxes are covering the number of children coming from their properties?"

A building's #1 expense, much like a single family home, is its taxes. There are no two ways about the fact that if you SUGGEST addressing taxes to be co-measurate with apartment population, then taxes go up and rent must follow.

I don't mean for this to be 'vitriol'. It is REALITY. Building owners do not operate for charity, they must make a profit. Profit margins on rentals are quite low.

Again, if taxes go up on an apartment building in D15, little Gabriella's parents are going to be directly impacted. I'm sorry, but considering that the source of the problem was OVER-PROMISING raises at a rate Palatine couldn't afford is no reason to penalize kids' programs, kids' class sizes, or Gabriella's rent-paying parents!!

You can't distort the facts. Just because you have a personal dislike of Jack Roeser, that doesn't change them. Please tell me what in my link is inaccurate. You can also go to: http://www.openthebooks.com.

I find it interesting over the years that some people claim that 'thechampions' numbers are wrong, but I've never had someone say "I am Joe Smith at District 123. TheChampion says I made x but I really made y".

I can only speak to the legal political corruption I have witnessed personally right here in my community of Palatine. It is perfectly legal for our teacher union leaders to use the dues money they get from the teachers (who have no choice but to pony up) and give it to the political campaigns of their hand-picked union-friendly candidates (e.g. Chapman and Ekeberg and Bokor) who in turn then provide a sweet contract on a silver platter to the union leadership. It may be legal but it's corruption and it is a big reason we are in this financial mess right now in D15.

Thanks Bucephalus, my question was just that - a question – I really didn’t know. I am trying to understand the entire problem with our district, not just the headcount costs. One of the things the Navigate 15 meetings kept pointing out was the huge demographic changes in our district. So that is why I asked the question.

Jenny, sorry if I took that the wrong way but please do not put words in my mouth, I am not saying make a child go without because a landlord has to jack up the rent. Heck I never even said raise the taxes, it was just a question. For the record, I donate a lot of time and money to our school system each year including buying lots of new coats for the D15 coat closet, donating clothes, socks, school supplies, etc. – not because I have a lot of money (I don’t) but because it is the right thing to do. I have kids in these schools and there is nothing I would not do for them and the school they are in but I am not signing on for a tax increase or a cancellation of programs either. I am just trying to understand the “big picture”, I am not trying to take anything form as you put it “little Gabriella”.

Oh please, they admitted themselves to taking money from the union. Salaries and benefits are the largest expense for our district, as it is for any school district. 85% of the budget. When the last contract was signed, it was at a quickly-thrown together meeting with barely any notice to the public in a small room at the district office in June 2009. The union-friendly BOE members were told by the BOE members who did not agree to the contract (thank you Tim Millar and Sue Quinn) that they were setting us up for deficit spending. The generous raises (when other districts were taking freezes) and benefits promised were obviously going to lead us on a path of financial destruction. This is not a surprise. The only surprise is it took us this long to get here. We would have been at this place much sooner except for some unexpected windfalls. It is not insinuations or insults. Chapman and Ekeberg and Bokor admitted in public to taking money from the union. It may be legal but it's corruption. Yep, it was a silver platter union contract. I'll say it again because it is true. But, the D15 Administration is never going to say that in public. Duh. Just because they can't admit that in public does not make it any less true.

Unfortunately, there is no easy answer to resolving the budget issue. I must say I am hugely impressed that the current school board is taking a serious look at the issue and involving the public as much as possible rather than just asking the tax payers for more money. As an HR professional in private industry, I do have to agree that if the teachers have been receiving salary increases which have not been in keeping with what our budget can afford, it is an issue that must be considered seriously. But that isn't the teachers' fault. It's the 4 members of the previous board who agreed to the increases in the last contract. Unfortunately, we are left to clean up that mess. Thankfully we now have new board members that seem to be a bit more fiscally responsible.

You are correct, jbarhr, there is no easy answer and this isn't the teachers' fault. My hope would be that all stakeholders (administration, teachers, taxpayers) would be willing to work TOGETHER to come up with a long term solution. That means everyone will likely have to give something - taxes, pay freezes, cut programs. That means we need to have a respectful dialog from all sides.

Jenny - I read the article you referenced as evidence and noticed it's an opinion piece from a year ago and it's about a person who is no longer on the board. He was, in fact, voted off. I'm not trying to be difficult, I'm just pointing out this isn't really evidence of anything except that he accepted money for his campaign and realized he probably shouldn't have.

If one starts reading the posts from Vickie at the beginning of this thread and compares them to her last post, WOW!

To make a very long story short:
- The previous board majority got us into a contract we could not afford.
- Our expenses outpace our revenues significantly.
- We have a structural budget deficit. The deficit just keeps getting bigger over time.
- Things need to change. Big time. Small changes will not fix the problem.
- We need long-term sustainable solutions.
- This is not rocket science. This means changes to our salary structure and benefit offerings so they are logical and realistic.
- Just because we need to end overly generous salary increases and overly generous health care does not mean we do not appreciate the hard-working dedicated teachers of our district. Those who are in it for the other benefits of the job (e.g. educating kids) know this already. They already know they are being paid a very good wage and are in a very good district.

@ Bucephalus- If we weren't on the precipice of financial disaster a few years down the road, then why did Chapman try to do a cash grab of $27 million?

I'll tell you. So they could continue to pay out unrealistic wage increases as done in the past. --And they wouldn't even have to go to referendum. How convenient.

They knew the community would never approve of giving additional money to continue D15 union negotiated raise rates of the past. So, Chapman tried to do what's called a 'backdoor referendum' which is just taking a loan (i.e., issuing bonds) to keep the party going for years to come.

What he didn't count on was the intense ire of the community waking up out of its slumber to vote 2:1, "NO" !! No more raises at 2-3 times CPI or Private sector wage rates.

Stay awake D15 parents and residents!! Tell your neighbors the union will be 'negotiating' soon with YOUR wallet, and YOUR kids' educational programs. The School Board wants your input as to the DIRECTION these negotiations should take.

Show up to the Board meeting and voice your opinions next Wednesday, February 8th, 7:00 at Walter Sundling Jr. High. Speak now, or hold your peace for the next three years.

Vickie-- good post! However I am curious as to how you think the upcoming negotians will go? I ask you because to your credit you seem very well informed. I saw a previous post that stated the dist 15 teachers are no. 1 in the state in compensation. I have no idea if that's true, I honestly never reasearched. Is that true? I wonder because I would think that would be a more difficult starting point for them in their upcoming negotiation.

In recent posts there were several comments and questions about District 15's budget and causes of the deficits.

To help answer some of the questions and to provide a big picture view I posted "What caused District 15's deficits?" at http://www.scottherr.org/2012-02/district-15-deficits/. In a nutshell, salaries and benefits increased faster than revenues.

You can find a link there to a 1-page "District 15 Financial Summary" that shows the impact of one-time sources of revenue including federal stimulus revenues plus the $5 million windfall in spring 2010 when Cook County changed from billing 50% to 55% of the previous year's property tax amount.

Bucephalus and Scott--Thanks!

Hi all, I know several people were concerned about the art, music and PE programs being cut. I just received an email from our PTA with the following statement:

"To clarify one area of confusion, there is no proposed cut to PE, music, or art time. How it is staffed may change and could result in fewer teachers, but the kids will have the same amount of PE, music and art time during the school day that they have now. This includes junior high band and orchestra classes during the day."

Just thought I'd pass that along:)

That email is a bit off since total elimination of elementary band (but not Junior High) is on the list.

Art, music, and PE that is part of the regular school day would not be cut.

Ok, I have read every one of these responses and have found many to be factual and many to be emotional. In the end it all boils down to this, the employees of Dist. 15 and no one else will determine what happens to this Dist. If they choose to sacrifice on behalf of their fellow employees everyone will have a job and no programs or departments will experience a loss in jobs. If they choose to be self centered and look out only for themselves, jobs and programs will be cut. The Board and the townspeople have a limited quantity of money. Every employee of Dist. 15 will choose what happens to their co-workers. The distrct has a finite amount of money, how the employees choose to spend these dollars is up to them. If one job is cut or one program is cut it is because the employees made this decision, not the school board nor the people of this town. We have no additional money to give, you can't squeeze blood from a turnip! Every employee of this district must make a sacrifice to solve this problem, this begins with the Supt. and goes down to that employee who receives the lowest wage.

I looked at the District's power point presentation online (I was not at that meeting) and I don't see any explanation by the District for how we came to be in this mess. Certainly they would never admit that they foolishly agreed to spend more money during thte 2009-2012 employee contract term than they brought in. It is always a revenue problem, never a spending problem with these folks. Cut through the emotionalism and the propaganda and the facts are clear: we can't afford to spend more than our revenue. We can't continue to increase salaries and benefits at 6% per year when our revenues are increasing at 2% per year. Forgive me if my numbers are not entirely accurate.

Let's not fall into the trap of comparing ourselves with other districts. So what if there are a couple of districts who pay their teachers and administrators more money, or that have higher per pupil spending? Is our goal to be the biggest spending district in the state? Sorry, we don't have the revenue to back it up, and in light of the poor economy, I don't see the taxpayers of Palatine Township voting to increase their already astronomical real estate taxes any time soon.

There's a series of related comments on the thread "D-15 Parent Starts Online Petition To Save Band, Orchestra" on this website.
Recently, the Superintendent presented some suggestions as to how the Administration will abide by the Board's direction to find $9.6MM in savings. He did not propose cutting music/PE etc to the exclusion of other options - that was selective reporting and is misleading. His suggestion list also contained a reference to negotiating savings with employee unions as well as savings in indirect expenses.

I suggest everyone in this thread sit down and go through their last 5 years (or 10 if you are a good record keeper) of tax returns or W2s. Calculate your own pay increase % year by year, as well as your average annual increase over the same period. Then compare that to the teachers' increases. Do the same for your property taxes. And finally, don't forget that IL State income tax increased from 3% to 5% in 2011 and the so called leaders there still ran further behind in their payments.

The focus here is really about sensible cost management; rhetoric about slashing teacher salaries as some form of retaliation is just as unrealistic as trying to claim that teachers will leave in droves if their increases don't take place. What we all need is reasonable, fact based discussion of options keeping reality in mind at all time.

The Board needs to understand what the taxpayers expect, so turn up on Feb 8 and participate.