News
M'Town School Budget Fails, Mayor Asks Teachers To Accept Pay Freeze
By Ryan Fennell
MIDDLETOWN - In the wake of the defeat of the Middletown Board of Education's budget, Mayor Scharfenberger and the Middletown Township Committee have sent a letter to the Middletown Township Education Association requesting that the teacher's union accept a one-year pay freeze.
Scharfenberger said that he requested a response from the MTEA by April 30.
"I don't think it's an unfair request to ask for a pay freeze," Scharfenberger said. "I don't think it's a coincidence that in districts that did accept a pay freeze the budgets were passed. The (voters) can accept a lot but I think they expect everyone to do their part and certainly accepting a raise in this climate is not doing their part."
According to calculations he has seen Scharfenberger said that approximately $3 million could be saved if the wage freeze proposal is accepted.
"We're going over it right now and there's a few areas I'm particularly looking at in addition to these wage freezes," Scharfenberger added. "Things like insurance costs and energy costs, anything that would not effect the kids in the classroom. We want to look at everything but that as potential areas to cut."
Scharfenberger said that the teacher's union would decide the potential cuts more than any other body.
"If they agree to a pay freeze it would show not only tremendous good will but it would really alleviate a lot of the pressure so you would be able to decrease the budget without looking to layoffs or end programs." Deputy Mayor Anthony Fiore said that he is still in the process of reviewing the school budget and agrees that a wage freeze could provide significant savings.
"At this point that would be a pretty significant savings. We'll see where it goes," Fiore said. "If the proposal is rejected we're going to have to examine every line item and find ways to potentially cut some of the budget with the hope that we can find things that won't impact the classroom and the students but will be meaningful to the taxpayers as well."
Fiore shares the sentiment that the voters have expressed their desire to see the teacher's union agree to a wage freeze.
"This is a very difficult economic time for us all. Those in the private sector and other public sectors continue to make sacrifices with respect to, not only pay freezes, but pay cuts," Fiore said. "I would think a pay freeze is something the public is demanding of all public employees because it's what they've had to go through in their own personal job experiences if they even have a job."
Committeeman Sean Byrnes said that he is in favor of the teacher's union accepting a wage freeze for the coming year, however, does not believe that a wage freeze will solve the problems of the long term.
"Even if we secure a wage freeze, I haven't seen a recognition that the budgets problems facing the Board of Education and the town are long term and call for significant structural changes to our budgets and to our organizations in town," Byrnes said. "A wage freeze will help in 2010. It will not solve the budget problems that we have."
Byrnes said that he is proposing the formation of a budget review advisory committee that would consist of the Township Committee, the Board of Education, and the Library.
The advisory committee would specifically look for ways to consolidate, share services, and approach the town's obligations from a "one town" perspective.
"I would prefer that we not approach or discuss things with the MTEA in a political manner," Byrnes said. "I think it makes sense for the Township Committee, with the assistance of the Board of Education members, to have some discussions with the MTEA. But my preference would be that we not have that exchange through press releases. It doesn't encourage a resolution to do that."
Township Committee recommendations for the Board of Education budget must be submitted by May 19.
The MTEA could not be reached for comment prior to press time.
