Sometimes I cannot believe how well off the City of New York is. Our budget expert Harry Lirtzman sent me the latest Independent Budget Office report analyzing Mayor Bill de Blasio's Executive Budget. IBO shows the city swimming in money. Read the first two paragraphs that describe the healthy state of the city's finances.
June 2019 marks the 10-year anniversary of the end of the Great Recession. Over the last 118 months the country has experienced a slow but steady recovery, a recovery that will soon stand as the longest economic expansionary period in U.S. history. New York City has seen record growth in economic activity during this period and as a result the city’s own finances have thrived. The city’s tax collections have increased by nearly 65 percent since the end of 2009, an average annual growth rate of 5.7 percent. Collections of property and personal income tax have grown annually by an average of 6.9 percent and 6.6 percent, respectively.
While certain economic indicators have recently signaled uncertainty ahead, for the most part the city’s economy continues to flourish. Still, policy decisions taken at the national and international level continue to pose potential threats to the city’s fiscal condition while pressure from Albany places millions of dollars of city funding at jeopardy. Yet, even with these risks acknowledged and at least partially accounted for, the city’s revenue forecast and expenditure plan continues to grow at a moderate pace while out-year budget gaps remain manageable.
So tax revenue is up 65% since the end of 2009. What rate have salaries for NYC teachers gone up since the end of 2009.
2010-4% increase
2011-0%
2012-0%
2013-1%
2014-1%
2015-1%
2016-1.5%
2017-2.5%
2018-3%
2019-2%
Total-16%
City tax revenue up 65% while UFT member salaries rose by 16% and part of that is paid for with healthcare givebacks (higher copays).
Michael Mulgrew bears plenty of responsibility here for negotiating subpar raises but so do the 75% and 86% of teachers who voted for the two contracts that contained these paltry increases.
Sadly, we will do even worse when some of you quit paying union dues to get even with the UFT.
If we continue to get shitty raises, (which we will), the UFT should push for us to eliminate the extra after school time on Mondays and Tuesdays as well as get rid of the extra two parent nights that we currently have. This is a no brainer.
ReplyDeleteAnd other losses, the TDA dropping, etc. So the historic expected inflation rate of 3% plus, we reached a 3% raise once in the last 10 years. And they still owe us 2 huge retro payments, with zero interest.
ReplyDeletede Blasio for president. He tamed the powerful NYC unions! LMAO.
ReplyDeleteWe need more raises so the top salary can put an even bigger target on our backs. Starting salary is 60 grand. Top will be 130 grand. And you keep whining about paltry raises? At least do some whining about the real failure of the UFT contract to address class size issues more seriously.
ReplyDeleteYonkers will soon top out around $150,000. There was no reason we have to wait until 2020 for money we earned back in 2009 and 2010. Back in 2014 I stated that if we are going to settle for lousy wage increases, we needed to make non monetary gains. From our most popular piece ever May 2, 2014:
ReplyDelete"As for setting the pattern of 10% over 7 years, this is an abysmally low pattern to establish (we did better monetarily under the anti union Mayors Bloomberg and Guilliani). I can understand why other labor unions in the city are angry with Mulgrew, particularly when it is considered how much surplus revenue the city has. We should have been able to achieve non monetary gains for loaning the city our money and setting a very low pattern but instead we surrendered as usual."
We should share in NYC's good times. How dare you say that? Oh and as our delusional mayor goes around Iowa bragging about the highest high school graduation rate ever in NYC, we can't take credit. We don't deserve more money. Self hating teachers comment here.
ReplyDeleteMaybe Mulgrew wants the Secretary of Ed position when DeBlasio wins the presidency (LOL). Vince McMahon will be selling tix for a closed caged match between Randi and Mike for the coveted title.
ReplyDeleteBoth of them can't afford the pay cut.
ReplyDeletestop paying dues in June 2019
ReplyDeleteHello I’m a first year teacher and I’ve had one of the worst years of my life being and educator. I got into teaching because I wanted kids to a male teacher of color to look up to. I did my undergrad in premed and now I’m doing my masters in education, however I’m not sure if this is what I want to do. Everyday I wake up and I don’t want to go to work. I’m forcing myself. I’m only 22 and I’m wondering if I should just do something else and not waste my time. When I’m telling you I had a rough year I had a ROUGH year like with the kids and administration. I’m seeking some advice on what to do.
ReplyDeleteIt will get, then much worse and then it’s the rest of your life in quiet desperation. There is no respect from students for any teacher, but less than zero for Black male teachers. Get out at the end of June - shoveling horseshit eight hours a day is much more fulfilling.
DeleteEmail and we will be happy to talk. ICEUFT@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear about your year. Please get in touch.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see how they're going to screw us over to give use December 23rd. They seriously didn't think anybody would notice until the fall. My current understanding is that they are looking to take PD time from us on Mondays to make up the short fall of minutes.
ReplyDeleteIf they don't take a few minutes from PD and add it to instruction or get State Ed to back off on not counting passing time as instructional, we will be short every year and have to give back days.
ReplyDeleteIf the elementary day gets any longer I am going to put in for my 20 year retirement now and now and not wait till 25. Little kids are already in school for a long enough time. We have kids in pre-k who are literally 4 years old. They do not need one extra second in school.
ReplyDeleteWho saw the UFT Spring conference? The Chancellor was singling. Isnt that nice. Im so glad he is our friend. That must be why the morale is so high and there is no grade fraud anymore and why there are no more discipline problems anymore.
ReplyDeleteNew York State Education Department says NYC needs 5 or ten minutes longer of instruction each day to make up a day but I think it is in secondary schools mostly where we are short. If we have to trade 5 minutes per day instruction for 25 minutes out of PD time each week but no extra work time or extra days (Dec 23 off), I think most would agree to it. We should at least be given the option.
ReplyDeleteUft leadership laughs, we struggle and cry.
ReplyDeleteMy school has zero minutes passing time, and we have the SBO, 8-3pm every day except Wed. But we do have 16 year old 9th grades.
ReplyDelete8:37 AM Listen carefully, I’m only going to say this once. Quit your job. Take the classes you need to get into medical school. If you are really an African-American probably will have to score too har listen carefully, I’m only going to say this once. Quit your job. Take the classes you need to get into medical school. If you are really an African-American you probably won’t have to score too hugh go to medical school. You will have And satisfying and lucrative life as a doctor. Enjoy it. You’re 22. You are still a child. It is not too late for you to make plans to have a great life
ReplyDelete