From Ben White, Harford County Public School teacher:
David Craig has gone on record many times talking about how difficult the times are and how we all must learn to do more with less. When he said this however he really didn’t mean we in the universal sense. He meant everyone but him. Since 2008 he has managed to give himself a very nice 15% raise including salary and benefits while the teachers of Harford County have had to endure years without even a cost-of-living increase. His salary alone has increased $10,000 from $95,000 to $105,000 since our last raise including a nice $3,000 increase for the coming year.
However this fails to take into account the fact that in the budget he submitted he reports his benefits separately, blended with those of his staff, making it a little difficult to determine with precision what they are. However if you take the average benefits for the office (certainly underestimating his portion) you get a very tidy sum of $35,740 up from $26,883 in 2008. This gives a total compensation package of around $141,000 up from around $122,000. It must be nice to be able to give yourself a raise whenever you want.
However this is not the end of the story. While he tells teachers that they must do more with less and that fewer teachers is not a problem, his office staff has ballooned from 4 (including him) in 2006 with an overall salary of $363,000 to a staff of 12 in 2014 with an overall salary of $1,248,000 for an increase of 340%.
There are roughly the same number of teachers now as there were in 2006, although we did have to cut staff last year. If Mr. Craig cut his staff back to 2006 levels the county could save enough to give each and every teacher a $1000 raise. This has been happening while we lose teachers left and right and he laughs and says “I’ve been here for 30 years and teachers have always left”.
The graphs below for the salaries are using the same range ($20,000). They were generated using publicly available data from the Harford county yearly budgets from the Harford County Government website and the negotiated agreements governing teacher salaries.
However there is one more layer to this story. Occasionally you will see someone compare Harford Teacher salaries at each step level to other counties. This makes it look like we are not as far behind as we are because they forget to mention that in order to receive the benefits at step 12 you have to be allowed to move from step 11 to step 12. This has not happened since 2008. So a teacher in Howard County appears to earn just $5000 more than a teacher in Harford county and this is usually dismissed as the difference in cost of living. The problem is that if a teacher in Howard County was on step 6 in 2008 they would now be on step 11 while a teacher in Harford County would still be at Step 6.
This is something that they don’t even tell teachers they have hired from other counties. There are 3 teachers with 6 years of experience at my school alone that have stated publicly that they are planning on leaving THIS YEAR if the problem is not corrected. Very shortly, this will leave Harford County with a shrinking pool of teachers with 20+ years and a enlarging pool of teachers with less than 5 years. Soon we will have no experienced teachers left at all.
If we compare this situation to Medicine, would anyone want brain surgery performed by a doctor who is brand new to this even if they were superbly talented? Maybe so, if there were a group of experienced doctors nearby to advise and assist if needed. Does anybody want to go through this under the knife of a doctor who is doing this for the first time and is all alone? Of course not. Having been a first year teacher I remember that the experienced teachers around me were the difference between success and failure for MY students. If I had to reinvent the wheel many students would have suffered. Harford County is actually contemplating this kind of strategy where every time a student steps into a classroom it is the first or second time this teacher has done this and no one around them has any more clue than they do.
Your claims that first and second year teachers making 44,000 per year have no clue what they are doing is a bit shocking. Does Burbrey know this information?
What about professionally licensed trades workers, Why is it always the teachers, What about the electricians,plumbers, stationary engineers, hvac workers? Where is there competitive salary?
We are not ignoring the others……we signed a contract that included salary steps for years of service. This is not a bonus or a raise…..they are contractual step increases. In the past 5 years, with the increase in healthcare, we are essentially making less than we ever had.
Welcome to the real world.
And in what universe is a “contractual step increase” not a raise? If you make more money than last year and its a permanent increase in your pay its a raise, if its a one time thing its a bonus.
Again, welcome to the real world.
you voted for Obama and the Maryland demturds, not you got them.
less jobs, less tax revenue for you to be paid with.
we have to do with less, so should you.
be thankful you still get a retirement and 3 months off every year.
“We have to do with less, so should you?” Who are you? Are you a professional? Do you have a 4-year degree? If not, then you will probably have to do with less for a very long time.
Teachers worked hard to get where they are. They didn’t walk up to customer service and ask for an application.
Not sure where you are going with statements about the President.
Thank you for retarding the conversation.
MUFFMOUTHSKI, just for the record it’s two months not three and teachers are taking classes, courses etc. to keep their credentials up-dated as well as working their second jobs to make ends meet.
I also heard I could keep my health care plan.
welcome to my world. Oh, and the world of 99% of America…
Good point Watcher. I don’t think it is 99%, however. Therein lies the real rub. Somewhere between 50 and 55% of us are “producing” the remainder are in some form or another taking more than they give, if they give at all. when Mr. Burbey’s mentor, Karl Marx, first published his work calling for “to each according to his needs, form each according to his ability,” he never realized that in order to get every person to contribute there neede to be forceable and probably violent enforcement. We now havd a large “parasite” class in this country and it grows daily.
He doesn’t say they don’t know what they are doing. He says:
“Having been a first year teacher I remember that the experienced teachers around me were the difference between success and failure for MY students”
and
“Harford County is actually contemplating this kind of strategy where every time a student steps into a classroom it is the first or second time this teacher has done this and no one around them has any more clue than they do.”
Although the author’s words are a bit harsh, I do not believe that anywhere in the article he says that new teachers don’t know what they are doing. I do believe that what he means is that it is indeed a big deal that our new teachers don’t have a chance to become experienced teachers because they are leaving so soon after they begin their career because of the pay difference between HCPS and other counties.
Bottom line is that experienced teachers are leaving in droves because in other counties they are getting paid much more. However, the flip side of that is that new teachers who are just graduating all need jobs, so they very eagerly come to HCPS because they are promised a job with what seems like amazing pay. It truly seems like it’s a win-win for the county: they don’t give teachers a raise for years, so experienced teachers (aka more expensive teachers) leave for other counties, and HCPS hires inexperienced teachers (aka INEXPENSIVE teachers) to replace them. Win-win for the county, because they will always have an influx of teachers, but will be paying less and less for them as experienced teachers leave.
That’s why the author brings up the idea of the value of experienced teachers and how pretty soon there won’t be many experienced teachers left.
An Asst Principal on average still makes more than the County Exec. Your comparing apples and oranges. It only gets adjusted every 10 to 15 years by legislation. I say let the market guide you. If you can make more somewhere else go there, people in the private sector do that all the time. This County will never raise taxes to the degree needed to fund your demands.
I agree with you Bill. Also, Mr. White is forgetting that County Employees also have not received any raises in about 5 years. The one they received was taken back 50% by tax increases – it was miniscule. The majority of county employees works hard and have been discounted by this administration also, more so than teachers have. And yes I do agree if you can make more money as a teacher somewhere else, apply and go there. I have been reading the demands of the teachers unions and have some knowledge about some of what some in the administration like principals and higher up employees in the school system are making. I happen to think that the teachers work harder than some of the overpaid administration personnel within the HC school system. An immense amount of money is also being wasted within HC school. So, I think that the system and their use of money should be looked at and it should be investigated where some of the monies go so unnecessarily before you give your own teachers salary raises. It is always administration in either county or the public school system that squanders money for unnecessary expenses and purchases and always find excuses not to give hardworking teachers and county employees increases. And the reason is that all of this is politically motivated and people that are voted into offices could care less about the employees that work in public service. They care about their own political agendas and to take care of their “friends” that helped them get into office. This has always been going on within the political arena, but it is so blatantly obvious as of late that it is becoming very obvious even to the most oblivious person. Even citizens of HC, that used to not care about any of this or just were not aware of it, are now becoming aware of this behavior by officials that were voted into office. Hopefully, citizens will learn and research and be more conscious of whom or what they vote into public offices.
Thank you, Marla, for remembering all of us. The teachers are not the only ones suffering. There are those of us who make less than they do and haven’t had raises in the same time frame and our expenses continue to rise. The Council needs to fully fund EVERY pay plan and give everyone the steps they deserve. And they need to STOP buying useless land.
Why do you think the County Council has any general budget funding authority? It has been stated over and over the County Council does not have the authority to increase the Executives budget or to give any pay increases. The Council does not approve any union contracts and cannot force the County Executive to do so.
Also, what land did the County Council buy? The Council does not have any purchasing authority. The Council voted not to approve that last land purchase and the Executive bought it anyway. Why do you think that happened? Because, once the county budget is approved the County Executive just like the School Board and do anything with that money, even use it for non-budgeted items without Council approval.
Below is the County law. You can look it up yourself by searching “Harford County Code” you should also read about the County Council to see what other authority they have. It is only 1 or 2 pages in this 4,000 plus page book of laws.
Harford County Code: Section 512 Action on the budget by the Council.
(a) After the public hearings, the Council may decrease or delete any items in the budget except those required by the laws of this state or of this County, and except any provisions for debt service on obligations then outstanding or for estimated cash deficits. The Council shall have no power to change the form of the budget as submitted by the County Executive, or to alter the revenue estimates except to correct mathematical errors, or to increase any expenditure recommended by the County Executive for current expense or capital purposes.
(b) The adoption of the current expense budget and the capital budget shall be by the affirmative vote of at least four members of the Council by a law to be known as the Annual Budget and Appropriation Ordinance. Any borrowing to finance capital projects must be authorized by an existing law of the General Assembly of Maryland or by a law of the Council adopted in accordance with this Charter.
(c) The Annual Budget and Appropriation Ordinance shall be adopted by the Council not later than 15 calendar days prior to the beginning of each fiscal year, and if the Council fails to do so, the proposed current expense budget, as submitted by the County Executive and as may have been amended by the Council shall stand adopted, and funds for the expenditures proposed in the current expense budget shall stand appropriated as fully and to the same extent as if favorable actions thereon had been taken by the Council.
But the council was able to scrounge up an extra 1.6 million for schools in last years budget. 1.55 of it for new weight rooms at two high schools-with 1.5 of it for Aberdeen High. King David isn’t te only crook.
I guess I should replace “Council” with “County Exec.” He’s jerking us all around.
KramerLives, your sucking up the stupidity that Burbey and Friends keep dishing out. That was part of the capital budget not operational budget. The Council can add capital money to build buildings or to fund infrastructure projects. You can not pay people or pay for everyday expense from the capital budget. You can not transfer capital money to the general fund. Capital budget money comes from bonds. It is like a credit card and we the tax payers need to pay it back with interest.
This is all very clear in the county code. Look it up, stop taking special interest groups word for it.
The County Council, by statute, can add to the operational budget for schools.
Mr Burbey,
True, the County can provide additional funds, but then they’re forever locked into providing that level of funds year after year. Given current revenue, your suggestion would also mean running a deficit, not an action to be taken lightly as even more bonds would need to be sold the next year. That would boil down to a step for teachers throwing the county into a debt spiral identical to what we’re seeing on the national level.
Sorry, but that is a horrible idea.
Yeah, I agreee I bust my tail for the school system, I hold licenses that costs money, I buy tools to do my job that costs money, I pay for continuing education to keep my job, I respond to emergencies sometimes at 3am when im on vacation, Just to make sure your kids are safe. What about us? Some of the trades folks have 2 -8 years od education beyond high school, plus multiple licenses that WE pay for.
They should subcontract your job out for efficiency and budget savings.
Marla,
Just out of curiosity….when taking your job did you sign a contract which outlined specific step increases every year? We as teachers did and essentially with the cost of healthcare increase are making less than we ever did. I think all employees of Harford County deserve a raise and I think it could happen if Craig wasn’t mostly concerned about himself and his inner circle.
Teachers are not alone in paying higher healthcare costs.
Craig’s “inner circle” is mostly referred to as “the friends and family plan”.
It’s not his demands …..it’s a contractual obligation….big difference!!
A contractual obligation subject to funds being available.
The HCEA/HCPS contract cannot mandate the Council provide any level of funding, so really, the agreement is worthless.
An AP would not make that much unless they worked in the system for many years. I’d like to see your stats because making general statements like that can be misleading. I would say that a veteran high school teacher who might be department chair and does a lot of duties can make as much money as an AP for working two less months. Look up the stats!
True, a veteran high school teacher at this point may make as much as an AP for working two less months, but teachers haven’t been given a step raise in years. As you may be able to tell, I’m a teacher. I love teaching. However, I will most likely never make what a veteran teacher now makes, because no matter how long I teach, I highly doubt I’ll be awarded the steps that teachers have gotten in the past. I agree with what someone said above. You don’t like what you’re making? Find somewhere else to work. It’s a harsh reality, but it’s true.
If Craig gives his 10,000 raise over the last 6 years to the teachers to divide up evenly amongst themselves would they be happy and finally quit complaining?
No, Its never enough to those leeches.
I for doing away with step increases for all teachers.
Then start Merit based pay increases. Teachers who do good will finally get the hard earned money they want. The crappy teachers can kick rocks.
Studies show that merit pay in education simply doesn’t work. There are so many intertwining difficulties that are beyond the teachers control!! I beg you to spend a week in a classroom, you’ll see what it’s like. I’m not saying it’s tougher than your job…..but it’s certainly not easy!!
Peer reviews.
Every teacher knows who are the amazing teachers that motivate kids, care about their success and go the extra mile, and they know the ones that are retired in place at age 30.
Teachers: No worries! Just get on the fast-track to financial freedom and become an Administrator! Less work and more pay!
It’s no wonder so many teachers take this path out of under-grad. The county has lost just as many hard working teachers to the Admin pool as they have to other counties.
Kharn: Peer-reviews is a great idea, it’s too bad many schools lack the creativity in their administration to properly schedule it.
Merit-based pay is a good idea, but I don’t think it would work. There are SO many underlying factors that go into the success of students in a classroom. I can be the best teacher in the entire world, and if the kids in my classroom don’t do their work or come to school prepared, I will be (technically) unsuccessful. Many kids go home to households with no parents to help them with their work, to make sure they are prepared, or to even feed them. Many kids don’t ever do one homework assignment, because they just don’t want to do it and their parents don’t make them do it, and the parents aren’t cooperative with the teachers.
I have some students who miss a week of school because their parents just don’t make them come. Then, they come to school for one day and we have to catch them up. Then the same kid will miss another few days of school. It’s ridiculous. How can a teacher be held accountable for the success of a student like that? It’s not as rare as you might think.
Merit pay will make talented teachers not want to teach in the tough classrooms, because they know that their “success,” when based on student performance, is unlikely.
I don’t know that there is a good solution for an effective, objective, unbiased evaluation process for teachers. I do know that merit-based pay is not the answer. It seems crazy to me that the people making these decisions and assumptions are not the ones in the education field at all…the armchair observers are the ones deciding this.
It’s hard to be held accountable by students not showing up, but, let’s be real. We all know here there Is no such thing as a student “failing” school these days.
And by the way, Kharn, I know what you mean about teachers being retired in place by age 30. There are DEFINITELY ineffective teachers in the school system, no doubt about it. There are also fantastic teachers in the school system. I have no idea what kind of evaluation system would make a good distinction between the two.
I wish I did know…I’d be a millionaire by now, because I could market my evaluation system to districts around the world, and make bank. 🙂
Mr Burbey, below is the full text of the law. Please explain how the council can add to the school budget? Also, please answer this, if the council decreases a line item in the executives budget to increases the another area of the budget, does the school board or the executive need to comply with the change? You know the answer is NO. The only effective change the council can make is to cut the budget.
While your at it, tell the people what the school board did with the extra money last time the executive increased school funding for teachers pay. Tell them how much of that money the teachers received.
Article V. Budget and Finance
Section 501. Fiscal year and tax year.
The fiscal or budget year and the tax year of the County shall begin on the first day of July and shall end on the thirtieth day of June of the succeeding year, unless otherwise prescribed by state law.
Section 502. Definition of terms used in this article.
(a) The term of “County” or “County government” shall include all agencies and their officers, agents, and employees who receive or disburse County funds.
(b) The term “County funds” shall mean any monies appropriated or approved by the Council or to which the County may at any time have legal or equitable title.
(c) The term “current expense budget” shall mean the plan of the County to receive and expend funds for charges incurred for operation, maintenance, interest, and other charges for the ensuing fiscal year.
(d) The term “capital project” shall mean:
(1) Any physical public betterment or improvement and any preliminary studies and surveys relative thereto;
(2) The acquisition of property of a permanent nature for public use; and
(3) The purchase of equipment for any public betterment or improvement when first constructed.
(e) The term “capital budget” shall mean the plan of the County to receive and expend funds for capital projects during the first fiscal year included in the capital program.
(f) The term “capital program” shall mean the plan of the County to receive and expend funds for capital projects during the fiscal year covered by the capital budget and the next succeeding five fiscal years thereafter.
Section 503. Comprehensive scope of budget.
[Amended by Bill No. 78-62]
The County budget shall consist of the current expense budget, the capital budget and capital program, and the budget message. It shall represent a complete financial plan for the County reflecting all receipts and disbursements from all sources, including all revenues, all expenditures, and the surplus or deficit in the general fund and all special funds of the County government.
Section 504. Formulation of current expense budget.
Not later than four months prior to the beginning of each fiscal year, the head of each agency which receives or disburses County funds shall furnish to the County Executive annual work programs setting forth the nature, volume, cost, and other factors concerning the work to be performed and the estimates of the revenues and expenditures of their several operations for that fiscal year. Estimated revenues shall be detailed as to source, and estimated expenditures as to program or project. All such estimates shall be submitted in such form and with such other supporting data as the County Executive may request. The County Executive may amend the budget proposals, except for the budget request of the Legislative Branch and any County Board of Appeals established pursuant to Article 25A of the Annotated Code of Maryland, and shall cause to be prepared the County budget as set forth in Sections 506, 507, and 508 of this Charter.
Section 505. Formulation of capital budget and capital program.
At such time as the County Executive may direct, each agency which receives or disburses County funds shall submit to the County Executive an itemized list of the capital projects which each agency proposes to undertake in the ensuing fiscal year and the next succeeding five fiscal years thereafter. The County Executive may amend the capital budget and capital program proposals and shall cause to be prepared the County budget as set forth in Sections 506, 507, and 508 of this Charter.
Section 506. Contents of the current expense budget.
The proposed current expense budget shall contain the following information:
(1)
A statement of all revenue estimated to be received by the County during the ensuing fiscal year, classified to show the receipts by funds and sources of income;
(2)
A statement of debt service requirements for the ensuing fiscal year;
(3)
A statement of the estimated cash surplus, if any, available for expenditure during the ensuing fiscal year, and any estimated deficit in any fund required to be made up in the ensuing fiscal year;
(4)
An estimate of the several amounts which the County Executive deems necessary for conducting the business of the County to be financed from and not to exceed estimated revenue for the ensuing fiscal year;
(5)
A statement of the bonded and other indebtedness of the County government and its agencies, including self-liquidating and special taxing district debt and contingent liabilities;
(6)
A statement of the proposed contingency reserves, all of which shall not exceed 3% of the general fund and of any other fund;
(7)
A comparative statement of the receipts, amounts budgeted, and actual expenditures for the last completed fiscal year, the estimated receipts and expenditures of the currently ending fiscal year, and the expenditures recommended by the County Executive for the ensuing fiscal year for each program or project which shall be classified by agency, character, and object; and
(8)
Any other material which the County Executive may deem advisable or the Council may require.
Section 507. Contents of the capital budget and capital program.
The proposed capital budget and capital program shall be arranged to set forth clearly the plan of proposed capital projects to be undertaken in the ensuing fiscal year and in each of the next five fiscal years, and also the proposed means of financing the same. The capital budget shall include a statement of the receipts anticipated during the ensuing fiscal year from all borrowing and from other sources for capital projects.
Section 508. Contents of the budget message.
The budget message shall contain supporting summary tables and shall explain the proposed current expense budget and capital program both in fiscal terms and in terms of work to be done. It shall outline the proposed financial policies of the County for the ensuing fiscal year and describe the important features of the current expense budget. It shall indicate any major changes in financial policies and in expenditures, appropriations, and revenues as compared with the fiscal year currently ending, and shall set forth the reasons for such changes.
Section 509. Submission of the County budget.
[Amended by Bill No. 12-30]
Not later than April 15 of each fiscal year, the County Executive shall submit to the Council the proposed County budget for that fiscal year.
Section 510. Filing of proposed budget.
[Amended by Bill No. 96-37]
The proposed County budget shall be filed with the Council Administrator and copies thereof shall be made available to the public upon request.
Section 511. Public budget hearings.
[Amended by Bill Nos. 96-37; 12-29]
Upon receipt of the proposed County Budget, the Council Administrator shall cause to be published in at least one newspaper widely circulated in the County in accordance with the provisions of Section 812, a notice of the place and time of at least two public hearings on the budget by the Council. The Council may hold such other preliminary hearings on the budget for the purpose of obtaining information as it may determine, but no action shall be taken by the Council on the budget except in public session and after the public budget hearings prescribed in this section.
Section 512. Action on the budget by the Council.
(a)
After the public hearings, the Council may decrease or delete any items in the budget except those required by the laws of this state or of this County, and except any provisions for debt service on obligations then outstanding or for estimated cash deficits. The Council shall have no power to change the form of the budget as submitted by the County Executive, or to alter the revenue estimates except to correct mathematical errors, or to increase any expenditure recommended by the County Executive for current expense or capital purposes.
(b)
The adoption of the current expense budget and the capital budget shall be by the affirmative vote of at least four members of the Council by a law to be known as the Annual Budget and Appropriation Ordinance. Any borrowing to finance capital projects must be authorized by an existing law of the General Assembly of Maryland or by a law of the Council adopted in accordance with this Charter.
(c)
The Annual Budget and Appropriation Ordinance shall be adopted by the Council not later than 15 calendar days prior to the beginning of each fiscal year, and if the Council fails to do so, the proposed current expense budget, as submitted by the County Executive and as may have been amended by the Council shall stand adopted, and funds for the expenditures proposed in the current expense budget shall stand appropriated as fully and to the same extent as if favorable actions thereon had been taken by the Council.
[Amended by Bill Nos. 78-25; 12-30]
Section 513. Reproduction of the budget.
The budget as adopted shall be reproduced and made available to the public upon request.
Section 514. Effective date of the Budget.
The adopted budget shall take effect on the first day of the fiscal year to which it applies.
Section 515. Tax levy and balanced budget.
[Amended by Bill No. 78-62]
When the County budget shall have been finally adopted in the Annual Budget and Appropriation Ordinance, the Council shall thereupon levy and cause to be raised the amount of taxes required by the budget in the manner provided by law so that the budget shall be balanced as to proposed income and expenditures.
Section 516. Transfer of appropriations.
Transfer of appropriations between general classifications of expenditures in the current expense budget within the same agency and within the same fund may be authorized by the County Executive. Transfers between agencies of the County government and within the same fund of the current expense budget may be made only during the last quarter of the fiscal year, and then only on the recommendation of the County Executive and with the approval of the Council. Inter-project transfers of appropriations between capital projects in the capital budget may be authorized by legislative act of the Council upon request of the County Executive, but no new project shall be created nor any abandoned except in accordance with Section 521 of this Charter. Nothing contained herein shall be construed to prevent the Council, upon request of the County Executive, from providing by law for inter-fund cash borrowings to meet temporary cash requirements nor to prevent reimbursements among funds for goods supplied or services rendered.
Section 517. Supplementary appropriations.
[Amended by Bill No. 88-37]
During any fiscal year, the Council, upon the recommendation of the County Executive, may, by law, make additional or supplementary appropriations from unexpended and unencumbered funds set aside for contingencies in the County budget, from revenues received from anticipated sources but in excess of budget estimates therefor, or from revenues received from sources not anticipated in the budget, provided that the Treasurer shall first certify in writing that such funds are available for such appropriation. No supplemental appropriation shall exceed the amount of funds so certified.
Section 518. Emergency appropriations.
[Amended by Bill No. 80-52]
(a)
To meet a public emergency affecting life, health, or property, the Council may, by law, upon the recommendation of the County Executive, make emergency appropriations from contingent funds in the budget, from revenue received from anticipated sources but in excess of the budget estimates therefor, or from revenues received from sources not anticipated in the budget for the current fiscal year. To the extent that there may be no available unappropriated revenues to meet such emergency appropriations, the Council may, by law, authorize the issuance of emergency notes which may be renewed from time to time. Such notes and renewals shall be paid not later than the last day of the fiscal year next succeeding that in which the emergency appropriation was made.
(b)
Revenues from grant allocations which were unanticipated in any current fiscal year may be appropriated by legislative act of the Council upon request of the County Executive. The appropriation shall be made to the proper grant account established for the revenues and any surplus grant funds remaining at the end of the fiscal year shall be carried over to the following fiscal year without the necessity of further action by the Council.
Section 519. Unexpended appropriations.
Unless otherwise provided by law, all unexpended and unencumbered appropriations in the current expense budget remaining at the end of the fiscal year shall revert into the County general fund. No appropriation for a capital project in the capital budget shall lapse until the purpose for which the appropriation was made shall have been accomplished or abandoned; provided that any capital project shall stand abandoned if three fiscal years elapse without any expenditure from or encumbrance of the appropriation made therefor. The balances remaining to the credit of the completed or abandoned capital projects shall be available for appropriation in subsequent capital budgets.
Section 520. Limitations on expenditures.
[Amended by Bill No. 80-51]
No expenditures of County funds shall be made or authorized in excess of the available unencumbered appropriations therefor. Nothing in this Charter shall prevent the making of contracts providing for the payment of funds at a time beyond the fiscal year in which such contracts are made, provided the nature of such transactions reasonably requires the making of such contracts. Any contract, lease, or other obligation in excess of three thousand dollars requiring the payment of funds from the appropriations of a later fiscal year shall be authorized by legislative act.
Section 521. Restrictions on capital projects; amendment to capital budget after adoption of budget.
[Amended by Bill Nos. 78-26; 88-37]
No obligations of the County shall be authorized in any fiscal year for or on account of any capital project not included in the County budget as finally adopted for such year, provided that upon receipt of a recommendation in writing from the County Executive, the Council may after public hearing and with the affirmative vote of at least five of its members amend the County budget. The Council may increase the total amount of appropriations for a County capital budget only if the increased appropriations are to be funded from revenues received from anticipated sources but in excess of budget estimates therefor or from revenues received from sources not anticipated in the budget.
Section 522. Enterprise accounting.
Separate budgets for each utility shall be included in the current expense and capital budget prescribed in this Charter which shall include statements of revenue and expense for the required fiscal years. The accounting system of each utility shall conform to generally accepted principles of utility accounting and shall be kept on an accrual basis.
Section 523. Composition and limitation upon county funds.
(a)
All revenues and receipts from utility assessments; from special services or benefit charges; from special taxes or assessments imposed upon special taxing areas for special or particular services, purposes or benefits; from funds held by the County as trustees or agent; or from bond proceeds, shall be paid into and appropriated from special funds created therefor. All other revenues and receipts of the County from taxes, grants, state revenues, and other receipts shall be paid into and appropriated from the general fund which shall be the primary fund for the financing of current expenses for the conduct of County business.
(b)
No general fund revenues or receipts shall be dedicated to, expended for, or used to supplement appropriations from a special fund except as a loan to such special fund as authorized by Section 516 of this Charter.
(c)
Upon request of the County Executive, the Council may, by the Annual Budget and Appropriation Ordinance, or by other legislative act, provide for the establishment of working capital or revolving funds for the financing of central stores, equipment pools, or other services common to the agencies of the County.
(d)
Notwithstanding other provisions of this section, the Council may establish a reserve fund for permanent public improvements into which there may be paid by the Annual Budget and Appropriation Ordinance cash surpluses not otherwise appropriated or toward the financing of which taxes or other sources of revenues may be dedicated.
Section 524. Indebtedness.
[Amended by Bill No. 96-36]
(a)
The County may incur debt. No indebtedness for a term of one year or greater shall be incurred by the County to meet current operating expenses. All County indebtedness for a term in excess of one year shall become due not later than 30 years after the date of issuance, except debt incurred to finance water, sewer and wastewater facilities, which shall become due not later than 40 years after the date of issuance.
(b)
If at any time the Council shall have failed to appropriate and to make available sufficient funds to provide for the timely payment of the interest and principal then due upon all County indebtedness, it shall be the duty of the Treasurer to pay, or to make available for payment, to the holders of such indebtedness from the first revenues thereafter received applicable to the general funds of the County, a sum equal to such interest and principal.
(c)
Notwithstanding the time limitations for repayment in (a), each series of bonded indebtedness shall be made payable within the probable useful life of the improvement or undertaking with respect to which the indebtedness is to be incurred, or if the indebtedness is to be incurred for several improvements or undertakings, within the average probable useful life of all such improvements or undertakings, and the County Council, based upon the advice of the Department of the Treasury, shall determine the probable useful life of such improvements or undertakings, which determination shall be conclusive.
(d)
Indebtedness of the County may be sold at, above, or below par.
Section 525. Competitive bidding.
[Amended by Bill No. 92-60]
The Council shall prescribe by law for competitive bidding for any single purchase by, or contract with, the County in excess of an amount to be established by law, except contracts for professional services customarily negotiated.
PSection 526. Furthering legislation.
The Council may adopt budget and fiscal laws to implement the objects and purposes of this article.
Thank you for posting this information. I often feel our union is lying to us. This is proof to back what I expected.
Your union is not lying to you. The county council may increase funding for education.
Ok, if not the union, then its just you Ryan.
The law is right there. Prove your not lying. You can’t! Face it, you are a f-ing lyer.
As pertaining to education the County Council, “may restore any denial or reduction made by the county executive”. ED 5-102(c)(3).
I do not lie.
Here is slink to the statute.
http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2013RS/Statute_Web/ged/5-102.pdf
Then quit the union!
Oh, you can’t because Maryland made it law last year that a teacher must pay the union or not teach. How did that workout for you?
You need not be a member of any union to teach in Maryland. All teachers must contribute to the union as the union is recognized as their legally recognized bargaining unit. All teachers (union members or not) derive benefit from these bargaining activities. The fees are lower for non union member teachers (who do not receive other benefits union members do) and are not required to join.
Actually that hasn’t been instituted in Harford County yet, a vote of the teachers would be required before it can take effect. And while such pickpocketing is one of Mr Burbey’s goals for the near term, we’ll see what the Supreme Court has to say in Harris v Quinn about the forced contributions by public employees to unions for collective bargaining services. Harris should be decided by July 2014.
Mr. Burbey is correct.
Read the Law and TeachnHarford are you the same person? TeachnHarford is giving up on the union quickly and jumping to conclusions.
I am a full supporter of unions in general. But I’m confused about what the teacher’s union here actually does. I pay so much each much in union dues, but it seems like nothing ever changes. And we can’t strike because it’s against the rules. (Not that I’d ever advocate that– I would never want that.) So what is actually holding the county accountable? Am I lost here?
Sorry… I meant that I pay so much each month. And I know that the union helps to protect teachers…I guess what I don’t get is what my dues are actually being used for, and what the union is really doing. I make less now than I did as a first year teacher. That’s the situation most county workers are in, though, so it’s not just teachers who are experiencing that.
If you don’t believe me, how about Coach Slutzky, “Under certain circumstances, the state education law gives the Council authority to add money to the education budget.”
http://www.daggerpress.com/2013/07/29/slutzky-in-the-10-years-i-have-served-on-the-harford-county-council-no-board-of-education-operational-budget-funding-requested-by-the-county-executive-has-ever-been-cut/
That post only adds to the proof that you are wrong. Read the posting and the law. It is very clear. The council can’t add to the budget only cut. To add money to one item the council must cut from another. The problem is the BOE and the County Executive does not need to uphold that change after they get the money. We have seen this before. Our fight is with the BOE and the County Executive. By the time the budget gets to the Council it’s too late.
Here is slink to the statute.
http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2013RS/Statute_Web/ged/5-102.pdf
“The council can’t add to the budget only cut. To add money to one item the council must cut from another.” So the Council can add to the school system budget. You are correct that the Council is not going to change the budget sent to them from the County Executive. That is not because they can’t but because they lack the courage to do so.
Ok, I can agree with you on that. What I am saying is our fight is with the BOE and the County Executive and by the time it gets to the Council it is too late. Because, if the Council does add to the budget the Executive does not need to act on that. I’m not saying we should hold the Council harmless but we should fight the correct battles and I feel our union is not able or willing tp do that. I also feel that we are lied to often by them and by school administration.
TeachnHarford,
Unfortunately, our battle currently is with everyone in our local government. We must make education a priority in Harford County. Without increased funding the Board of Education will be forced to make dramatic cuts.
I am sorry that you feel you have been lied to but neither I nor HCEA have presented any falsehoods. I have based all my arguments in facts which can be verified. I can assure HCEA will always present its members with the truth. As to administration, if there are school based concerns you should contact me. I believe Ms. Canavan is working hard to make sure that HCPS presents the truth and is not deceptive. Contact me if you have questions.
Mr Burbey,
I think you should rephrase your statement, instead of “[w]e must make education a priority in Harford County,” you should use “I want more money in my paycheck regardless of what it costs the taxpayers.”
Real wages in the private sector haven’t grown and in many cases gone down.
Public sector employees and professionals fail to understand this means their wages aren’t going increase and may go down.
You are not entitled to yearly increases just because you work for HCPS or Harford County.
Median income for Harford County in 2000 = $57,234
Median income for Harford County in 2008-2012 = $80,441.
Median income in Harford County has risen. That means wages have risen. Income tax revenues have risen. That means wages have risen.
Private sector employees who feel their salary structure is unfairly applied should unionize.
Your “median” income statistics must come from teachers incomes, public school administration officials income and highly paid political appointees in the local government income and union official incomes. It most certainly does not come or include the average county employee or school employee or public sector employee. Anything can be manipulated with statistics and numbers and figures. The realty is something completely different. Union officials and administrative officials make it their “job” and “life” to manipulate figures and statistics to their advantage to to serve their agenda. I certainly hope that citizens and the general public realizes this when they listen to the ‘statements” and manipulative lies of so many officials and statisticians. The majority of what is said is in most cases NOT the truth. It has a tie in the truth to make sure it is not a total lie, but it is manipulated to serve a purpose.
No manipulation. It comes from the US Census.
http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/24/24025.html
TeachnHarford – I pay close attention to what happens in County Government and with the school board. What is your complaint with the BOE? Every year they approve the budget recommended by the Superintendent. Only after the Council fails to make any adjustments does the BOE make changes to balance the budget within the funding restrictions presented by the County Executive. The Council has the ability to pressure the County Executive to place more funds in the school system budget, they just don’t unless they can get something out of it, for example Slutzky’s new weight room and stadium upgrades at Aberdeen and McMahon’s computers for Homestead Wakefield ES – projects the BOE did not ask for. The County Executive gave it to them in exchange for the Council not opposing a new high school in HdG. I don’t agree with everything the BOE does but they must balance the budget, so what would you have them do?
Median household income
Income of Households – This includes the income of the householder and all other individuals 15 years old and over in the household, whether they are related to the householder or not. Because many households consist of only one person, average household income is usually less than average family income. Although the household income statistics cover the past 12 months, the characteristics of individuals and the composition of households refer to the time of interview. Thus, the income of the household does not include amounts received by individuals who were members of the household during all or part of the past 12 months if these individuals no longer resided in the household at the time of interview. Similarly, income amounts reported by individuals who did not reside in the household during the past 12 months but who were members of the household at the time of interview are included. However, the composition of most households was the same during the past 12 months as at the time of interview.
The median divides the income distribution into two equal parts: one-half of the cases falling below the median income and one-half above the median. For households and families, the median income is based on the distribution of the total number of households and families including those with no income. The median income for individuals is based on individuals 15 years old and over with income. Median income for households, families, and individuals is computed on the basis of a standard distribution.
It is not that teachers feel they are any “better” than other county employees, rather it is that more is required of us, professionally speaking, as well. What other county employees are REQUIRED to get a Masters degree within their first 10 years of employment? The normal requirements for a Masters entail 40-41 graduate credit hours. The average cost per credit hour in grad school runs $400-$500/hour. Towson Univ. & The College of Notre Dame of Maryland being closest are most often used for Masters in Education by HCPS teachers. The county reimburses a maximum of 12 credits per year, and will reimburse only up to $300/credit hour. That means teachers are out of pocket a minimum of $100 per credit hour PLUS the cost of text books & supplies, normally about $85 per course. In addition, there are mandatory fees charged by the universities – usually about $80 per semester, parking fees of $50 per semester, travel to classes, dinner on the run – fast food, and ancillary costs for child care, etc. Denying any step or raise to teachers is a travesty, when you examine the fact that they are required to obtain a masters. This burden is especially difficult for brand new teachers and single parent households. Teachers value our school nurses, roads mechanics & workers, county secretaries, etc., but they do not face the burden of extra schooling within a set time frame and under such constraints as the HCPS places on its professional staff. That is not to infer that other county workers are not professional – many are. It is just a totally different situation. That’s all. It is inherently unfair to require new teachers to get their Masters in 10 years when for 4 or 5 years they are denied their step and negotiated wage increases. I am aware of several who are actively pursuing other career options. I worry what will become of this school district and our kids in the system. Very sad.
As pertaining to education the County Council, “may restore any denial or reduction made by the county executive”. ED 5-102(c)(3).
Here is slink to the statute.
http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2013RS/Statute_Web/ged/5-102.pdf
What part of this state law tells the County Council where to get the funding from when they can’t increase the budget only cut.
What part of this state law tells the BOE or the County Executive they must use the money as the Council intended?
Fund balance & PAYGO would be a place to start of where to get the money. I believe that the restrictions on spending of funds are in county code.
The point is that the council can increase spending for education. They just must make it a priority.
Ben,
I wanted to thank you for providing this information. Your collection of numbers relative to the county executive budget is very astounding. These numbers show Craig’s desire to balloon his own central staff and ignore the majority of the other workers in the county!! If his priorities were in order, there would not be such disparity in funding different categories of the budget. Most counties in the state are facing similar financial difficulties, however, they somehow make a way to fund their budgets, especially their educational budgets. Because if Craig’s continual disregard for education, he will not be getting my vote!! The numbers displayed speak for themselves and shows that Craig only cares for himself!!
In 10 years the HCPS budget has increased by 74 million dollars while the CE budget has increased by 1.2 million dollars. Your description of what is ballooning is a result of creative reporting. If the county took back every cent they gave Craig it wouldn’t make a dent what HCPS wants. It’s time they cut the waste, we lack the ability to print money.
It is about the percentage increase. The Craig Administration has increased their budget by a far greater percentage than HCPS.
2004 General Govt. = $52,572,553
2014 General Govt. = $82,464,906
That seems like more than $1.2 million…
Why don’t you cite YOUR OWN propaganda?
From Harford County Education Association (HCEA) President Ryan Burbey:
…in FY 2004, the Harford County Board of Education received $147,397,439. This represented 49% of the Harford County General Fund. In FY 2014, the Harford County Board of Education received $221,300,729…
In your format its
FY 2004 Harford County Board of Education = $147,397,439
FY 2014 Harford County Board of Education = $221,300,729
$73,903,290 dollar increase
If we use your General Government numbers (w/o checking how specious they may or may not be) the percentage increase is almost exactly the same. So please, stop poor mouthing.
6% is a lot of money when you are working with big numbers. Likewise, HCPS has add programing and associated costs, while Harford County government is doing the exactly same job.
I might add that it is not just teachers that deserve to have their contracts honored. County workers and sheriffs also deserve for their agreements to be honored.
I’m sorry the article was comparing the County Executives office budget to the HCPS budget. Perhaps you missed that.
Perhaps you are unable to do long division?
52/82 =.6341
147/221 = .6651
You have not found percent increase. To do that you must first find the difference then divide by the original amount.
82-52=30/52=57.7% increase.
You also have not accounted for the total budget for the BoE but using just county funding, 221-147=74/147=50.3% increase.
That yields a difference in increase of 7.4%. 7.4%x221=$17 million. 7.4%x147=$11million. If the County Executive only held general govt. to the same constraints as the BoE, there would be between $11and $17 million to invest in schools.
Sorry, I used the BoE’s budget numbers to calculate additional funds which would be available by mistake. 82×7.4=$6 million. 52 x7.4%= $3.8. That is less but still significant.
Don’t worry man, soon enough people will be replying “what waste, cite examples” and how the “wealth” of Harford county has increased, so its only logical to dump more money into the schools. BTW, school budgets never ever decrease, only increase.
The school system proved it can successfully shuffle students across the county to “magnet” schools, and Harford tech with its own bus system has worked it out for years.
Let’s close down schools aren’t meeting the enrollment numbers and bus students somewhere else. Hell, let’s get rid of some school busses, and buy passenger vans.
One example of “waste” is having a fullsize, full length bus not even half full.
Cut down on storage space, driver training, diesel fuel costs, and use a big passenger van instead. A passenger van is surely able to get better fuel mileage on the same route as a school bus, using 87 octane cheaper in price compared to diesel.
Less expensive maintenance costs, gasoline engines don’t need to have water filters like diesel fuel that can freeze up and render the bus out of service until the filter is changed, less engine oil in a gas engine van, less fuel to fill in the tank, parts are cheaper, tires costs less. The cooling system in a van(s gas engine requires less capacity than a diesel engine on a bus.
A vans workprint in the shop for repairs takes up less space equals faster productivity getting it on a lift, working, walking around it which equals less costs for mechanical hours of work.
What else?
Most of the buses are contracted. The county is not responsible for their maintenece. The few buses the county owns and maintains are required by law!
Please provide statistics of exactly the number of yellow cheese logs are operated under contractors, compared to county operated.
Cdev,
Do you think the contractors are not passing on the costs of maintenance and having spare buses on-call to the county?
Only the soecial ed buses are county owned as well as the ones for homeless and non-public placement. The rest, or the vast majority (essentially any bus not starting with a 3) are contractors. While the contractor charges a rate which includes maintence. Each run is bid on seperate and it is the contractors decision as to what side bus operates the run. Money could be saved by consolidating runs and thus needing less buses but that would mean your children may have to walk farther. I am sure that study, which suggested exactly that, was a precursor to this happening.
Assistant Principals do not make as much as David Craig. In fact, my wife is a principal and she doesn’t make as much as David Craig, either.
Again, the responses to these articles against teachers just shows how this county does not support education. I just hope the citizens with school aged children don’t complain when they get what they pay for. At this point what happens next is not in the hands of the teachers. It is the BOE trying to not go bankrupt, which means that Magnet programs will cease to exist, schools like Joppa, Havre de Grace and probably the North Harford Area will close down and be absorbed into other school districts. Yep, say good bye to community schools. The tax payers don’t want to fund them. If you don’t believe me now you will when it happens, but it will be too late to do anything about it.
Good god are you suggesting HCPS live with in their means and cut costs? Say it isn’t so.
Uhhh…. a few comments out of a county population of 244,826 (2010 Cencus) shows the majority not supporting education? Where did you graduate? Harford County? Oh! HAHAHA!
It is not just the foolish responses on a blog site. It is a documented history of underfunding schools. 19th out of 24 is not adequate funding for our geographic region and state wealth formula calculation. If Harford County does not take more responsibility for its schools investing in its future, you will see dramatic effects which will extend to the community at large whether they have children or not.
But for being 19 out of 24 for funding, HCPS is still producing students with average SAT schools and above-average state test scores. Just because we’re located next to Baltimore County does not mean we’re willing to be taxed like Baltimore County.
Kharn,
You do realize that public education is a 12 yr. process. The drop off in performance lags behind the deficiencies in funding. HCPS was once a flagship system in MD. However, as it has grown and not continued to invest it has fallen. I want for Harford County to have the best schools in the state. It would be a benefit to all taxpayers as their property values climb. We need to invest in our schools and our teachers. It is essential.
No one seems to be talking about the impact on the STUDENTS.
Sure, teachers want raises, along with others. All county employees should get their steps and raises.
However, regarding the teachers, the whole phrase of ” it’s getting lean” has taken a new meaning. When the raise was given to the teachers a few years back, the community needs to remember that it was funded internally, by losing staff.
The impact on staff being lost has hit the critical point. Class sizes at some schools, where my daughter attends, are through the roof! She is in classes with 34-36 high school juniors and seniors. It is crazy! She had scheduling issues because there are so few staff that only 1 section could be offered of various courses that she needs to graduate.
Local extreme community members need to understand that it is not just about the teachers deserving of their back pay, especially given how our county compares with others around us.
Go into the classrooms, see the students and the everyday operational functions of the schools and you will understand why the teachers need these raises. Staff needs to be equally distributed across the county and there needs to be a complete overhaul with the HCPS salary structure. I feel for the teachers. Sadly, I don’t see anyone on the County Council taking notice until test scores began to tank. Parents, I only think that they “might” begin to listen to us. Teachers are beginning to leave, and will in large numbers this year and in the future. I know several teachers in the county who were “waiting it out” , but how long can they wait? When neighboring counties that are cheaper to live in pay their teachers more? When other counties lure teachers by saying, we want you to focus on teaching and not how you will pay your bills?
I don’t know what it will take, but I think it won’t be until Harford County begins to hit the bottom of the barrel, and at the sacrifice of the students.
Enrollment is declining there are 5300 HCPS staff for 38,000 students and a budget of $429,811,597.00. The students problems are not the county council it is the HCPS system and their never ending quest to require more money for less service. Do your children a favor send them to private school or home school them if you really care about their education.
Not everyone has that option. Like it or not, public schools are a vital component of a good society.
Everyone has the option but many will not do what it takes to make it happen. It’s called being a responsible parent.
If they’re only offering single sections of mandatory classes due to staffing issues, why is HCPS also offering AP classes with less than 10 students enrolled? HCPS should drop the underutilized AP classes to free up staff.
There will be some very difficult decisions to make and it will not be for the good of the students. Not that this county cares.
What is really sad is that the decisions that have already been made are not in the best interests of students or our community at large.
It is not in the best interests of students to freeze salaries and force their teachers to work for wages that are far out of alignment with neighboring counties. This forces younger teachers to take second jobs to survive.
It is not in the best interests of students for their teachers to considering leaving the county due to poor wages and poor working conditions brought about by a perpetual shortage of funding.
Truth be told this period of time has probably already had a negative impact on each and every member of our county as Harford County increasing has the reputation of a county which inadequately funds its schools.
Our children are being cheated of opportunities available elsewhere. Our entire community is being robbed by this short-sighted decision making.
There are many problems with denying teachers a raise for 4 years. First, it is demoralizing to the teachers, making them feel terribly undervalued when they give so much of themselves day in and day out. Secondly, after several years of teaching, their steps on the salary scale are “frozen” for a few years. Third, unlike all other county employees teachers must obtain a Masters Degree in order to retain their job. This involves quite alot of work and time. Graduate courses cost from $1,300-$1,700 each. At the expense of their families and their wallets, they are mandated to pay 33% of their graduate tuition, books & materials, and expense commuting costs to and from classes from their household budgets. Not receiving a raise in even one year has a negative impact on their family income. Fourth, the Maryland State Pension system determines teachers’ pensions on the last 3 years of salary. No raise in pay for several years negatively impacts retirement benefits due HCPS employees. Fifth, teachers are unable to have a fighting chance breaking even with annual increasing cost-of-living based on the above. Sixth, many young and wonderful teachers will be exiting HCPS due to these inequities and the fact that they can earn more in contiguous school districts. In 10 years, this school system will be broken if this trend continues. Bottom line: It is unfair to withhold incremental pay increases from teachers and the kids deserve contented individuals providing quality instruction from the best professionals possible.
You all are making yourself’s into a joke. Maybe it is time for a female
You all are making yourself’s into a joke. Maybe it is time for a female . Now people ate bashing females really
Someone set the record straight! I have been told that our County Exec. provides enough money for the the additional costs in health care so the cost is not passed on to workers in all departments except for Harford County Public Schools? If that is so, why is HCPS let out? Wouldn’t that money be enough for steps? Burbey or someone else please find out. It might be good to check with HCPS CFO.
That is not exactly accurate. My understanding is the CE has made dramatic changes to the healthcare plans for county workers over the course of his term. So, cost shifting has occurred. Likewise, HCPS has shifted some costs to teachers and staff but HCEA has prevented massive changes from occurring.
I think what you are actually referring to is the OPEB(Other Post Employment Benefits) funding. The CE funds the county’s OPEB obligation outside the budget, through a supplemental appropriation. This practice renders all budgetary percentages invalid. HCPS has never received sufficient funding to meet the OPEB obligation for their employees.
Should let the people vote if the politician’s should get a raise. It was this way many years ago and they changed it! Wonder why?
HOW CAN TEACHERS POSSIBLY INSTILL THE VALUE OF AN EDUCATION TO YOUNG PEOPLE, WHEN THEY HAVE RECEIVED THE LEAST VALUE FROM THEIR OWN?
Don’t forget the other school employees. I am a school nurse. The nurses are not considered “professional employees” and make WAY less than the teachers. This is my 15th year as a school nurse and I’m a step 6. We haven’t seen a raise or step increase for years either.
I have to agree with you SM. It seems that teachers and teacher’s unions seem to think that only teachers are important in this County. I happen to think that it is shamefull that anyone working for HC govmt (including school nurses and other school employees) have been looked over for so many years now without getting increases. The average employee seems to constantly be shafted as though they were not important and do not need money to live on just as teachers do, while the upper limit of government AND school board gets their “raises” one way or another. There has been proof of this. But this constant harping by teachers has become irritating to other people that also are doing without while their expenses are going up the same as teachers do. Just because teachers have a “professional” status (which they seem to try to shove down people’s throats on a constant basis) does NOT make them any better when it comes to getting raises. They are NOT above other people. As a matter of fact a very large majority of county employees also are professionals in one capacity or another. Most have good educations and continue to further their educations by attending classes/workshops and other continuing education to try to further their careers and most of them pay for this with their own monies.
So, all this stuff with “teachers” needs to be stopped. They are not any more deserving than other people that work hard for a living and are trying to make it in this economy.
I think that all county employees, sheriffs, teachers, HCPS staff etc. should at least be able to expect that their contract is honored with fidelity.
You should at least be able to count on your steps every year.