Reader comments
5-10% cuts are looming for education

Cut the education budget, get less-educated and/or less-qualified graduates, who then earn less money, who then pay less taxes, so they'll cut education again -- and so it goes...

Education is an investment in our community's and state's future. Don't cut education to save a couple of bucks this year. Too short-sighted.

The article states "that in tough times in the industry you don't give bonuses"


ah..... Evidently in Utah you don't give bonuses in the good times either. I mean how many great economic years have you have and the bonus just came to fruition
last year.

How can you cut the number zero by 5 to 10%?

That's the magic number available to cut...

Speaking of leaders.Why don't you cut administration's pay. Principals make 50 000 more than the highest paid teacher

Regardless of popular beliefs when tax funds are not there all funded agency's must be affected, even educatuion. There are ways to make cuts in education without affecting the quality of education and providing it for our children. We have had an education system for a hundred years that did educate, how do you think america got where it is as leaders in education. They just have to think more basic in what they teach and get rid of frivolous activities that aren't part of education. Like baby sitting the children of illegal aliens after school hours and then taking the children of illegal aliens out of our schools. Then drop the morning breakfast feast for elementary schools and make the parents feed the children before sending them to school. Our education system should not be daycare centers or be providing welfare to families. It is the parents responsibility to feed and cloth their children and be there for their needs. Hi-tech toys for education is not necessary, either to learn how to add and subtract, pencil and paper work just fine. Then let business train its employees, not our education system.

Spitting up Jordan School Dist. is a good idea? Better think about it!

How about cutting the programs that are designed specifically to non-english speakers of illegal immigrants. That's will save millions and millions of dollars. I know it's not popular in Utah to talk like that but it is a clear reality that immigration is draining our education system. In turn our own children ARE getting program cuts, while non-speaking English kids are getting more and more funding/programs every month. THIS IS WRONG!

THIS IS WHAT THE RAINY DAY FUND IS FOR !!!!!!

What is it up to now? Over a quarter billion?

I think it is raining.

Why have the account if you don't even use it during the worst economic times the country has seen in 30 years?

Yes we should be careful about using it but that IS WHAT IT IS FOR!

We are facing difficult economic times as a country and are seeing the effects in our state. The education system must certainly enhances it's ability to spend money with efficiency and diligence. However, education funding in the state of Utah continues to linger at the bottom in comparison to the rest of our country. The disappointment of the suggested 5-10% cuts is that you are reducing an already inadequate system. I don't envy the burden carried by politicians and administrators having to make these challenging decisions. I am worried for the future of our children and our community if we cannot make education a top priority. Make it a priority not only in rhetoric, but also in resource allocation.

How about some of the salaries of the geniuses at the top of the ladder. I'm sure they have no clue what economic hard times are really doing in Utah.

"that in tough times in the industry you don't give bonuses"

Yeah, maybe the legislators should give back their raises that they gave themselves last year before asking for teachers not to be paid!

We're all going to have to tighten our belts. But, on the day of the BYU-Utah football game, I have to say this about education:

Why is it that so much is spent on athletic programs when the academics of college life need money?

Already at the U 75% of the students work. I'm sure financial aid availability is down because of the economic crisis.

Students will now have to work and save, then go to school a little at a time.

The first things to cut would be the Legislature's pet projects thrust upon education. Things like performance pay and bonus pay to science and math teachers (instead of all teachers).

Maybe they could do something to encourage senior teachers to retire so younger teachers could be hired and thus save money.

Finally in tough times, cutting education is the wrong thing to do. The tough times will pass and if we continue to fund education appropriately, we'll come out better. If we cut funding, we may not have much to come out too.

Looks like the dozens of people that have cozy district office jobs may have to step into the classroom and make a real difference over the next few years. If they don't, they will never again get my vote for more money towards education.

Government budgets never are cut. Give me a break. They usually are putting in 15% plus in succeeding years budgets. Then they say they are cut 5% to 10%. Translation....The budget actually increased to 13.5% increase...a 10% decrease of the requested 15% increase. Isn't that great. They then whine and moan and get the public all lathered up with their foghorns blaring in the media that their budgets are going down. These are just blatant lies, and is exactly why there is not much honesty in talk about government and what they spend....or how budgeting works. This is just more of the so-called transparency the liberals talk about....and that is all it is....just talk. Don't give me this vested interest rhetoric about budget cuts...it is just hoakum. As the article mentioned, there are always wormholes in budgets where big vested budget interests get their way...and still whine about how education budgets in Utah are SO LOW. I would like to see the books, and then make my own judgement. In the first place, there are far too many districts in the state, which causes more unnecessary spending for overhead. In my estimation, we should have about 5 districts statewide.

Davis district already cut 1.8 million that was a bonus for each teacher. I know now all of you are going to come out and say teachers get paid to much, they only work 9 months a year. Now that you are out of work i bet their are a lot of people who want to be teachers.The problem is in administration. Most secondary principals make around 75,000 to 90,000 plus a year.

Actually, in my school district, the highest-paid teachers receive about $65,000 a year, while my principal receives about $75,000 a year--hardly a $50,000 difference. Learn the facts before you open your big mouth.

We need our more seasoned teachers, because they are generally the best teachers. I am a fairly new teacher, and I can even realize how much more experience I need to have to reach the level of some of our more veteran teachers who are amazingly good teachers.

I think the merit pay bonus program needs to go and many teachers agree. That will save a little money, but I also think it is wrong to get too aggressive with teacher pay cuts to balance the budget, because that simply equates to making a small group of societal workers take a large financial hit in order to shield those responsible for having the children in the first place (the parents) from having to pay their share of taxes. I think a combination of cuts and tax hikes might be in order. It is not moral to balance the budget exclusively on the backs of teachers and children. We have had several consecutive years of tax cuts. The legislature might have to take some of that back as well. I have also heard the 5% flat tax is causing much of our current revenue loss.

that you are the education governor or the legislature that spends on education and then cut it. The legislature gave a tax cut that was ill advised so they need to withdraw that tax cut, or perhaps it is time for education tax based on the number of children you have. Instead of getting a tax refund for having a ton of kids, perhaps a tax per kid for education needs to be applied in addition to normal taxes. Normal taxes will cover the responsibility that society has to educate the children of said society, while a tax per child would allow those who have children to be responsible for them. They may lose their state and federal tax refund, but they will be taking responsibility for their children. I am open to other suggestions but for me, something like this seems to be the most fair. Parents must assume responsibility for their children, starting financially, and not overly place that burden on others in society.

I looked up the average paid High School Teacher in Salt Lake City on salary dot com. It reflected a base salary of $49,900. Then when you include the benefits you get $71,500. Now take into account that teachers get a lot of time off (to include all holidays) and that BASE pay is $32 per hour, twice the average wage in Utah. I guess it's better to take a 5% to 10% cut in pay then to be laid off.

I'm an engineer and I don't make $32 per hour with the same benefits that a teacher gets. If my company said take 10% off or lose your job, I'd be happy to take the cut. Trust me, some of the bad teachers need to leave and be replaced anyway.

The average pay in Utah is $16.35 per hour.