Teacher raises: Stop placing blame and fix the problem
Published April 28, 2014
Editorial by Winston-Salem Journal, April 26, 2014.
Amidst reports of growing numbers of teacher resignations, Gov. Pat McCrory and legislative leaders are denying blame for the state’s unacceptably low teacher salaries.
And with the latest revenue reports emanating from the Revenue Department, about the best word to describe raise prospects this spring is “fuzzy.”
Republican legislators have blamed the resignation rates on the previous administration, Common Core standards and Medicaid spending, but denied the most obvious reason -- Republican tax policy.
In 2009, at the depth of the state’s recession-related budget problems, Democratic Gov. Bev Perdue and the legislature extended temporary sales and income taxes. That decision kept education budget cuts to a minimum, but did not allow raises.
In 2011, the Republican legislature refused to extend those taxes again. In 2013, Republicans enacted a major tax cut. In addition, Republicans have instituted major education budget cuts.
The result of the 2011 and 2013 sessions is well more than a billion dollars less in state revenue than might be expected today had the previous tax rates remained. That is money that is not available for teacher raises.
Republicans are proud of their tax cutting. But legislators and administration officials who deny the link between tax cuts and the scarcity of funds for raises this year are being disingenuous.
It’s time for McCrory and legislative leaders to stop placing blame and to find funds to give all of our teachers a raise this year before teacher resignations lead to a serious public education problem.
