May 24, 2019 By John. R. Bristor 2 min read

Pensions, money and taxes.

Do these subjects interest you? If so, keep reading. All information presented is fact-based and gathered from reputable sources beginning in January 2019.

According to Valerie Brooks, the business manager for Central Greene School District, in 2011-2012 teacher salaries at Central Greene School District totaled $8,285,500.

Our pension obligation to Harrisburg that year was 8.65% or $716,695.75. This current school year, 2018-2019, teacher salaries are $8,011,875. Our pension obligation has risen to a whopping 33.43%, with our check to Harrisburg now amounting to $2,678,369.80.

Please note this does not include Act 93 employees which is our administration.

Tell me what business or corporation can afford to raise their pensions expense by 286.47% in seven years. That’s easy to answer: no one.

Instead of Central Greene School District using this $1,961,674.05 increase toward a school addition, teachers, support staff, books or computers, it is going to Harrisburg to take care of the political promises that have been made over the years.

As of January 2019, according to the PA Post, Pennsylvania’s 123,147 teachers have an average salary of $67,535.

Take our pension obligation of 33.43% multiplied by $67,535, which amounts to an actual total of $22,576.95 per teacher.

Now, multiply that total by the 123,147 teachers to bring pension obligations across the Commonwealth. That’s a whopping $2,780,283,661.65. People, this is billions of dollars.

Again, this does not include Act 93 administrators.

Pennsylvania has the most politicians (253), highest gas tax (58.7 cents) per gallon, and the second highest legislative salaries ($88,610), in the United States. Recently, one of our elected politicians, Senator Robert Mellow from Lackawanna County was awarded a $246,000 yearly pension.

Property owners, businesses, and corporations are paying the taxes for the pensions, per diems, and perks for these politicians. And they wonder why our schools are struggling.

Central Greene School District is being drained thanks to our elected officials who are choking, crippling, and crucifying our public school system. Also, one can only imagine how many nearby school districts are dealing with this same dilemma.

John. R. Bristor is a board member for the Central Greene School District.