The Hoboken Tax Reform Coalition
Kids First Dispenses More of Your Cash
Kids First, which loves to give away your money, handed out 4.5% raises disguised as 10 annual vacation/sick/personal days to the interim superintendent and asst. supt. at Tuesday's BOE meeting when they extended their contracts through December. We already pay Mr. Carter an annualized salary of $187,000 and Mr. Rusak $154,000, on top of the extremely generous state pensions and the full and free health-care benefits they get as retirees.
But that wasn't enough for Kids First. In an unseemly rush just a week before the election, Board President Rose Markle pushed through a total $24,420 in paid days off for Carter (who officially started Sept. 1 and whose old contract didn't expire until Aug. 31), Rusak (contract was to expire June 30), Robert Davis (the interim business administrator who started in November) and Albert Joy (the interim high school principal, who started in February). No formal evaluation of their work was done, though Kids First had always insisted on proper evaluations before they took over the board last year.
After much discussion about rewarding the men for a job well done though they haven't made it through even an entire school year yet, the resolution passed 7-1. To be sure, $24,420 is not a gargantuan amount. But I was the only member of the board who didn't think we should hand out such bonuses to retiree interims--a practice that is a sharp departure from standard interim contracts elsewhere in the state.
Kids First argued that the interims should be paid when they take a day off, though they freely entered into the per-diem/no-benefits contracts when they were hired and, in fact, are already being paid by the state on days off in the form of their pension. Kids First also tried to argue that any unused vacation days will be returned to the district, but of course, what employee anywhere leaves a job before taking all the vacation days, even if they're tacked on at the end of his time there. Watch it all on Channel 77...the meeting from April 13 is now up and running.
Speaking of channel 77, Mr. Carter ruled that the candidates debate sponsored last week by the People for Open Government could not run on the district's television station because it was a "political forum." I appealed to my fellow members of the governance committee (Rose Markle, Theresa Minutillo and Ruth McAllister) to approach Mr. Carter and ask him to change his mind. I was rebuffed.
On another note, Kids First is running on a platform of "we never promised to cut your taxes last year." That's funny. Last year I was a KF candidate and I said over and over that we needed to put more money back into taxpayers' pockets with a tax cut. Needless to say, I didn't have the votes to push the administration to make tax relief part of the budget. Give Real Results the majority on the board and and we will fight for the tax cut you deserve.
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by ditto on -
After her "no" vote Sullivan contradicted herself saying "we are getting a good deal" from Carter and Davis and prior to the vote Sullivan went to great lengths saying what a good job Carter and Davis were doing.
Here's a letter to the editor in the Hoboken Reporter from another Board member explaining the decision:
Dear Editor:
On Tuesday night, we extended the contracts of Interim Superintendent Carter, Interim Asst. Superintendent Rusak through December 31, and interim Business Administrator “The Oracle” Davis for the entire 2010-2011 school year. The only change was the addition of 10 paid days to be used as either sick or vacation days. Some in the community thought this was a back door raise. The reasoning behind this was completely different. When these three professionals came to Hoboken it was with the intention of being here for a short period of time. Now that they are going to be here for more than one year, and are doing an amazing job, we, the Board of Education, believed that they were deserving of a paid vacation. The vote was 7-1 in favor.
Regards,
Ruth McAllister
Hoboken Board of Education Trustee
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Permalink Reply by Maureen Sullivan on
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We simply have a real philosophical difference: I believe now is the time to cut back on spending, even if it means saying No to employees you like and appreciate who want higher compensation. The Kids First board members believe in turning over more of the taxpayers' money (many of whom are unemployed, facing layoffs and furloughs, or haven't seen raises in years) to school employees.
The difference between KF and Real Results is quite clear.
ditto said:After her "no" vote Sullivan contradicted herself saying "we are getting a good deal" from Carter and Davis and prior to the vote Sullivan went to great lengths saying what a good job Carter and Davis were doing.
Here's a letter to the editor in the Hoboken Reporter from another Board member explaining the decision:
Dear Editor:
On Tuesday night, we extended the contracts of Interim Superintendent Carter, Interim Asst. Superintendent Rusak through December 31, and interim Business Administrator “The Oracle” Davis for the entire 2010-2011 school year. The only change was the addition of 10 paid days to be used as either sick or vacation days. Some in the community thought this was a back door raise. The reasoning behind this was completely different. When these three professionals came to Hoboken it was with the intention of being here for a short period of time. Now that they are going to be here for more than one year, and are doing an amazing job, we, the Board of Education, believed that they were deserving of a paid vacation. The vote was 7-1 in favor.
Regards,
Ruth McAllister
Hoboken Board of Education Trustee
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Permalink Reply by ditto on
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You are chair of the committee that negotiated the custodians contract and you signed the custodial MOA on Jan. 26th, 2010. Why didn't you refuse to sign this contract "gold-plated contract"? Here's your slate's email (below). It looks like yet another Sullivan contradiction.
Real Results email: Incredibly, this year, Kid’s First school board members voted them a 10.9% pay increase over 3 years, longevity pay up to $3,000 and a $750 clothing allowance. While government workers across NJ are being furloughed, Kids First gave some Hoboken janitors yet another paid holiday. Real Results will fight the gold-plated contracts.
Maureen Sullivan said:We simply have a real philosophical difference: I believe now is the time to cut back on spending, even if it means saying No to employees you like and appreciate who want higher compensation. The Kids First board members believe in turning over more of the taxpayers' money (many of whom are unemployed, facing layoffs and furloughs, or haven't seen raises in years) to school employees.
The difference between KF and Real Results is quite clear.
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Permalink Reply by Meatloaf on -
Ms. Sullivan, with all due respect, I would assume you would be supportive of cost savings. In lieu of any financial cost to the taxpayers, the board decided to try to attract these wonderfully seasoned administrators (avg of 40 yrs) to remain in our district.These personal/vacation days are not payable, if not used.
Heard your argument on ch 77. You only asked that the 7 days be changed to a raise, instead of sick/personal/vacation days. Apparently, you would prefer that the taxpayers be forced to pay more money to keep these administrators. You are right there is a fundamental difference. Kids First is trying to save the taxpayers money where you are about spending more. Responsible cuts, responsible planning, responsiblie budget.
Chirstie cut the budget by 9% with no tax increase, Kids First cut the budget by 7% with no tax increase. Kids First-Proven leadership
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Permalink Reply by truthseeker on
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Meatloaf, do you have a problem with comprehension?
I watched that meeting. Sullivan said that if they were giving them more money, why not be transparent and just give them a raise. She didn't say they should get a raise.
And if those administrators are going to pack their bags and walk if they don't get more money after only a few months on the job, let them go. If the KF board members are going to be held hostage for more money by a bunch of interims, then imagine how they will negotiate with the tenured teachers?
Meatloaf said:Ms. Sullivan, with all due respect, I would assume you would be supportive of cost savings. In lieu of any financial cost to the taxpayers, the board decided to try to attract these wonderfully seasoned administrators (avg of 40 yrs) to remain in our district.These personal/vacation days are not payable, if not used.
Heard your argument on ch 77. You only asked that the 7 days be changed to a raise, instead of sick/personal/vacation days. Apparently, you would prefer that the taxpayers be forced to pay more money to keep these administrators. You are right there is a fundamental difference. Kids First is trying to save the taxpayers money where you are about spending more. Responsible cuts, responsible planning, responsiblie budget.
Chirstie cut the budget by 9% with no tax increase, Kids First cut the budget by 7% with no tax increase. Kids First-Proven leadership
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Permalink Reply by rosethorn on
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Truthseeker -- Kids First has had a problem with comprehension the whole campaign. Because they had no proposals for the next year and no record to run on, they've spent the last seven weeks trashing the other side. It's been disgraceful and it's probably cost KF a bunch of votes. No one wants to be associated with a bunch of thugs and bullies. How are they any better than the old Hoboken machine? Just today one of their candidates, Leon Gold, screamed at a voter on the street, "Real Results hates kids." This is the same Leon Gold who tried to be as angry and mean as he could throughout last Monday's forum. Let's hear one KF proposal before we head to the polls tomorrow. Are they going to cut taxes? Do a professional search for a new superintendent? Use the board attorney for negotiating the contract instead of having a couple of board members do it themselves? Finally voice some strong support for the theater program? Introduce teams for the middle school grades? Finally address the 200 or so illegal out-of-town kids, instead of pretending that the 15 or so who are caught every year by accident is the extent of the problem? Promise to stop the illegally closed meetings? It's never too late, KF, to put out a campaign platform.
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Permalink Reply by Meatloaf on
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They used the NJ school board association for the Superintendent. Which finding a superintendent is part of their services. The board attorney was used for the negotiations. Sullivan was not part of it so she does not know what went on. Strong Support for theater? There were 3 plays this year. First time ever. How is that not support for the theater? We have recreational athletics for the middle school level. Can you tell me where you got the 200 out of district students? A link would help to the names of them. If you mean, going into closed session. By law contracts, and personal issues MUST BE IN CLOSED SESSION. Thus there is no illegality.
Any more questions?
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