[Winona Online Democracy]
Greetings,
I contacted the Office of the Legislative Auditor to ask for the source of
the data and to try and get some more contextual information to better
understand the numbers. I've included their complete response below. There
is a lot of interesting information in those paragraphs.
I encourage anyone interested in this issue to read the response below and
even follow the link to the full report. I think this helps put some of
these numbers in context.
I'd also be interested to hear what people think of this information.
-Steve Kranz
Response from Office of the Legislative Auditor:
--------------------------------------------------------------
We presented the 52.5% figure in a presentation to the House
Education Finance Committee in February 2000. The 52.5%
increase is the estimated cumulative increase in teacher salaries
and benefits that occurred between 1989 and 1999. The estimate
is based on salary and fringe benefit settlements reported by
Education Minnesota. The 52.5% increase exceeded the 34.5%
increase in the Consumer Price Index over that same period. So,
the increase in salaries and benefits, as estimated from settlement
data, was 13 percent after inflation.
It should be noted that benefits tended to increase much faster
than salaries. School district paid premiums for single coverage
health insurance more than doubled between 1989 and 1999
(increasing 61% after inflation). This increase was largely due to
the increased costs of providing health insurance.
It is also important to note that, after adjusting for inflation, average
teacher salaries fell slightly (4 percent) during this time period.
This occurred because teacher salary schedules did not increase
as much as inflation and because the teacher workforce became
younger, less experienced, and thus lower paid during the 1990s.
I am not aware of any comparable data on private or other public
employees. (For more information on changes in teacher salaries
and benefits, see pages 45-61 of our School District Finances
report issued in February 2000. That report is available on our
website at: www.auditor.leg.state.mn.us/ped/2000/pe0004.htm)
John Yunker
Office of the Legislative Auditor
----- Original Message -----
From: "Duke Powell" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "Steve Kranz" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Cc: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Monday, May 07, 2001 1:58 PM
Subject: Re: [Winona] Minnesota SOS (Same Old Song)
> [Winona Online Democracy]
>
> My original post did not give non-teacher salary increases over the
> period of the 1990's. That information was in Mr. Lowery' post.
>
> The 52.5% increase in salary and benefits for the teachers, state wide,
> came from the Office of the Legislative Auditor.
>
> In addition, I agree that a fair examination of salary increases for
> teachers during the last decade would result from the suggestion that
> Mr. Double offered.
>
> Duke Powell
>
>
> Steve Kranz wrote:
> >
> > [Winona Online Democracy]
> >
> > Paul,
> >
> > I agree . . . it would be relatively easy to find out at a local level
what
> > the total increase in salaries plus benefits for teachers has been --
and
> > that kind of primary source data is important to know; but in terms of
the
> > message that was posted regarding salary comparisons, I'm interested in
the
> > statement by Mr. Powell that compared statewide (non teacher) salaries
to
> > teacher salaries plus benefits.
> >
> > I'm interested to know if this is an "apples to apples" comparison and
if
> > the number he quoted for the increase in the statewide (non teacher)
> > salaries included benefits. And, of course, I'd be interested to know
the
> > source of the number.
> >
> > -Steve Kranz
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Paul Double" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> > Sent: Monday, May 07, 2001 10:33 AM
> > Subject: Re: [Winona] Minnesota SOS (Same Old Song)
> >
> > > [Winona Online Democracy]
> > >
> > > Maybe the Business Office of WAPS(861) could pull the contract from
1990
> > > and pick say BA 15 Step 5 and compare it to the current contract. The
> > also
> > > look at the cost of TRA then and now as well as the medical insurance
cost
> > > for Married with Children. We would also want to look at the current
Step
> > > 15, if there is one, thus to move that person to the place they would
be
> > > just by being employed for that 10 year period. That should at least
give
> > > us a solid footing for a place to start.
> > >
> > > Paul Double
> > > [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > >
> > > >From: "Steve Kranz" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> > > >To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> > > >References: <l03010d04b719fec7e2d8@[209.83.83.130]>
> > > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> > > >Subject: Re: [Winona] Minnesota SOS (Same Old Song)
> > > >Date: Sun, 6 May 2001 08:26:32 -0500
> > > >X-MSMail-Priority: Normal
> > > >X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.50.4133.2400
> > > >Sender: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > > >
> > > >[Winona Online Democracy]
> > > >
> > > >I would like to know two things if anyone has the answer.
> > > >
> > > >1. If you say that salaries AND benefits role 52% for teachers, and
> > > >salaries rose 43% for the rest of the state; does the 43% include
> > benefits
> > > >or are you just applying that half of the statistic to teachers and
not
> > the
> > > >rest of the population?
> > > >
> > > >2. I would also like to know the source of each of these statistics.
Is
> > > >there a primary source online?
> > > >
> > > >Thanks,
> > > >
> > > >-Steve Kranz
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >----- Original Message -----
> > > >From: "Duke Powell" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> > > >To: "Scott Lowery" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> > > >Cc: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> > > >Sent: Sunday, May 06, 2001 1:27 AM
> > > >Subject: Re: [Winona] Minnesota SOS (Same Old Song)
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >> [Winona Online Democracy]
> > > >>
> > > >> While I am sure that Mr. Lowery believes what he has posted is
true,
> > > >> this is a perfect example of how Education Minnesota is lying to
the
> > > >> citizens of Minnesota. This bit of misinformation has been refuted
time
> > > >> and again but I will explain it one more time.
> > > >>
> > > >> It is true that the average salary of Minnesota teachers has risen
only
> > > >> by 23% during the 1990's. It is also true that salaries and
benefits
> > > >> rose by 52.5% over the same period.
> > > >>
> > > >> Ya know, I just had a thought. This is what educators would call a
> > > >> "teachable moment."
> > > >>
> > > >> What I am going to do is see if anyone on this list can figure out
how
> > > >> both of the above assertions can be true.
> > > >>
> > > >> I'll monitor the responses and will either congratulate the person
who
> > > >> comes up with the correct answer or provide it myself if it looks
like
> > > >> no one will figure it out.
> > > >>
> > > >> Duke Powell
> > > >> Burnsville
> > > >>
> > > >>
> > > >> >Scott Lowery wrote:
> > > >>
> > > >> > [Winona Online Democracy]
> > > >>
> > > >> >However Paul loses me when he starts railing about the MEA soaking
up
> > > >>our tax dollars, in a redistribution of wealth no yet! Over the
past
> > >10
> > > >years, there's been a 43% average growth in wages for all Minnesota
>wage
> > > >earners. During the same period, the average MN teacher salary
>increased
> > by
> > > >23%. If there is redistribution of wealth going on, it is ?flowing
away
> > from
> > > >teachers, not toward them.
> > > >> > Scott Lowery
> > > >> ----------------
> > > >> This message was posted to the Winona Online Democracy Project.
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> > > >>
> > > >>
> > > >
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