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Interesting look at some aggregate numbers. For 2014 the city expects to have 875 employees. If you divide the proposed $99,568,368 city side funding for 2014 by 875 you get an average cost per employee of $137,792. The school dept has 1428 employees so if you take the $118,644,632 proposed city allocation and divide it by 1428, you get an average cost per employee of $83,084. OK you say, but what if we add in the State/Federal aid that the schools and city get? Let's do that. The city's total budget figure for 2014 is $126,322,000 so divide that by 875 and you get an average cost per employee of $144,368. The schools 2014 total budget (not including their request for additional funding) is $156,687,219 so divide that by 1428 and you get a cost per employee of $109,243. For the heck of it, lets add in the full $3.8 million that the schools asked for and you have $159,000,000 divided by 1428 for a cost per employee of $111,344. The Mayor and some City Council members would have you believe that the schools are profligate spenders who can't manage a budget. Really? When you factor in that the large majority of school employees are teachers, many of whom have advanced degrees, the above costs per employee could suggest that maybe it's actually the other way around. I know that this is a 50,000 foot level view but it's interesting nonetheless...

From: Council needs to educate themselves on school budget

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