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Hernando Today

Teachers, District Continue To Negotiate

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By LINNEA BROWN

Published: September 21, 2008

BROOKSVILLE - Officials from the Hernando Classroom Teachers' Association are still hoping for more than what the district has offered for teacher raises for the 2008-09 school year, but they may not get it.

During a negotiating session Thursday in Brooksville, the union proposed a 4.02 percent average pay increase, which includes collapsing the number of seniority-based "steps" from 28 to 20 and picking up the anticipated cost to health insurance, which is equivalent to 1.5 percent of each employee's salary.

Together, the package totals 5.52 percent, and would bump the average teacher's salary from $40,827 to $43,364, said the district's finance director Deborah Bruggink.

But it's still more than the amount currently being offered by the school board: a 3.5 percent average pay increase, which includes collapsing to 20 steps and picking up the anticipated 1.5 percent cost of health insurance.

And it may be more than what the district can afford, Superintendent Wayne Alexander said.

"Do we have the money to do it at their request level? I'm not 100 percent sure, at this point," he said. "I'm very concerned about the current situation with the state."

Thursday, the district received word that the state's sales tax collections continue to decline and that the district may now receive a 4 percent reduction in state revenue. This is in addition to a decline in student population of 428 students, which could equal a shortfall in per-student revenue for the district of $1,711,144.

"Everyone's trying to figure out Gov. Charlie Crist's Wikipedia definition of 'harmless,'" said HCTA president Joe Vitalo. "Both sides agree that we're very close to reaching an agreement. However, we're waiting on Crist to make a decision so we can settle."

Bruggink said district officials will spend the next week considering the union's offer.

"We do recognize that it's difficult to get to the 5.5 percent (the amount awarded to Alexander in May), but we also recognize that 4 percent is doable," Vitalo said.

Both proposals would start teachers at $34,855, up from $34,000 this year.

But one thing's for sure: with a current deficit estimated between $1.4 and 1.8 billion, the state's current economic situation isn't making anyone feel comfortable.

"It's a crisis that's occurring throughout the state, and every superintendent and board is having to take a look at this," Alexander said. "As a state, we're all concerned about where this bottoms out."

Union officials acknowledged the district's willingness to negotiate.

"They're aggressively pursing it to try to make this as positive as they can, in light of a negative situation," Vitalo said. "We're very pleased with their effort in such a dreadful time."

Reporter Linnea Brown can be reached at 352-544-5289 or lbrown@hernandotoday.com.

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