To The Editor:
My role as finance director is to respond to incorrect information regarding the HUUSD proposed budget. In regard to John Kerrigan's letter printed in last week's Valley Reporter, your headline "No raise budgeted for teachers" is totally misleading.
The proposed HUUSD budget does indeed include estimated salary increases for all teachers and support staff in anticipation of having a new negotiated collective bargaining agreement(s) to replace those that are expiring at the end of this school year. In addition, the central office staff salary increases follow what is negotiated for teachers. The budgeted salary increase is the same for teachers and central office staff. The 4.4 percent raise for central office staff John references is not the raise received by all central office staff but the change in the cost of salaries due to staff turnover in several positions. In addition, it should be noted that central office staff pay 20 percent of their health care premium costs, teachers currently pay 14 percent and support staff pay 10 percent.
Michelle J. Baker
Director of Finance & Operations
Washington West Supervisory Union
