Time to examine public pay

Regarding negotiations between Spokane Public Schools and the Spokane Education Association: The negotiations between the Spokane Education Association and Spokane Public Schools made it clear that it is high time for a thorough examination and comparison of not only teachers’ pay but public employee compensation in general with the level of private compensation in this community.

Teacher compensation in Spokane averages approximately $82,000 per year (salary plus benefits), according to the Washington Policy Center, for a nominal nine-month school year. I would be willing to bet this is way above average in the private sector in this community. In terms of pay per hour, the comparison would be skewed even further.

Unfortunately, it appears that from the federal level on down through state, county and local levels, similar disparities exist when public employee compensation is compared to private. Speaking as a taxpayer who must fund this pay and an employer who must compete with these pay levels, I believe it is high time for an objective comparison of these compensation levels to serve as a sound basis for debate of this problem.

The public deserves more openness and fairness in setting public compensation.

Rod Bacon

Spokane