Here is a video of Governor Christie in New Jersey taking some heat because of recent teacher wage freezes....
Finally a politician, in office, who just says it like it is, and lets the chips fall where they may.
Every time there is any kind of budget cut there is somebody that is going to get mad, in this case it is teachers in New Jersey. The teacher in the video was thinking that $85,000 a year was equitable for her job. The current teachers salary is about $58,000 on average in New Jersey. Assuming that teachers work 200 days a year that is $290 a day. The average salary of let's say an accountant is $55,000, in New Jersey. They work 250 days a year or $220 a day. There is also built-in perks of being a teacher: guaranteed summers off, health insurance, weekends off. Regular daytime schedule, etc, etc... Do I think teachers deserve to be paid well? Yes and no. I understand that teachers are doing a difficult job and it is a job the whole country expects them to do well. But as Gov. Christie says in the video, "Teachers go into it knowing what the pay scale is, teachers go into it knowing all that."
The rest of the country is having economic difficulties, folks are losing their jobs, having hours cut or cut wages, there should be no exception for anyone, including teachers. Nobody will ever say..."Oh I make too much money, you can cut my salary." Sometimes "the management" (in this case Governor Christie) has to make a tough choice and cut some pay or hours. That is what you call managing a budget. If the cuts were not made, then I would have to assume later that cuts would have to be made a lot deeper and longer lasting, such as cutting teacher positions, closing schools, etc...
Just like any other occupation you have to roll with the punches. There are times where a small cut may have to be made to 10 employee salaries, so that you can save the jobs of 1 or 2 employees. That is what they call management. President Obama doesn't understand that concept, evidently Governor Christie of New Jersey does.
