What should taxes be?

Quote: kenarman

The wages of teachers have increased significantly in the last few decades and the quality of the education the kids receive has plummeted. I for one do not put teachers on a pedestal. Most of my teacher friends of my age agree with me and got out of the system because of their fellow teachers lack of work ethic.

From the Economic policy institute

http://www.epi.org/publication/the-teacher-pay-gap-is-wider-than-ever-teachers-pay-continues-to-fall-further-behind-pay-of-comparable-workers/

Quote:

Summary
What this report finds: The teacher pay penalty is bigger than ever. In 2015, public school teachers’ weekly wages were 17.0 percent lower than those of comparable workers—compared with just 1.8 percent lower in 1994. This erosion of relative teacher wages has fallen more heavily on experienced teachers than on entry-level teachers. Importantly, collective bargaining can help to abate this teacher wage penalty. Some of the increase in the teacher wage penalty may be attributed to a trade-off between wages and benefits. Even so, teachers’ compensation (wages plus benefits) was 11.1 percent lower than that of comparable workers in 2015.

Quote: rxwine

From the Economic policy institute

http://www.epi.org/publication/the-teacher-pay-gap-is-wider-than-ever-teachers-pay-continues-to-fall-further-behind-pay-of-comparable-workers/

What on earth are "comparable workers" to teachers?

Any place I have seen, teachers do great.

Quote: rxwine

From the Economic policy institute

http://www.epi.org/publication/the-teacher-pay-gap-is-wider-than-ever-teachers-pay-continues-to-fall-further-behind-pay-of-comparable-workers/

Would you like me to find an equally biased right leaning group. The head of the teachers union is on their board.

"The Economic Policy Institute (EcPI) calls itself a “nonprofit, nonpartisan” think tank. But behind its façade of political balance lays an agenda-driven organization. EcPI has roots in radical leftist politics, and it receives a large portion of its funding from organized labor. EcPI‘s donors have on at least one occasion been allowed to review its research prior to publication."

Quote: AZDuffman

What on earth are "comparable workers" to teachers?

Any place I have seen, teachers do great.

Teachers have done well around here for
30 years. I know a 1st grade teacher in
1995 who was making $55K a year for
9 months of actual work. God knows
what she makes now. My daughter is
a college math prof and makes huge
bucks with all summer off.

Quote: kenarman

Would you like me to find an equally biased right leaning group.

Might as well, since you didn't source your statements with anything but possible anecdotal poppycock, as far as I can tell.

Quote: rxwine

50% btw

You really want to give away half of what you make?

Quote: AZDuffman

You really want to give away half of what you make?

Really doesn't tell the whole story.

First of all, I believe in lots of oversight. Just because tax money spent 2 years ago was probably justified, doesn't mean it still us.

Second, I don't believe rates should be arbitrarily high, just because you can do it. The people decide through their representatives whether that rate is justified for. Or if it isn't.

Third, we are talking about a minimum 10 million salary not 50k. In fact, as far as I'm concerned you can increase your earnings every year if you can do it. But that doesn't mean you will luck out of a high tax bracket.

Actually, 40% is probably plenty high. But that's just guessing.

Like I said before, you offer me 100k with no taxes, or 1 million with 50% tax, I'm taking the million option every time.

Teachers pay is often obscured. Buried in the contracts are various escalations that are not disclosed when base rates are disclosed. Relocation expenses, housing allowances, etc. That is why school districts rarely disclose actual payroll amounts, just the basic contract amount.

Also many communities offer school teachers well paid jobs in the community such as unionized supermarket clerk.

Teachers have teacher aids and often don't really do any work.

Quote: rxwine

Might as well, since you didn't source your statements with anything but possible anecdotal poppycock, as far as I can tell.

If you are too lazy too even check out your source on Wikepedia you are probably beyond help.

The retirement benefit package for the federal employees was recently costed out. If you had to purchase the benefits it would cost $1 million. Plus they have made better than average wages for the their terrible 25 years of working. Teachers are in a similar bracket and most of them retire 50-55 after probably graduating and starting their career at close to 25. I thank them for their sacrifice -;)