What has been posted on the District website is:
RESOLUTION URGING INCREASED STATE FUNDING
WHEREAS, a significant delay in receiving the state reimbursement at Part H of the PlanCon process has already cost $1.4 million in delayed funding and will force the Mt. Lebanon School District to make, a significant delay in receiving the state reimbursement at Part H of the PlanCon process has already cost $1.4 million in delayed funding and will force the Mt. Lebanon School District to makes already cost $1.4 million in delayed funding and will force the Mt. Lebanon School District to make costly financial choices which may involve an increase in taxes, borrowing additional money or financial choices which may involve an increase in taxes, borrowing additional money or reduction of programs or services totaling over $11 million; of programs or services totaling over $11 million;It won't be the School Board's fault when the taxes increase.
It won't be Tim Frenz from Janney Montgomery Scott LLC's fault when the taxes increase.
It won't be Jan Klein's fault when the taxes increase.
It won't be the Administrators' fault when the taxes increase.
It won't be the Master Design Team's fault when the taxes increase.
It won't be the unions' fault when the taxes increase.
It will be the PA Department of Education's fault, the agency that received our fake budget.
I still think it to be funny that the person, arguably, with the biggest influence on what it cost to own a home in the great and desirable state of Mt. Lebanon, got her tail out of here as soon as the high school project started.
ReplyDeleteJan, tell us how could you leave this wonderful place with the school district that keeps our property values high?
Jan left to buy a more expensive house than she sold. She can afford that when she gets free health insurance in retirement and a salary bonus. The Budget needs a tummy tuck.
ReplyDelete8:08 that's fine, she's entitled to buy a more expensive house, a bigger house, a smaller house, whatever, if she wants too.
ReplyDeleteThe point being made is that our stellar school district is the - if you listen to Posti, Birks, Cooper, Lebowitz, Cappucci, Kubit - number one attraction for buying a home in Mt. Lebanon. They almost argue that the school district singulary makes Lebo... Lebo. They argue it's the center of the community, it keeps home values high, sometimes I think they believe it makes the sun rise in the morning.
But, here we have a top dog iin the administration, when she looks for new housing not moving to a nicer home in Mission Hills or Virginia Manor.
Apparently, the school district wasn't much of a magnet to keep her here.
It would be interesting to hear her reasons for not staying in Mt. Lebanon. We might learn something, like what people with money are looking for when they're looking for upscale housing.
For me it's amazing to think that the Posti's of the world can get away with arguing that the "critics" have stayed proving that she was right all along.
ReplyDeleteIn the meantime there is a very public exodus of people and business happening right under her nose.
Have home prices dropped precipitously? No, but they haven't risen nearly as much as USC or Peter's.
The higher taxes have not kept out the riff-raff as Ms. Birks so eloquently argued. Her own Outreach will confirm for her that the drug problems today are far worse than only a few year ago.
When presented with evidence contrary to their world view, they just ignore it as if it doesn't exist.
HEY TEACHERS! According to the February budget the teachers' and other employees' benefits are over 44% of their salary but the administrators' benefits are 48% of their salary. When Dr. Steinhauer asks the teachers union to take a concession tell him to ask the higher- paid, higher-benefit administrators to set the example.
ReplyDeleteHmm! 8:44, Do you mean the real cost of Ms. Klein's 6.9% raise was really 48% higher because of administrative benefits? If you do, that means the salary and benefit costs of Mrs Klein's raise was 10.2%.
ReplyDeleteOh! wait, 10.2% is OK because Mrs. Cappucci said the employees know the compensation when they take the job. Ms. Klein is laughing all the way to the bank, Pooch!
11:31 AM, Josephine Posti made the distinction to me at the Special Budget Forum, which the board will not post on the District website, that Jan Klein did not get a 6.9% raise. I guess the better way to say it is that Jan's paycheck increased by 6.9%, but she did not get a 6.9% raise.
ReplyDeleteIs that better, Josephine?
Elaine
Elaine, Josephine told you she got a raise and a bonus.
ReplyDeleteSame dollar increase -10.2% total cost. But the teachers must sacrifice their raise for Ms. Klein.
I don't have President Cappucci's direct quote, but as I remember it had something to with it wouldn't be fair to ask for teacher give-backs because when people take a job they deserve to get the terms of the employment agreement. Or something close to that correct?
ReplyDeleteSo why did we have to make an exception to the terms of Jan's latest raise. Did the finance director understand the terms of her employment agreement?
As Lebocitizens posted last year:
"In today's PG, Molly Born was able to clarify the technicality concerning Jan Klein's salary adjustment in Mt. Lebanon school officials given raises.
"She would not have been able to achieve her 3 percent raise for meeting expectations because she was at the top of her salary scale," Ms. Posti said."
Does an employment agreement only work one way Mrs. Cappucci?
Why have a "top of a salary scale" if in reality there is NO TOP? Is Jan's salary this year the new cap we'll have to exceed next year?
Please answer President Cappucci at the next board meeting, do we have caps on our salary scales or not?
If not then don't deceive us that there is a scale!
Otherwise the real scale is from the minimum to "the sky's the limit" or maybe better yet... "minimum to 'whatever the hell we think we can get away with!"
1:57 PM, good question, but you will not get an answer at the next meeting. The board does not acknowledge this blog, while Mary Birks will answer by saying that you should come to the meeting so they can "have a discussion" with you. Cappucci will probably say that it has been discussed at prior meetings. Josephine will say that there was a clarification posted in the newspaper. Bottom line, 1:57 PM, you will not get your answer.
ReplyDeleteElaine
There is absolutely no incentive for them to answer and that is why we cannot afford to be complacent and keep supporting the two interchangeable parties. (Rs or Ds)
ReplyDeleteIs this what you were looking to be posted Elaine? Not sure...
ReplyDeletehttp://www.mtlsd.org/District/Budget/default.asp
School Board Approves Proposed Final Budget
On April 15, 2013 at the Regular Board meeting, the School Board approved a Proposed Final Budget for the 2013-2014 school year in the amount of $83,249,503 at a millage rate of 27.67 (unadjusted for any change in assessed value) an increase of .54 mills (unadjusted for any change in assessed value) over the 2012-2013 school year. The Board will vote on the Final Budget at the May 20, 2013 School Board meeting.