Taxpayers in some school districts can afford large local tax measures to hire additional teachers. The state shouldn't be in the business of forcing taxpayers elsewhere to subsidize those teachers' raises. Worse is state employees' presumption that they are entitled to the same raise as teachers. Never mind that state employees got raises in years that teachers went without and are in line for a raise, albeit a smaller one than teachers, this year. The real problem with the state workers' fight is that they are attempting to appropriate the voters' will for their own purpose.
Reality is that the state budget is in a crunch.
It would be irresponsible for state lawmakers to continue handing out raises as if they were flush with cash. Teachers and state workers should quit complaining about their pay - especially in light of their accompanying protests of proposed cuts to education and state services, cuts that would have to be even larger if the state were to grant their demand for bigger paychecks. Copyright 2001 Tri-City Herald. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.