Tim Boyd
County Commissioner Tim Boyd said the five-percent raise cited by Supt. Rick Smith in asking for a 40-cent property tax increase is "very confusing, and I think somewhat intentionally so."
Commissioner Boyd, who is chairman of the commission's education committee, said, "When Rick Smith talks about a fiv- percent raise, he is not just talking about a raise for teachers.
"There are only 3,200 teachers in the county schools, but there are 6,000 employees. He is talking about all of the employees.
"If you gave a five-percent raise just to classroom teachers, that would be between $7 million and $8 million. But if you gave a five percent raise to all employees that's over $16 million. That's a big, big difference."
He said a five percent raise for high-paid administrators on a recent list he got from the schools would cost $350,000."
He stated, "Why does Rick Smith making $195,000 a year need a five-percent raise? Why do his lieutenants making over $100,000 a year need a raise?"
Commissioner Boyd said, "For a Howard teacher making $36,000 a year a five-percent raise would be very important for her." He said a teacher getting the five percent might realize about $1,800, but the same percentage raise would bring $5,000 to $6,000 for some administrators.
Saying "the public is being confused," Commissioner Boyd said, "Teachers need the money. Administrators don't need the money."
Rick Smith