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Rauner vetoes $40,000 teacher minimum wage

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Illinois

* If JB Pritzker wins the governor’s race and the Democrats strengthen their legislative majorities, it’ll be interesting to see how the Dems deal with bills like this one…

Gov. Bruce Rauner on Sunday vetoed legislation that would have raised the minimum salary for an Illinois teacher to $40,000 within five years, putting the re-election-seeking Republican at odds with teachers unions once again.

The bill approved by lawmakers in the spring would make the minimum teacher salary for next school year $32,076. The number would rise to $40,000 for the 2022-23 term and grow with the Consumer Price Index after that.

“Teachers are our greatest asset in ensuring the future of our youth and they deserve to be well-compensated for their hard work,” Rauner wrote in his veto message. “However, minimum pay legislation is neither the most efficient nor the most effective way to compensate our teachers.

“Things like pay-for-performance, diversified pay for teachers in hard-to-staff schools or subjects, or pay incentives for teachers with prior work experience are all viable options to provide greater compensation for teachers,” the governor wrote.

This sounds like a good idea, and it sure has pleased the teachers’ unions in an important election year. But just about everybody knew this bill would be vetoed from the get-go.

The bill received 37 votes in the Senate (one more than needed for an override), but just 65 votes in the House (6 votes shy). This was yet another bill specifically designed to put Rauner on the hot seat and help the Dems with their own base. But will they pass stuff like this when it could actually be signed into law? I guess we may find out.

* JB Pritzker…

“I’m disappointed that Bruce Rauner doesn’t think our state’s hardworking teachers deserve a fair wage,” said JB Pritzker. “With this veto, thousands of educators across the state are being denied a raise at the same time that Illinois grapples with a worsening teacher shortage that this governor is doing nothing to stop. It’s been decades since the state updated the law to maintain fair wages for these public servants — which currently sits between $9,000 and $11,000 a year — but Rauner fails to see this basic inequity. I want to thank the sponsors of this critical legislation, Senator Andy Manar and Representative Christian Mitchell, and pledge to our invaluable educators that I will sign this bill if I’m elected governor.”

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Aug 27, 18 @ 9:49 am

Comments

this bill was passed with the intention of drawing R’s veto. It’s terrible policy, but great politics, and politics drive everything in illinois. now pritzker can tell teachers that Rauner hates them.

Comment by jim Monday, Aug 27, 18 @ 9:58 am
Not at all bold prediction: It won’t come up again once Dems have total control.

Comment by Evanstonian Monday, Aug 27, 18 @ 9:59 am
Rauner didn’t need the teacher vote anyway. LOL

Comment by Norseman Monday, Aug 27, 18 @ 10:00 am
Until the state pays the preponderance of education spending per the state constitution it should leave salaries up to school districts
And no this will not come up when Democrats win in November

Comment by DuPage Saint Monday, Aug 27, 18 @ 10:02 am
It would be a shame if it did not come up again. Illinois has a teacher shortage and student performance challenges. Better teacher compensation would help recruit more smart people to become teachers. Better teachers lead to better-educated students. And having students receive a better education would lead to a more productive work force and overall economy. It is actually a pro-capitalism initiative.

Comment by Scamp640 Monday, Aug 27, 18 @ 10:04 am
Were we really looking to Rauner for forward movement on the rural teacher crisis?

Comment by Precinct Captain Monday, Aug 27, 18 @ 10:05 am
Will all the Illinois teachers making below $11,000 please stand up?

In the districts this would impact, starting teacher salaries are typically somewhere in the $30’s, depending on how you include pension pick-ups. No doubt a wage bump would be greatly appreciated for these teachers, but how would this help the so-called teacher shortage? Will college students suddenly flip majors now that they can make an extra $6,000 out of college teaching in Taylorville?

Comment by City Zen Monday, Aug 27, 18 @ 10:06 am
Rauner is the last person in Illinois who should have any say in merit performance, with the purposeful damage he’s caused.

Bruce’s merit pay proposal that he’s trying to jam down state workers’ throats could rip off as much as 75% of workers who would qualify based on exceptional performance. Exceptional performance is 75% of the merit pay bonus pool. Such pay would be guaranteed to only 25% of workers who meet criteria.

Workers who commit one measly work policy violation would be disqualified from getting the other 25% of the bonus pool. Can you believe Bruce, who caused billions of dollars of damage and hurt the entire state is going to stiff workers for one bloody violation, like an oral reprimand?

Comment by Grandson of Man Monday, Aug 27, 18 @ 10:08 am
City Zen brings up solid point. The past policies put in place on teachers have created the shortage. A simple salary raise to 40K will not reverse the trend. The idea that new teachers need to work until they are 67 to gain full retirement benefits would be unbelievably imposing on a 22 year old college grad, when other teachers retire at 55.

For many, the teachers have become a reason for the situation Illinois is in (eg. Poor Student Performance, Pension Crisis, etc). Once again, leading to many to consider less demanding, but potentially better paying fields.

Being a teacher in a small rural area, Rauner is correct. To inflate salaries as apart of an unfunded mandate would most likely lead to teacher cuts, school’s struggling to keep doors open or increase property taxes. Fully funding districts on a yearly basis should be the 1st priority, then a salary initiative, if it doesn’t occur naturally.

Comment by Alex Monday, Aug 27, 18 @ 10:23 am
Others have commented that this was a bill intended to put Rauner in a bind and I agree with that sentiment. I think that given the states fiscal woes it is doubtful that the democrats force this issue if Pritzker is elected but who knows.

If it is an unfunded mandate school do not have to comply according to the statute, I am sure that districts that lack the resources would be demonized for not giving the raises if the bill is passed at some point though.

=“Things like pay-for-performance, diversified pay for teachers in hard-to-staff schools or subjects, or pay incentives for teachers with prior work experience are all viable options to provide greater compensation for teachers,” the governor wrote.=

Research does not support much of what Rauner states, but these are some of the GOP’s favorite stand-by’s.

The last point is pretty ill-informed, that already happens via the salary schedule and it is something that is hurting rural schools that cannot keep pace with the salary schedules of suburban schools.

Comment by JS Mill Monday, Aug 27, 18 @ 10:35 am
They right wing hyperventilation on this issue will never end.

“Local control” and “concern for small districts” is just happy talk that really means “keep pay low”.

The same old tired arguments are trotted out in every wage-related dispute, whether on the minimum wage or state worker salaries.

Rauner and his ilk are awfully creative at finding ways to withhold gains for low-paid workers. Pathetic.

Comment by Sugar Corn Monday, Aug 27, 18 @ 10:37 am
===now pritzker can tell teachers that Rauner hates them===

Pretty sure they already know this.

Comment by Cubs in '16 Monday, Aug 27, 18 @ 10:39 am
As Janus was a marker to public employee labor, this bill, no matter the realities of the monies or the merits, is a marker to public school educators.

Rauner, well before being our governor, never had much use or respect for public education, educators, or the monies needed for both…

…

… except when clouting his denied, Winnetka-living daughter, denying a worthy child, into a CPS school.

“Then” Rauner donated over $200K to Payton Prep… so there’s that.

This bill and veto is a marker. That’s what it is, sadly.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Aug 27, 18 @ 10:40 am
Most suburban districts are already above the $40k minimum. This only hurts the rural districts that are least likely to afford the $40k minimum to begin with. If they could of afforded the $40k threshold, you can bet the teacher unions would have already twisted the arms of the local school boards to extract it.

Comment by Occam Monday, Aug 27, 18 @ 10:40 am
Virtually every district in Illinois is union. Why do unions need a wage floor. if they can’t get it in a CBA why impose this on rural or less wealthy districts. Many labor statutes exempt union workplaces. Why does anyone think this is necessary

Comment by Sue Monday, Aug 27, 18 @ 10:45 am
There’s a teacher shortage that looks like it will get worse, based upon the sharp decline of education majors in Illinois public universities. Merit pay isn’t the way to alleviate it. Conservatives believe you get what you pay for in other areas, but not when it comes to public employees.

Comment by anon2 Monday, Aug 27, 18 @ 10:57 am
I know this would be wishful thinking but…
Say the 40k minimum passes. Districts that don’t meet the bar would need to up the starting teacher pay. They would then need to smooth out…or lower the amount of raises each year(think of it this way a district has a pool of money and when the lower end takes more, the higher end get less)…thus lowering end of career saries…thus lowering pension obligations.

Comment by Person 8 Monday, Aug 27, 18 @ 11:11 am
–But will they pass stuff like this when it could actually be signed into law? –

Good question. See Madigan’s cynical minimum wage stunts.

If you start with the proposition that Madigan’s power stems from his — former — stranglehold on fundraising, my guess is a billionaire Dem governor will be the new sheriff in town.

Comment by wordslinger Monday, Aug 27, 18 @ 11:13 am
Ask a graduating new teacher what influences their choice for employment. They will tell you it’s not just starting salary but cost of living, and tier pension benefits. The reduced pension and uncertainty is a big factor and the state hasn’t done anything to fix that yet.

Comment by Tequila Mockingbird Monday, Aug 27, 18 @ 11:38 am
Why don’t the teachers unions offer $1 dues to any teacher below $40,000 and spread the cost out to all the teachers above that threshold? Or is that too progressive?

Comment by City Zen Monday, Aug 27, 18 @ 11:47 am
The rapid reduction of those taking licensure tests (74% between 2012 and 2017) follows two events closely- The first drop came after Tier 2 was implements (a drop of about 10k) and then after Rauner was elected and the budget impasse began (a drop of approx 30K).

Is that merely coincidental? I don’t think it is, but all I have is anecdotal evidence to support that. This is also a time period when raises began to dry up (with the probable exception of suburban districts) and benefit costs to teachers began to rise.

Comment by JS Mill Monday, Aug 27, 18 @ 11:47 am
==If you start with the proposition that Madigan’s power stems from his — former — stranglehold on fundraising, my guess is a billionaire Dem governor will be the new sheriff in town.==

Madigan will still have a ton of procedural tricks to play to work his will. But it’s a good question if he’s willing to use them all at this point.

For that matter, it’s also a good question if JB would be willing to bankroll a primary challenger for a Dem who disappoints him, though.

Comment by Arsenal Monday, Aug 27, 18 @ 11:49 am
==Ask a graduating new teacher what influences their choice for employment. They will tell you it’s not just starting salary but cost of living, and tier pension benefits.==

I would bet classroom autonomy and other workplace responsibilities play a pivotal role. I wonder what the average teacher workday looked like 20-30 years ago versus today.

Teaching is a creative profession. If we’re stifling classroom creativity, we’re suppressing the very people attracted to the profession in the first place.

Comment by City Zen Monday, Aug 27, 18 @ 12:07 pm
I wonder why Rauner just doesn’t ask for the state to pony up on those “viable options”? What the hey, just apply it to the low paying rural districts and see the shortage disappear.

Comment by wondering Monday, Aug 27, 18 @ 12:07 pm
“Rauner, well before being our governor, never had much use or respect for public education, educators, or the monies needed for both…”

But Bruce sure loved himself some public employee pension business. The guy who vetoed a minimum salary for teachers is the one who got rich off of them.

Comment by Grandson of Man Monday, Aug 27, 18 @ 12:32 pm
==will college students suddenly flip majors if they can make an extra $6K teaching in Taylorville===

Anyone who selects teaching as a profession or a parent who allows their child to needs to have their head examined. Heck, my kids out of school with a BA will earn more in their 3rd year (without the cost of a master’s degree) of work than took me 35 years to earn with the cost out of my own pocket for a master’s.

And yet we hear how RICH teachers are.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Aug 27, 18 @ 1:00 pm
15-20% bonuses plus annual raise in the private sector

3% annual raise for teachers and people are ready to riot.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Aug 27, 18 @ 1:02 pm
==15-20% bonuses plus annual raise in the private sector==

Are you hiring?

Comment by City Zen Monday, Aug 27, 18 @ 1:56 pm
Most schools would love to be able to start new teachers at $40K. It would help them attract and keep good teachers. The reason they do not pay that much is because state funding is so far behind where it should be.

According to the Illinois State Constitution “The State has the primary responsibility for financing
the system of public education.”

If the state provided over 50% of school budget $$$, the pay for teachers would rise. They should try providing funds instead of mandates.

As an aside, I wonder why, if the GA was so interested in raising teacher salaries, they also voted to impose that 3% limit on teacher pay raises.

Comment by Pot calling kettle Monday, Aug 27, 18 @ 3:16 pm
I’m all for giving teachers a pay raise but a flat statewide dollar amount is a poor idea. Hopefully the Democrats do bring this back up after the elections but peg the salary increase to the cost of living in the school district. Go ahead and attach an automatic pay raise tied to inflation and actually fund it.

Comment by The Mythical Middle Monday, Aug 27, 18 @ 4:05 pm
” if they can’t get it in a CBA why impose this on rural or less wealthy districts.” And if the only way they could get it is to go on strike? That’s better?

Comment by Skeptic Monday, Aug 27, 18 @ 4:35 pm
Skeptic- tell you what- ban unions and legislate salaries. That’s a good trade. If teachers could get rural communities to pay more by going on strike- we would have a lot more strikes. Problem with all of you liberal progressive types is you always think the best answer is more govt control. Why not move to Venezuela

Comment by Sue Monday, Aug 27, 18 @ 5:18 pm
Sue….”ban unions” and “legislate salaries” sounds an awful lot like “govt control” to me.

Comment by ajjacksson Monday, Aug 27, 18 @ 6:43 pm
==Problem with all of you liberal progressive types ==

And right there is where you lose the argument. the rest is nothing by hyperpartisan drivel

Comment by Demoralized Tuesday, Aug 28, 18 @ 8:11 am
Most districts start their teachers out at $30k if they’re a full time teacher.

The amount of credentialing, continuing ed, and expectations for teachers required by the state of Illinois with the addition of starting these professional educators at such pitiful salaries is why there is a teacher shortage.

This especially applies to downstate school districts who cannot find teachers willing to relocate to such remote areas for such low pay.

Comment by Rust Belt Betty Tuesday, Aug 28, 18 @ 8:36 am
Sue: It’s much simpler just to pay teachers what they’re worth, but people like you scream bloody murder when their taxes go up in order to do that.

Comment by Skeptic Tuesday, Aug 28, 18 @ 9:03 am
I’ve realized after years of reading complaints about taxes and teachers, that as long as your kids/grandkids are in schools, taxes, no matter how high, are not a problem. Once their kids are out of schools, they don’t want to pay one penny for anyone elses.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Aug 28, 18 @ 9:17 am
==Problem with all of you liberal progressive types is you always think the best answer is more govt control. Why not move to Venezuela.==
Yes. Sanctions is a type of government control. Unfortunately for the Venezuelans, it’s a hostile foreign government imposing them.

Comment by Da Big Bad Wolf Tuesday, Aug 28, 18 @ 10:08 am