Letter: Why Cap Superintendent Pay

Since taking office, Governor Christie has attacked the public school system, stopping State Aid to many districts, making threats toward teachers and of late, working toward putting a cap on superintendents' salaries.

The Governor foolishly thinks that by capping the superintendents' salaries, taxpayers will see a significant drop in their taxes or that problems that exist in numerous school districts will suddenly disappear. He couldn't be more wrong.  Even if you lower a salary by $50,000, that is pennies on the dollar on your tax bill, likely to be less than a meal for four at McDonalds. The Governor also asserts that he does not think any of these "state" employees should make more than he does.

Why superintendents, I wonder?  Why not police chiefs or other workers that certainly exceed his salary. Is it because these are union employees and he cannot impose this kind of restriction upon them? Or is it in the classic fashion of a bully, you pick on the vulnerable. Superintendents stand alone in negotiating their salaries, there is no collective bargaining; they are the kid standing by him/herself during recess.

Now, let me be clear, there may very well be many superintendents whose salaries are inordinately large, but that should be an issue addressed in each community. A community has the right to set its own value for its Chief School Administrator.

To prove this point I did a little research. According to the Council of State Governments, The Book of the States 2009 Edition, the Governor of New Jersey earned $175,000 in 2009. This is the 5^th highest governor's salary in the nation. However, New Jersey only ranked 11^th that same year in population. Governor Christie seems to think the population a superintendent administers should determine his/her salary, should not the same apply to the Governor's office.

Believe it or not, the Governor of Texas ranked 11^th in salary at $150,000 a year, yet, Texas ranked 2^nd in population. The Governor of Delaware is the 8^th highest paid at $171,000, yet ranked 45^th in population. I could list all of the inconsistencies, but I believe you understand the point. 

People, Citizens, Taxpayers make a value judgment on what they think a particular job is worth. Some agree, some disagree, but it a choice they make.  No one cries outrage when one player on a professional sports team makes $6million dollars a year and another player makes the league minimum. This is a choice of the people who have funded the team, just as it should be the choice of each school district what to pay its Chief School Administrator. It should not be based on the school population or staying under the Governor's salary, but on what compensation the school community wants to offer an individual to have the proper leadership for their school district.

Interestingly enough, I read an article yesterday, profiling Tim Pernetti, the new Athletic Director at Rutgers. I almost fell off my seat when the article revealed that he would be receiving an annual salary of $410,000 plus bonuses and stipends. This will make Pernetti the 3^rd highest paid staff member on campus.  This salary is more than double the Governor's salary and last I checked, Rutgers was a public university.

I am not going to question whether or not the compensation that Pernetti is receiving is appropriate, but I challenge the Governor to explain why this is acceptable practice in New Jersey and paying a qualified, talented, results driven leader for a school district $185,000 is an outrage.

While a college education can be necessary for many professions, it is not required for a happy successful adult life. New Jersey's youth will never be successful in their adult lives, if their elementary and secondary education is comprised. There are issues that need attention in the school system: tenure reform, unfunded mandates, accurate costs for special education students and more. Governor, its time to put your ego in check, let communities make their own financial guidelines and find real ways to affect taxes that don't include cutting off state aid or handicapping districts in finding appropriate CSAs.

Stephanie Hartman

River Edge

Editor's Note: Stephanie Hartman is a member of the River Dell Board of Education.