With the recent defeat of the Middletown school budget on April 20, the task of cutting the budget now goes to the Middletown Township Committee. In an effort to significantly cut the budget, I immediately reached out to the Middletown Township Education Association (MTEA) and asked them to accept a one year wage freeze. This would allow us to save the taxpayers $3 million from the defeated budget without laying off a single teacher or cutting a single program. I asked for a reply by the close of business on April 30.
Sadly, the MTEA did not even afford me the courtesy of a response. I find this extremely distressing and damaging to the taxpayers of Middletown and most importantly, the children whose education is being threatened. At a time when many taxpayers live in fear of losing their jobs and with salary cuts and freezes the norm in the private sector, it is unconscionable that the MTEA refuses to take a one year salary freeze in order to save their fellow teachers’ jobs and our children’s programs. I have spoken to many parents who have made it abundantly clear: they favor a wage freeze over further cuts to teaching positions and programs. Even many teachers have told me that they would agree to a wage freeze if only the MTEA would allow them to vote on it.
As the parent of a recent Middletown High School South graduate and a seventh-grader in Thompson Middle School, I find it outrageous that our children’s education would be sacrificed in favor of a wage hike that is virtually unheard of in the private sector during our current economic crisis. That is why in the spirit of fairness and consideration for the Middletown taxpayer I would ask the MTEA once again, for kids sake, agree to a wage freeze and save teachers’ jobs and school programs.
Mayor Gerry Scharfenberger
Middletown Township
Pre-emptive Pardons and Cheap Grace
7 hours ago
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30 comments:
Finally - a public official who represents the will of the people. We need more people in public office like Middletown Mayor Gerry Scharfenberger!
The threat to the education of the kids in Middletown is the dubious and duplicitous behavior of the mayor in this township.
His posturing is merely grandstanding. Try something constructive because the citizens of this town are aware this mayor must face the voters in November.
We are not stupid ,mr. mayor !!!!
The economic circumstances of today did not stop this "gang of four" ( the republican majority on the TC ) from the ridiculous behavior that just transpired regarding turf fields on parks??
You want the people in this town to believe your ridiculous diatribe? We see your motivation and it is disgusting..
Typical democrat response ... they think money grows on trees (or the Obamamatic printing press will just churn out more dollars).
If the state does not have the money, it can't spend what it doesn't have. Period.
Guess you didn't take basic economics 101.
The turf fields aren't the issue here. The issue is freezing teachers' salaries (like seniors on Social Security got their payments frozen, retired public employees had their pensions frozen and state employees had to defer their wage hikes AND accept ten furlough days (a wage cut)).
Why should teachers (and police/paid fire services) be immune from the real economic situation?
Bravo to any public official, regardless of political affiliation or upcoming election, who has done what Middletown's Mayor Scharfenberger has done.
Bottom line and only question that needs to be answered: WHY, MTEA, DON'T YOU ALLOW YOUR MEMBERSHIP TO VOTE ON A WAGE FREEZE????
anon 12:40 - the 2nd and 3rd posts are not from a Dem per se, but a miserable individual who is angry because this person cannot fathom that vehicles are actually allowed to drive down the road that person resides on. Over the years, this individual has been a fixture at meetings screaming and yelling almost incoherently. Just happens that the mayor is the current target. As for the post, I commend the mayor for trying to stand up to the greedy union. It is hard to fathom that in the current climate, they are still clinging to their wage hike. Don't back down mayor, you have united the town behind your efforts.
I applaud the mayor, nice JOB ! Pay freeze is a great idea for 2010 and 2011 also, its better than a layoff like 20 million others !
This character ( mayor ) "ain't no saint". . Far from it !!... and this poster is not a democrat... independent and free thinking and find putting the blame on democrats in this township a stretch considering the R's have controlled this township for 29 + years. Is this the best Mr. Carton can find ?
This country is governed by a body of laws and the law applies to contracts as well !!
This mayor shows no respect for the rule of law.
Hey anon 1:07 - I read that the mayor was named Public Official of the Year in 2009 - I'd say that's pretty impressive, wouldn't you say?
Anon 1:12 - since when is asking the union for a wage freeze not respecting the rule of law? You sound like one of the greedy teachers who shamelesslyflaunt their entitlement mindset. It must really irk you that the overwhelming number of people agree with the mayor's position. It's a new day in New Jersey - a governor who is standing up to the evil unions and a mayor who is showing incredible strength and good judgment. And for the record - I would have liked turf fields, but I agree 100% with the mayor's decision to halt the project. I have renewed hope for my state thanks to Christie and Sharfenberger.
anon 11:13 ,12:40 and 12:57 are one and the same person. Talking to yourself again??
Sorry anon 1:22, I take credit for 12:57 only. Now quick - I think a truck just drove past your house.....
MTEA gets a percentage of its members' wages as a membership fee, so if salaries don't go up, their cut doesn't go up either! So off course they won't let teachers vote on this.
How about before the teachers give up something they negotiated for and are legally entitled too they cut the bloated administration back.
If I were a teacher I would forego a pay raise to save the jobs of my fellow teachers.
However this constatant attack on teachers and public employees is out of hand. In fact the conservatives are starting to sound like socialists. Why should they get a raise when I do not have a job? we all whine.
The answer is that they have a legally binding contract that was entered into at the end of a negotiating process that entitles them to a raise.
teacher salaries are not why your taxes are high.
Mismanagment at every level of government and state mandates and prolifigate state spending are why your taxes are high.
Now the politicians both republicans and Democrats are just looking for scape goats because they know very well that they caused the problem.
the problems started with corrupt politicians at all levels of government..fix that before anyone else is condemned or punished for the actions of those "dons". they are no better than the mob.put the blame where it really belongs!
Here is a good story about a politicians. Shrewsbury is the only town that passed the Red bank regional Budget.
Yet at the first meeting between the towns and BOE the Shrewsbury council people were pushing the hardest for cuts and for teachers to take an across the board pay freeze.
Here is the best part. One of those politicians sued the school system and forced them to send their kid to a school for special ed in another state that cost 100 grand a year just for the school.
Now he wants to cut back for everybody elses kid.
How Nice.
If the quality of the school district diminishes, what happens to the values of the homes in Middletown? I do not want to lose value in my home because the mayor wants to flex his political muscles. Moreover, I do not want my children in a class with 29 other children, that is not why I, and many of young families moved here.
A total smoke screen. Sharfy's hiding the fact he is in the hole greater than $5M for this year's budget and has done nothing to offer suggestions until this year because he is up for re-election. Why pick on the teachers Sharfy? You have raised our taxes 16% over the last three and have given the township clerk a 30% raise. The town is in $85M in debt and the Art Center runs at a $300k net lost each year. Time to clean up your own back yard.
Keep the faith. This character actor doesn't get the last word. The county superintendent does!!!
Scharfey is full of ____ !!
To understand the lack of response from the MTEA, you need to understand that the union leadership doesn't care about protecting jobs. With tenure, the leadership has not skin in that game. They will eat their young whenever necessary.
Scharf is alot of air--typical election year speech. where are the editorials from him on an off-election year?
Are you kidding anon 11:32? Sharfenberger is one of the most prolific writers to ever hold elected office. I have seen his letters and editorials regularly since he has been in office. You sound jealous of his eloquence.
Last time he ran he tried to make an issue of the Latinos peeing in the streets. this is more of the same kind of crap. needs an issue to make noise that's all.
I'm new here and my mom was a teacher.
Teachers need to be respected, but even they know it's a two way street. To get respect, they must earn respect.
In the serious economic downturn we all find ourselves in, everyone needs to tighten their belts to survive. I believe teachers must stand up to their intransigent union leadership and demand a vote on a temporary wage freeze.
That is, if they really are for the children.
Last time he ran he tried to make an issue of the Latinos peeing in the streets. this is more of the same kind of crap. needs an issue to make noise that's all.
Tuesday, May 04, 2010 8:18:00 AM
Let me get this straight - first you have a problem with him trying to stop illegal aliens gross behavior, now you object to him fighting the union to preserve our kid's education? You really do sound like an envious little kid who is jealous of someone that you can never come close to.
who said anything about illegal anybody and who said anybody was guilty as accused???
I cannot wait for the day when there is NO MTEA...they are hurting themselves by not allowing the freezes. Guess they want their pension & benefit system to go bankrupt. Teachers beware....petition your unions to take the freezes! You can't bleed a rock!! Taxpayers have spoken! If you keep laying off teachers, you keep heading towards vouchers in Middletown! Hooray! Teachers better educate themselves on what is truly happening because of your greedy unions and stand against them.
Anonymous said...
who said anything about illegal anybody and who said anybody was guilty as accused???
Tuesday, May 04, 2010 9:46:00 AM
Oh please, the incident you referred to was Sharfenberger's response to illegal aliens "peeing" as you so tactfully put it, in public and living in overcrowded conditions. There was an editorial from him detailing the threat they posed to the quality of life in towns like Middletown. The funniest thing was then candidate Pat Walsh passing out fliers complaining that the mayor was being "unfair to immigrants." That's the Democrats for you - always supporting the criminals among us.
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