Four years of up-to-the-limit property tax increases for Chicago homeowners and businesses. Closing scores of under-enrolled and underperforming schools. Thousands of layoffs of teachers and other school staff. More cuts to the central office.
That’s what could await the Chicago Public Schools, thanks to the tentative agreement between teachers and the district that is expected to put an end to the five-day teachers strike.
Civic Federation President Laurence Msall said the 16 percent pay raise included in the tentative agreement will almost certainly trigger massive layoffs and scores of school closings.
via Chicago Sun-Times.
Well Duh!
This comes as a surprise to no one. What did CTU think was going to happen when you have a broke and bankrupt system giving 16% raises to it’s staff? You balance the budget by having less staff.
This is just like the minimum wage discussion: If the minimum wage was $25/hour there would be fewer people working… not more. And the price of your hamburger and groceries would be 20-50% higher.
When you artificially increase wages in the private sector you get inflation. When you artificially increase wages in the public sector you get a bankrupt public sector.