New Laws, or not

Yea, HB 3646 passed through Gov. Perry. So, according to the new law, teachers et al will get a minimum $800 (based on 187 days) raise next year. Wow, that is a whopping $66.66 per month before taxes and TRS over a 12-month pro-rated contract. Granted, that the required increase is on top of the amount the employee would be entitled to under the district's 2008-09 salary schedule, if it were carried forward to 2009-10. That may average out to about a whopping $1,000 per year. Now I can finally max out that credit card, go on that summer long European vacation, pay for my son’s college, and everything else that is absolutely out of reach on a teacher’s salary.

And, to add promise to penury, it’s all dependent on stimulus money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Unfortunately, the feds have yet to rule on whether the funding can be used to provide an across-the-board pay raise in Texas. So, don't spend that windfall yet.

Otherwise, Perry vetoed HB 130 that would have established a $25 million grant for pre-kindergarten programs to expand to full-day. He also vetoed HB 2656 (submitted by Rep Miller, R-New Braunfels) that would have increased the number of retiree representatives on TRS by one. This was an about-face from his election campaign promise of “changing the makeup of the board so it would include greater employee representation." Both of these passed through the legisalature virtually unopposed.

Once again, the politicians fail to get it.