How does the time pass so quickly?
Looks like maybe our Holiday cards this year will read, "Happy Valentine's Day," becasue I still haven't gotten the picture taken. The holiday's smacked me with such gusto that I barely blinked and it was Christmas Eve.
Jason and I had a marathon shopping session on Sunday the 20th. I hadn't purchased anything for anyone outside of the kids prior to that day. We shopped for 9 hours. He was thrilled.
I began really decorating the inside of the house on the 21st. I've been collecting and planning for years to host a family holiday, and this year was my shinning moment. The kitchen was filled with the smells of ham and turkey. Caitlin and I made chocolate drop cookies and peanut butter buckeyes. The table was adorned with flowers and Longaberger Holly china, decorative serving platters, and candles. A candle holder, and pieces of my Precious Moments Nativity suffered agonizing painful deaths at the hands of our ceramic tile kitchen floor. FYI ceramic SHATTERS into a billion little shards when it crashes down onto, well... ceramic. And, not once, not a single time did I cry or feel overwhelmed and stressed out to prepare a holiday meal for 40. I was completely in my element. Several times in passing Jason called me Martha. To which I replied, "No, I'm not Martha. If I were Martha, all our vegetables would have been grown in our own garden, our turkey and pig raised and slautered by me, our flowers freshly cut from my greenhouse." In what reality does this woman live in anyway. Seriously?? Instead, all our food came from Costco, Aldi's and Giant Eagle. Most of it I simply warmed and stirred.
This year, I was most blessed that everyone came to us!!! No dragging 4 kids through 3 counties to open gifts at 4 locations within a 48 hour window. This is the best gift that I could ask for. Christmas Eve, I made the final house and food preps, and ordered a party platter of sweet and sour chicken. We opened gifts with my Dad and step-mother that evening, and eventually coaxed the children to bed about 10:30pm. We had a wonderful Christmas morning, in which I later learned I forgot to give the girls a gift... oops, and then zipped off to my Grandparent's for more gift opening. We were home by 11:30 and dinner was planned for 2. Except for some last minute things, all was ready and waiting.
The house was bustling. Family and friends filled our home, and I was filled with pride and excitement that we finally had a home with room to share.
It's been a stressful year, and I'm looking forward to our credit and other problems resolving themselves in the new year. We are so blessed and thankful for our health, our children, our family and friends. Happy Holidays and Happy New Year. Oh, and Happy Valentine's Day!
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Thursday, December 03, 2009
Family Photo Attire
I purchased this shirt at Macy's. I've been waiting, and waiting for it to go on sale. I've known for a long time I wanted to do our family photos with a pink/brown clothing scheme. Can't wait for Photo Cards!
I purchased the boys brown cord blazers from Children's Place and Pink Oxford's from Land's End:
and this tie
Caitlin is wearing this dress from the 2008 Gymboree Sweeter than Chocolate line:
Cara is wearing this dress and from the same line:
Jason refuses to wear a pink shirt, so I got him a brown dress shirt, and pale pink striped tie. No photos, just from Kohl's. :)
I purchased the boys brown cord blazers from Children's Place and Pink Oxford's from Land's End:
and this tieCaitlin is wearing this dress from the 2008 Gymboree Sweeter than Chocolate line:
Cara is wearing this dress and from the same line:
Jason refuses to wear a pink shirt, so I got him a brown dress shirt, and pale pink striped tie. No photos, just from Kohl's. :)
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Lots of questions, not many answers
Caitlin has been complaining recently of "hurting" and her back being stiff along with being increasingly accident prone, and eczema that comes & goes. She's also been very moody, easily upset, and choosing to sit out of activities she normally enjoys because they hurt.
For two weeks she's refused to go to ballet class because it hurts. Today, we took her to the doctor. Right now we do not have an official diagnosis, but the doctor seems to be leaning in the direction of Juvenile Arthritis. Caitlin is going to be having several tests in the next few weeks to determine if this is correct, and which type of the disease her results best fit, if any. She's also going to have a CT scan to rule out any neurological conditions.
I'm reading about juvenile arthritis, and the more I read, the more I keep saying, "Caitlin does that." She complains a lot that her ankles hurt, and she likes to have them wrapped in an ace bandage at night. I though it was an attention thing, but turns out, it probably makes her ankles hurt less in the morning due to keeping them stabilized through the night. Things just keep jumping out at me. And, I feel like the world's worst mother because I've been minimizing what she's been telling me for weeks, everyday she says she's tired and she hurts. She's a bit of a drama queen... (no idea where that particular trait came from)... Now, I've finally listened to her, and she could very well have a chronic pain/inflammation disease.
We're going to do splinting at night for her ankles, and have her take ibuprofen in the morning before school to see if that helps while we're going through the diagnosis process. We are increasing her intake of Vit. D & C as well as omega fatty acids, which all help with inflammation.
For two weeks she's refused to go to ballet class because it hurts. Today, we took her to the doctor. Right now we do not have an official diagnosis, but the doctor seems to be leaning in the direction of Juvenile Arthritis. Caitlin is going to be having several tests in the next few weeks to determine if this is correct, and which type of the disease her results best fit, if any. She's also going to have a CT scan to rule out any neurological conditions.
I'm reading about juvenile arthritis, and the more I read, the more I keep saying, "Caitlin does that." She complains a lot that her ankles hurt, and she likes to have them wrapped in an ace bandage at night. I though it was an attention thing, but turns out, it probably makes her ankles hurt less in the morning due to keeping them stabilized through the night. Things just keep jumping out at me. And, I feel like the world's worst mother because I've been minimizing what she's been telling me for weeks, everyday she says she's tired and she hurts. She's a bit of a drama queen... (no idea where that particular trait came from)... Now, I've finally listened to her, and she could very well have a chronic pain/inflammation disease.
We're going to do splinting at night for her ankles, and have her take ibuprofen in the morning before school to see if that helps while we're going through the diagnosis process. We are increasing her intake of Vit. D & C as well as omega fatty acids, which all help with inflammation.
Sunday, November 01, 2009
For Sale
I've waited a long time to write a post about our current situation. A post about foreclosure homes for sale on another blog I read, and the comments made my blood boil. I've thought long and hard about what to write here regarding this situation, and even if I should write anything at all.
I think it's easy to sit back in a comfortable home with a comfortable job and spew off about "personal responsibility" and "not buying more than one could afford," and about "how idiots with no common sense knew they really couldn't afford the houses they were buying, but did it anyway, they're only getting what they deserve."
Here's the deal. We didn't. And, it pisses me off that so many people sit up on ivory pedestals and cluck down to those of us in the crux of a bad mortgage situation about how I did this to myself, and I should stop blaming the financial/real estate industry and expecting the government to bail me out. Tell me, how is making 8 years of on time bi-weekly payments to the mortgage company not being responsible? How is calling the mortgage company BEFORE we put in an offer on a new house and requesting a loan modification NOT being personally responsible for MY choices? For our first home, we bought a reasonable "starter home in need of improvements" at a reasonable price (on the higher end of reasonable, but within range for other homes in the area.) A few years later, we chose to re-fi at a lower fixed interest rate, but the home appraised at $20,000 higher than we paid. Both my husband and I work, we could more than afford those payments. We chose to take that cash and re-invest it into the home. Low interest rates sent people flooding to re-fi mortgages and purchase homes. In turn, the surge hyper-inflated housing prices. (Really appraisers who got a cut of the closing costs hyer-inflated homes values.) Unless you had a crystal ball 5-7 years ago you could not have predicted that housing values would plummet 25-30% or more. Yes, what goes up must come down, but never in the history of real estate has the down fall been this rapid or extreme. We had a higher mortgage balance at a lower interest rate. New siding, new windows, new kitchen. All smart things to do when you want to sell later, right? We have now invested our down payment, and an additional $15,000 into our home, which only increases in value or at a minimum holds it's value, right? We drove affordable cars, we bought groceries at Aldi and Save-A-Lot, we didn't have cable or satellite TV. Do we have credit cards? Yes. Did we always use them for emergency necessities? I admit it, no. Did we over spend on luxuries? Sometimes, yes. But, we also had a few years when my college textbooks, groceries, and utilities went on credit cards when I was working 2 part time jobs with 2 young children and going to school.
Fast forward 5 years to today’s market. Our home’s value is now 40% lower than it was. 3 major industries within a 15 mile radius have closed. We can’t sell it. Other homes in our area are selling 10-15 thousand less than our bank approved “short sale” price. We did all the right things, and are still getting screwed. Did I mention that a short sale destroys your credit rating? 8 years of on time, bi-weekly payments, and I can deduct 200+ points because the housing industry’s "house" of cards collapsed? We’re not going to get the money back we invested in that house, including our down payment, all while being told by the mortgage companies and realty experts that your house is an investment that only increases in value. We've applied for a short term loan modification for the duration of time until the house sells, twice, and both times have been declined. We don't qualify for debt forgiveness no cost re-finance programs because the mortgage is too upside down (exceeds the debt forgiveness cap) and it is no longer our primary residence. Tell me, what exactly have I done that created my situation? Because, from my perspective, what I see is are greedy banking and real estate industries that had major payoffs 5-10 years ago that are crying, "WOLF!" when everything is collapsing around them, and in turn taking families trying to improve their lives with it.
People tell me, "Well, you shouldn't have bought a new house until the old one was sold." Really? 6 people in 1000 square feet, and I was supposed to pass up the deal of the century to move to a beautiful 2500 square foot house fits my family's needs for UNDER market value? We put our time into a "starter house" and should have been able to sell it to buy this one. Conventional wisdom says we did the right things. Conventional wisdom is wrong.
It is amazing what the domino effect of 1 foreclosure does, and how it folds into another and another in a neighborhood. Foreclosure brings down the value of other homes in the area. Then, when those homes attempt to sell, they can’t sell at the payoff amount. And, now, we're compounding that problem in our old neighborhood, and for that I feel terrible. Even financial experts recommend that after 7 years a house should at least maintain its value if not increase. Those financial experts are wrong too.
Do I think it's wrong to intentionally destroy and mutilate a home when you know it is being foreclosed on? Yes. People shouldn't plug drains and turn on all the water and lock the door behind them. However, my husband and I are seriously considering taking the kitchen cabinets off the walls. We paid for them. Why should we leave them to benefit the mortgage company that has repeatedly refused to assist us with the mess they helped to create? I don't know, maybe taking the cabinets is defacing the property. Maybe I can't see how it's the same because I'm too close to the situation?
I do know that I never in a million years thought we would be making appointments with HUD certified approved credit counselors and bankruptcy attorneys. I thought we were doing things right, and the situation would work out somehow. My husband got a new job with a major salary increase in the middle of a recession! I'm angry and disappointed, and feel like a failure. I don't need other people telling me how I "should have done this or that" or "that I need to be personally responsible for my choices" cause honey, I've been nothing but personally responsible.
People sit up on their ivory pedestals and tell me “don’t buy more of a house than you can afford.” Guess what, we didn’t, and most people I personally know didn’t either. It’s easy to judge people, and spew off about “personal responsibility” and “knowing what you sign” when you’re not the one with an upside down mortgage that you can’t get out from underneath of.
I think it's easy to sit back in a comfortable home with a comfortable job and spew off about "personal responsibility" and "not buying more than one could afford," and about "how idiots with no common sense knew they really couldn't afford the houses they were buying, but did it anyway, they're only getting what they deserve."
Here's the deal. We didn't. And, it pisses me off that so many people sit up on ivory pedestals and cluck down to those of us in the crux of a bad mortgage situation about how I did this to myself, and I should stop blaming the financial/real estate industry and expecting the government to bail me out. Tell me, how is making 8 years of on time bi-weekly payments to the mortgage company not being responsible? How is calling the mortgage company BEFORE we put in an offer on a new house and requesting a loan modification NOT being personally responsible for MY choices? For our first home, we bought a reasonable "starter home in need of improvements" at a reasonable price (on the higher end of reasonable, but within range for other homes in the area.) A few years later, we chose to re-fi at a lower fixed interest rate, but the home appraised at $20,000 higher than we paid. Both my husband and I work, we could more than afford those payments. We chose to take that cash and re-invest it into the home. Low interest rates sent people flooding to re-fi mortgages and purchase homes. In turn, the surge hyper-inflated housing prices. (Really appraisers who got a cut of the closing costs hyer-inflated homes values.) Unless you had a crystal ball 5-7 years ago you could not have predicted that housing values would plummet 25-30% or more. Yes, what goes up must come down, but never in the history of real estate has the down fall been this rapid or extreme. We had a higher mortgage balance at a lower interest rate. New siding, new windows, new kitchen. All smart things to do when you want to sell later, right? We have now invested our down payment, and an additional $15,000 into our home, which only increases in value or at a minimum holds it's value, right? We drove affordable cars, we bought groceries at Aldi and Save-A-Lot, we didn't have cable or satellite TV. Do we have credit cards? Yes. Did we always use them for emergency necessities? I admit it, no. Did we over spend on luxuries? Sometimes, yes. But, we also had a few years when my college textbooks, groceries, and utilities went on credit cards when I was working 2 part time jobs with 2 young children and going to school.
Fast forward 5 years to today’s market. Our home’s value is now 40% lower than it was. 3 major industries within a 15 mile radius have closed. We can’t sell it. Other homes in our area are selling 10-15 thousand less than our bank approved “short sale” price. We did all the right things, and are still getting screwed. Did I mention that a short sale destroys your credit rating? 8 years of on time, bi-weekly payments, and I can deduct 200+ points because the housing industry’s "house" of cards collapsed? We’re not going to get the money back we invested in that house, including our down payment, all while being told by the mortgage companies and realty experts that your house is an investment that only increases in value. We've applied for a short term loan modification for the duration of time until the house sells, twice, and both times have been declined. We don't qualify for debt forgiveness no cost re-finance programs because the mortgage is too upside down (exceeds the debt forgiveness cap) and it is no longer our primary residence. Tell me, what exactly have I done that created my situation? Because, from my perspective, what I see is are greedy banking and real estate industries that had major payoffs 5-10 years ago that are crying, "WOLF!" when everything is collapsing around them, and in turn taking families trying to improve their lives with it.
People tell me, "Well, you shouldn't have bought a new house until the old one was sold." Really? 6 people in 1000 square feet, and I was supposed to pass up the deal of the century to move to a beautiful 2500 square foot house fits my family's needs for UNDER market value? We put our time into a "starter house" and should have been able to sell it to buy this one. Conventional wisdom says we did the right things. Conventional wisdom is wrong.
It is amazing what the domino effect of 1 foreclosure does, and how it folds into another and another in a neighborhood. Foreclosure brings down the value of other homes in the area. Then, when those homes attempt to sell, they can’t sell at the payoff amount. And, now, we're compounding that problem in our old neighborhood, and for that I feel terrible. Even financial experts recommend that after 7 years a house should at least maintain its value if not increase. Those financial experts are wrong too.
Do I think it's wrong to intentionally destroy and mutilate a home when you know it is being foreclosed on? Yes. People shouldn't plug drains and turn on all the water and lock the door behind them. However, my husband and I are seriously considering taking the kitchen cabinets off the walls. We paid for them. Why should we leave them to benefit the mortgage company that has repeatedly refused to assist us with the mess they helped to create? I don't know, maybe taking the cabinets is defacing the property. Maybe I can't see how it's the same because I'm too close to the situation?
I do know that I never in a million years thought we would be making appointments with HUD certified approved credit counselors and bankruptcy attorneys. I thought we were doing things right, and the situation would work out somehow. My husband got a new job with a major salary increase in the middle of a recession! I'm angry and disappointed, and feel like a failure. I don't need other people telling me how I "should have done this or that" or "that I need to be personally responsible for my choices" cause honey, I've been nothing but personally responsible.
People sit up on their ivory pedestals and tell me “don’t buy more of a house than you can afford.” Guess what, we didn’t, and most people I personally know didn’t either. It’s easy to judge people, and spew off about “personal responsibility” and “knowing what you sign” when you’re not the one with an upside down mortgage that you can’t get out from underneath of.
Monday, October 05, 2009
Proper Authorities
Dear Morons at TW Cable,
My records indicate that you have owed my husband $146.20 for over 10 years. This credit on an account that turned over to collections and we have to fight to have removed from our credit report. We gave your horrific company another chance, and signed up for cable internet. As I anticipated, the service was terrible, and the salesman lied about what we were getting for the price. Amazingly you discovered this credit, and when we canceled our horrible service a mere month later, you said that you applied the credit and that we would receive a check for the remainder in 6-8 weeks.
In today's mail I received a collection's letter for the amount of $-109.65. Telling me that I had to remit my balance withing 5 days or my account would be turned over to the proper authorities. Who would that be, since there is a CREDIT BALANCE on my account?
What proper authority may I refer this matter to, since you have not bothered to return our money for a decade, and are still harassing me for money that you o.w.e. m.e.? To whom do I send my bill for $109.65?
In the future, please do not send me a collection's letter. I am still waiting for a check.
Sincerely,
A completely dissatisfied ex-customer
My records indicate that you have owed my husband $146.20 for over 10 years. This credit on an account that turned over to collections and we have to fight to have removed from our credit report. We gave your horrific company another chance, and signed up for cable internet. As I anticipated, the service was terrible, and the salesman lied about what we were getting for the price. Amazingly you discovered this credit, and when we canceled our horrible service a mere month later, you said that you applied the credit and that we would receive a check for the remainder in 6-8 weeks.
In today's mail I received a collection's letter for the amount of $-109.65. Telling me that I had to remit my balance withing 5 days or my account would be turned over to the proper authorities. Who would that be, since there is a CREDIT BALANCE on my account?
What proper authority may I refer this matter to, since you have not bothered to return our money for a decade, and are still harassing me for money that you o.w.e. m.e.? To whom do I send my bill for $109.65?
In the future, please do not send me a collection's letter. I am still waiting for a check.
Sincerely,
A completely dissatisfied ex-customer
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Venting
Now that this whole situation "tentatively" seems over, I have some massive gripes about the whole thing.
First, let me say, I know this post is going to upset and anger some people. That's OK with me. I think the most recent situation I have encountered, and been a pawn in, is worthy of my venting on my own space. And, well, this is my space.
I'm not a huge supporter of unions. I do feel they have a place. However, I don't feel they have a place in white collar industry. Unions in white collar industries simply breed an aura of entitlement and allow people to pretend to work while reaping great benefits and salary. Do most people work hard at their while collar job under a union contract, YES. However, there are a handful, usually that have seniority, that simply show up everyday. Since they are union workers, it is almost impossible for administrators to remove them from their positions. It's so difficult in fact, that no one tries, because it's simply not worth the effort.
A local school district teacher's union issued a 10 day strike notice. (Yes, those of you that know me, know where this is...) Contract negotiations had broken down to the point that a Federal Mediator couldn't get either side to budge. This is the district I graduated from. This place means a lot to me. I have friends that are teachers in this place. My parents still live there. I care about what happens to the education of the children that attend there. And yet, I immediately contacted the district to volunteer to be a strike substitute. Why? Simply put, the teacher's union was being greedy. And, honestly, we could seriously use the money. $175 a day? Absolutely, sign me up! Was I torn about crossing the picket line? Yes. Did I want to pass in front of my friends, and possibly loose some of them? No, not really. We're making two mortgage payments. If those teachers and support staff are silly enough to strike over not getting bigger raises, or enough to pay for the Master's degrees that they knew going into the profession would be required within 10 years, then yep, I'm there.
Now, before I get my head on a pike, let me explain. The Board offered a reasonable salary increase. 2 up to 2 1/2% each year for 3 years. The teachers union wanted.... wait for it.... 2.5% every 6 months for 3 years. And tuition reimbursement for graduate courses, and lowered insurance premiums. In excess of 15% salary increase simply for showing up every day, with no ties to your performance? WHAT??? In what reality in this economy does that even begin to seem acceptable? This is their reasoning: There is a $10.8 million carryover in the operating budget. The district has been in fiscal emergency for a long time, and they've taken small or no raises for years, and they're the lowest paid in the county. Ok, so maybe the district offer was a tad low-balled, maybe 3% would make more sense (Although that's still 9% cumulative over 3 years). But, honestly, they expected to make up for 8 years of raises in one fell swoop? What happens when that carry-over in the budget is gone, and the district can't support it anymore? It's not like the unions are going to allow the district to shift the salary schedule backwards. To top it all off, the teachers kept complaining that the administration wasn't negotiating. Well, how about you step down off that ivory pedestal and look around you. How many people in this community are without jobs? Did you really expect them to support you when you are not only working, but turning down a descent raise? Are teachers worth more? Of course they are! Who isn't underpaid and over worked? Hell, I'm underpaid and overworked.
Aren't there more pressing matters that are worthy of that money... like buildings that are literally crumbling and need replaced. That pot of money coupled with state funds and stimulus money could have been used to build a new high school, move the current middle school to the old HS building, and get teachers and kids out of an old building that is probably not the safest or healthiest anymore. If you "love your job" as much as you say you do, why is your first priority not the health and well being of the students... oh wait, and you too since many of you WORK in that building. The reason is that the whole purpose of the union is to watch out for the highest on the totem pole, and so sorry for the new people who are going to loose their jobs in three years when the district can no longer afford to pay those exuberant raises.
Since November, they have "negotiated." With very little movement from either side. As of Monday, there were last minute meetings, and everyone was on pins and needles. Also, the union sent home a letter parents LYING about the substitutes that were hired. Myself being one. Yes, I am long-term substitute licensed for Pre-K- Third Grade. YES, all 71 of us "scabs" completed background checks on Sunday afternoon. (which OK, if you're going call us that privately is one thing, but something totally different in a letter to parents. It's not like all of us don't have the same damn teaching license as you, but I digress...) Parents were told in the letter that the "scabs" are not licensed, and have not completed background checks, and for the safety of their children, parents should not send them to school during the strike. Which it total BS. That was a maneuver by the union to try to pressure the district to settle.
In these last minute sessions, and I can only pray that the pressure from those people with level heads within in the union prevailed, and they made the union president and negotiating reps accept what the district was offering. I hope the district didn't give into the union pressure. I hope the support staff union forced the teacher's union hand a bit. The end result was me waiting up until about 11:15 last night to see what was happening today. As of my phone call about 1am, the two unions had reached a "tentative" agreement, and had withdrawn their strike notice. Details of the agreement still have not been released, nor either contract ratified by either union.
Honestly, now both unions look like toddlers throwing temper tantrums because they didn't get a toy they wanted. If you're going to strike... then do it. Don't play games. If you're not really going to go through with it, then don't use empty threats. It just makes you look weak and spoiled.
I think it's great for the district, and the kids not to have the teachers out of the classroom. It stinks for me, and the other 70 of us who loose out on the income, but it really is what's best for the district. I also think the threatened strike has done irreparable harm to the community public relations. Do those unions not recall what happened after their last strike 18 years ago? Years and years of non-passage of levies. Years of fiscal emergency. State threatened dissolution of the district. If you want so badly to get back your your job of teaching children, maybe you never should have threatened to leave it in the first place.
First, let me say, I know this post is going to upset and anger some people. That's OK with me. I think the most recent situation I have encountered, and been a pawn in, is worthy of my venting on my own space. And, well, this is my space.
I'm not a huge supporter of unions. I do feel they have a place. However, I don't feel they have a place in white collar industry. Unions in white collar industries simply breed an aura of entitlement and allow people to pretend to work while reaping great benefits and salary. Do most people work hard at their while collar job under a union contract, YES. However, there are a handful, usually that have seniority, that simply show up everyday. Since they are union workers, it is almost impossible for administrators to remove them from their positions. It's so difficult in fact, that no one tries, because it's simply not worth the effort.
A local school district teacher's union issued a 10 day strike notice. (Yes, those of you that know me, know where this is...) Contract negotiations had broken down to the point that a Federal Mediator couldn't get either side to budge. This is the district I graduated from. This place means a lot to me. I have friends that are teachers in this place. My parents still live there. I care about what happens to the education of the children that attend there. And yet, I immediately contacted the district to volunteer to be a strike substitute. Why? Simply put, the teacher's union was being greedy. And, honestly, we could seriously use the money. $175 a day? Absolutely, sign me up! Was I torn about crossing the picket line? Yes. Did I want to pass in front of my friends, and possibly loose some of them? No, not really. We're making two mortgage payments. If those teachers and support staff are silly enough to strike over not getting bigger raises, or enough to pay for the Master's degrees that they knew going into the profession would be required within 10 years, then yep, I'm there.
Now, before I get my head on a pike, let me explain. The Board offered a reasonable salary increase. 2 up to 2 1/2% each year for 3 years. The teachers union wanted.... wait for it.... 2.5% every 6 months for 3 years. And tuition reimbursement for graduate courses, and lowered insurance premiums. In excess of 15% salary increase simply for showing up every day, with no ties to your performance? WHAT??? In what reality in this economy does that even begin to seem acceptable? This is their reasoning: There is a $10.8 million carryover in the operating budget. The district has been in fiscal emergency for a long time, and they've taken small or no raises for years, and they're the lowest paid in the county. Ok, so maybe the district offer was a tad low-balled, maybe 3% would make more sense (Although that's still 9% cumulative over 3 years). But, honestly, they expected to make up for 8 years of raises in one fell swoop? What happens when that carry-over in the budget is gone, and the district can't support it anymore? It's not like the unions are going to allow the district to shift the salary schedule backwards. To top it all off, the teachers kept complaining that the administration wasn't negotiating. Well, how about you step down off that ivory pedestal and look around you. How many people in this community are without jobs? Did you really expect them to support you when you are not only working, but turning down a descent raise? Are teachers worth more? Of course they are! Who isn't underpaid and over worked? Hell, I'm underpaid and overworked.
Aren't there more pressing matters that are worthy of that money... like buildings that are literally crumbling and need replaced. That pot of money coupled with state funds and stimulus money could have been used to build a new high school, move the current middle school to the old HS building, and get teachers and kids out of an old building that is probably not the safest or healthiest anymore. If you "love your job" as much as you say you do, why is your first priority not the health and well being of the students... oh wait, and you too since many of you WORK in that building. The reason is that the whole purpose of the union is to watch out for the highest on the totem pole, and so sorry for the new people who are going to loose their jobs in three years when the district can no longer afford to pay those exuberant raises.
Since November, they have "negotiated." With very little movement from either side. As of Monday, there were last minute meetings, and everyone was on pins and needles. Also, the union sent home a letter parents LYING about the substitutes that were hired. Myself being one. Yes, I am long-term substitute licensed for Pre-K- Third Grade. YES, all 71 of us "scabs" completed background checks on Sunday afternoon. (which OK, if you're going call us that privately is one thing, but something totally different in a letter to parents. It's not like all of us don't have the same damn teaching license as you, but I digress...) Parents were told in the letter that the "scabs" are not licensed, and have not completed background checks, and for the safety of their children, parents should not send them to school during the strike. Which it total BS. That was a maneuver by the union to try to pressure the district to settle.
In these last minute sessions, and I can only pray that the pressure from those people with level heads within in the union prevailed, and they made the union president and negotiating reps accept what the district was offering. I hope the district didn't give into the union pressure. I hope the support staff union forced the teacher's union hand a bit. The end result was me waiting up until about 11:15 last night to see what was happening today. As of my phone call about 1am, the two unions had reached a "tentative" agreement, and had withdrawn their strike notice. Details of the agreement still have not been released, nor either contract ratified by either union.
Honestly, now both unions look like toddlers throwing temper tantrums because they didn't get a toy they wanted. If you're going to strike... then do it. Don't play games. If you're not really going to go through with it, then don't use empty threats. It just makes you look weak and spoiled.
I think it's great for the district, and the kids not to have the teachers out of the classroom. It stinks for me, and the other 70 of us who loose out on the income, but it really is what's best for the district. I also think the threatened strike has done irreparable harm to the community public relations. Do those unions not recall what happened after their last strike 18 years ago? Years and years of non-passage of levies. Years of fiscal emergency. State threatened dissolution of the district. If you want so badly to get back your your job of teaching children, maybe you never should have threatened to leave it in the first place.
Saturday, September 19, 2009
It's Genetic
Our telephone company's internet service was down for the entire state yesterday, for a few hours. I was complaining to Jason when he came in, because I had an assignment due that I needed to upload. As soon as Jackson heard me, he said, "Did you turn the AirPort (the name of our wi-fi router) off and on again?" Jason and I looked at each other, and burst out laughing. "Yes," I said, "I've reset the router, reset the modem, and attempted to re-connect several times. I just talked to tech support, and the whole state is down. It's not just here."
Our son, we're so proud of him. He's a member of the IT Crowd. "Have you tried turning it off and on again? Is it plugged in?"
Our son, we're so proud of him. He's a member of the IT Crowd. "Have you tried turning it off and on again? Is it plugged in?"
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