$pring Is Here?
As most folks know, spring in Montana is unpredictable and we are now officially into spring by a couple of weeks. One aspect of spring in Great Falls that is almost always predictable is the annual Great Falls Public School District levy. The District rarely misses the opportunity come springtime to bemoan the shortage of funds it needs to properly educate the city’s children. Yes, you’ve heard that it is “for the kids” repeatedly. Is it really?
This year the levy request is for $1,349,048, of which our sources tell us that approximately $500,000 is for contractual obligation increases in District health insurance premiums. The District’s levy presentation provides the math for the Health insurance increases as follows:
Cost increase estimates: Contractual Obligations: $1,600,000 Each 1% Health Insurance: $64,000 x 5% = $320,000. (https://gfps.k12.mt.us/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/2018-Operational-Levy-Information.pdf)
If $500,000 is the real number, then have the health insurance premiums increased more than 1%? Probably.
According to the Time.com, Money website – “Preliminary analysis suggests some of the most popular plans could see double-digit premium increases. Health care consulting firm Avalere analyzed initial rate estimates from eight states and found that premiums for “silver” plans (the most popular plans) are rising 18% next year, after a 12% increase this year.”
This isn’t the first time that premiums for District employees have increased, and it will likely not be the last time. In other words, the District has a chronic problem without a solution other than to ask for operational increases every year. When school levies fail, the narrative from the District that the taxpayers are failing the education of our children simply isn’t true and maybe the District administration is the responsible party.
“This isn’t the first time that premiums for District employees have increased, and it will likely not be the last time. In other words, the District has a chronic problem without a solution other than to ask for operational increases every year. When school levies fail, the narrative from the District that the taxpayers are failing the education of our children simply isn’t true and maybe the District administration is the responsible party.”
How can the District’s administrators fail to recognize the fact that Health Insurance premiums will most certainly rise at the time when they are negotiating union contracts? Isn’t that what you call negotiating in bad faith? Does the teacher’s union feel that if the levy fails and several teachers and staff are terminated that the much larger number of teachers and staff will benefit through contractual obligations already incurred?
We should also ask if six-figure salary administrators can afford to pay more for their health insurance premiums. Taxpayers generally receive no help when their premiums go up.
E-City Beat will publish more information concerning the upcoming levy vote, so stayed tuned and most importantly, tell us how you feel.
My health insurance costs have gone up and guess who pays them? Me. Yesterday was interesting at the Home and Garden Show. The head of the Chamber of Commerce and Supt Lacey were there handing out flyers on the levy. I told the Chamber guy that the levy was DOA in our house and the look on his face was priceless. As you stated their negotion skills are lacking so now we, the working and retired taxpayers have to cover their mistakes? My question is the trough ever full enough?