Kids First Monadnock!

Various claims by the MSTPA are exaggerated and designed to scare and confuse. The MSTPA is influenced by forces outside our district with a NO TAX, NO SCHOOL Agenda. Consider your sources of information before the vote on Tuesday.

Claim:  Fitzwilliam School tax increases in December 2008 will be $800 on a $200,000 house.

Reality:  Most of the money $800 was voted and approved in March.  A NO vote will not prevent those tax increases.  A YES vote for the contract accounts for less than 15% of $800.
Claim:  Early retirement cost will continue through 2016.

Reality:  A NO vote will allow more teachers to opt for early retirement.  A NO vote means this will continue past 2016 and cost us more $.

Reality: A YES vote will end the availability of the benefit and restrict it to the current 25 teachers. This will save us $.

Claim:  $4,400,000 for 25 (early retirement) teachers ..is a waste of…money.

Reality:  This statement is for shock value!  It also tries to justify a NO vote by implying these funds will not need to be raised.

Reality:  We have already raised and paid out part of this money.

Reality:  We can’t revoke this benefit.  A YES vote will save us $

Claim:  The “evergreen clause” is now guaranteed by NH State law.

Reality:  House Bill 1436 will not apply to this contract.  A NO vote means we will have to add an “evergreen clause.”  A YES vote means we do not need to add this clause.

Claim:  …taxpayers would have to pick up almost 98% of the (health ins) cost increase

Reality:  Currently teachers pay for 10% of their insurance cost.  A YES vote means the teachers will pay 12% the 1^st yr, 16% the 2^nd yr, 18% the 3^rd yr and 20% the 4^th yr of the insurance cost.  A NO vote means we continue to pay a higher % of their premiums.

Claim:  Average teacher pay in MRSD is $47,402…2^nd highest pay in the Monadnock region.

Reality:  The data they are using is based on area not school district.  For example, Keene at $47,449 Stoddard at $47,844, Chesterfield at $48,804 and Peterborough is listed as part of Hillsborough.

Reality:  Average teacher salary in the state of NH is $48,310 as of 4/16/08.  Our teachers are being paid below average. (http://www.ed.state.nh.us/education/data/staffing.htm)

Claim:  Enrollment as of 10/1/07 in MRSD was 2,052 student; down 436 students in 48 months.

Reality:  As of 4/4/08, 2,240 students were enrolled in the MRSD per the NH Dept of Education (http://www.ed.state.nh.us/education/data/enrollment.htm).   Although we are experiencing a decline, it is not as dramatic as claimed.  2,347 in 2006, 2,375 in 2005, 2,479 in 2004.