Salaries and Retirements

Salaries and retirements have been hitting the news ever since the crash of 08. Lots of people are up in arms over numbers they don't understand that have evolved over the years. Now that so many funds are deficient, people are pointing fingers at high salaries and retirements that were set up years ago.

Here is a list of local school superintendent salaries floating around our community. Salaries are based on experience and education and these numbers reflect that although base salaries vary from district to district but are usually close.

Blanchester $108,889
Clinton Massie $107,041
East Clinton $99,856
Wilmington $228,782

Even Mason City Schools near Kings Island amusement park has a superintendent salary of $167,547 which is much lower than Wilmington's. Mason has a much higher tax base and all salaries are higher than neighboring schools.

The figures are from Clinton County where we live and I have worked all my life. These salaries were negotiated. Neighboring schools in Greater Cincinnati are higher or lower than the lowest figure but none are close to the highest figure.

Our school district, Wilmington City Schools which is really a very large country school that is funneled into a city school system. They are asking us to pass a one percent income tax again and people are asking why is the superintendent salary so much higher than anyone else's?

I don't have the answer and it behooves me to do some investigation before I vote no on something I don't understand but the figure clearly looks "out of whack."

Martinsville was forced into the city school system decades ago and there is still misunderstanding and bad feelings about it. The city school knows our township will vote no on the tax and does not even try to explain their needs to us. There is a lack of communication from resentments many years ago.

Retirement income is based on the earned income of course so no wonder so many people are questioning these high salaries and retirements being discussed in the media.

As our country works through all this debt to figure out where to spend money, these figures have really caught people's attention.

The picture is from Wilmington's FFA Week and National Agriculture Week activities. Way to go, Mr. Heeg and students.

Ed