U-46 school board must rein in pay

We all know spending has to stop. But I guess the U-46 school board is following the state of Illinois by just spending money and letting the taxpayer pay for it.

They approved a salary increase for Dr. Torres from $220,000 to $223,000, a 1.5-percent increase, along with five additional vacation days at the end of the year. However, if the teachers get an increase greater than 1.5 percent, then Dr. Torres will enjoy the same increase.

In addition, for the remaining four years of his contract, his salary will increase at the same rate as the teachers. The board can also boost Dr. Torres’ base salary further if he meets his performance goal — who knows how much that is? — and then, in addition, in each year of the contract the district will place $10,000 into a tax deferred annuity which he will be able to draw on upon retirement. This is in addition to his state pension, which will allow him to make as much of 75 percent of his working income while he’s retired.

But wait, there is more. He will also receive an incentive to stay until 2016. If he stays, the board will pay up to $70,000 into the Illinois Retirement System to buy credit for the two years he worked in California, which would allow him to collect his pension sooner.

Dr. Torres was slated to stay until 2014, but U-46 school board members Donna Smith, Amy Kerber, Maria Bidelman, Joyce Fountain, Dale Spencer and recently retired Ken Kaczynski and Karen Carney decided to lock him into another two more years before his contract expires to make sure he doesn’t leave (and that’s still no guarantee.)

Parents and taxpayers still haven’t forgotten the lavish compensation package the school board approved for prior superintendent, Connie Neale, and here they go again, approving another package. I’m sure Dr. Torres is a wonderful and caring superintendent, but in this economy, we just don’t have money to give out these kinds of incentives. Doesn’t the school board care?

Rose Olmstead

Streamwood