Local School Officials Question Proposed Superintendent Salary Cap

A proposal by Gov. Andrew Cuomo to cap the salaries of school district superintendents at $175,000 per year ramped up conversation about what impact this idea would have on administrators across Long Island, including West Islip.

West Islip School District Superintendent Rick Simon said he could envision some of his colleagues calling it quits because of the long-term effects it could have on their pensions.

"I think it may drive some senior superintendents to retire at the end of their current contracts as a cut in their salary would have a significant impact on their retirement benefits forever," Simon said.  "I also think a cap will have a disproportionate negative impact on Long Island as salaries here are higher for all education job categories given the higher cost of living."

If the cap does get implemented, Simon's current annual salary of $215,000 wouldn't be affected until 2013, when his contract will expire.

Questions also came up about the impact the cap could potentially have on the overall salary structure of school districts.  Steve Gellar, president of the West Islip Board of Education, said he couldn't see it affecting West Islip school employees.

"Unlike many districts, none of our other administrators or teachers are paid a base salary close to $175,000 annually," he said, "so I really can't project the impact such a move would have on anyone other than the superintendent."

Under Cuomo's proposal,  superintendents across the state would only be able to earn a maximum of $175,000 per year.

"We must wake up to the new economic reality that government must be more efficient and cut the cost of the bureaucracy," Cuomo said. "We must streamline government because raising taxes is not an option. Reducing back-office overhead, administration, consultants and encouraging consolidations are the best targets to find savings."

The cap would only affect school superintendents and could only be applied after existing contracts expire. However, each individual district would have the voting power to overturn the salary cap and could do so during school budget votes.

Currently more that 33 percent of school superintendents in New York State earn more than $175,000. According to Cuomo's office, this bill has the potential of  $150 million in savings.

The cap would impose salary limits as follows:

West Islip School District 

$215,000

Bernadette Burns

*Indicates salary for the 2007-08 school year according to SeeThroughNY.net

**Indicates salary for the 2009-10 school year according to SeeThroughNY.net