Think teachers are underpaid? Think again. Average teacher pay and benefits in Washington State? $79,814.

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Yeah, I think that's just a bit much for their 183 day a year job... and apparently, so do democrats who are planning on teacher pay cuts as one of the tools to balance the state budget.

The Washington Policy Center gives us the low-down.

And teachers reading this muct understand two radical concepts:

"Shared Sacrifice," and the bizarre idea that if you REALLY believe yourself to be underpaid... then quit.

State revenues rise by $4 billion; Democrats plan to cut teacher pay

May 6, 2011 by Liv Finne

John Carlson called me this morning to get data on state revenue and teacher pay.  Apparently, on his show this morning he is talking about the Democrats' plans to cut teacher pay, even though state revenue is rising. Brad Shannon describes the action in Olympia here.

The state data I sent Carlson shows two surprising revenue trends:

1. The Legislature expects state revenue to increase by $4 billion in 2011-13 compared to the previous two-year budget.  State tax revenue in 2009-11 was $28 billion; in 2011-13 it will rise to about $32 billion.
2. This is the highest level of tax revenue collected in state history.

Here are the teacher pay numbers:

Statewide average teacher pay

In 2010-11, the average total salary for a teacher in Washington is $61,396.  Insurance benefits are $9,357.  See State Summary, page 6, last line of this chart:  http://www.k12.wa.us/safs/PUB/PER/1011/tbl19.pdf

In 2005-6, the average total salary for a teacher in Washington was $53,423.  Insurance benefits were $7,540.  See State Summary, last line of page 1 of this chart:  http://www.k12.wa.us/safs/PUB/PER/0506/tbl19.pdf

Calculating the percentage increase shows that statewide, teachers have received a 15% increase in pay between 2005 and 2010.  Their insurance benefits (health care, dental care, eye care and life insurance) have increased by 24%.

Note that these insurance benefits figures do not include pension benefits.  The number I have been given by the state to use to calculate all benefits for teachers is 30%.  In other words, the total cost to the state for a teacher is his or her salary plus 30%.  So $61,396 plus 30% is $79,814.

These charts also provide these figures for every district in the state.

More:

In this economy... when is enough... enough?  For teachers with their nonsensical, guaranteed double pay raises of step increases AND regular pay raises, I believe us to be long-past the time when ALL state employees... INCLUDING teachers... should take cuts across the board to make up the revenue shortfall.  In this case, 20% ought to do it.
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