AMERIQUE:


A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR: It is the unspoken statistic, but it is as real as anything to do with the lingering U.S. war efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. According to the military, 1,800 American servicemen have killed themselves since the initial invasion of Baghdad. That is in addition to the more than 4,000 who died in battle. This week, families of the soldiers who committed suicide asked President Barack Obama to change the government policy of not forwarding letters of appreciation to mothers and fathers of these servicemen. By week's end, the White House had reversed the policy and agreed that such letters are needed, as well... - Eduardo Paz-Martinez, Editor of The Tribune

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

In Leander, A Decision To Cut Big Pay...Superintendent's Salary Axed By $20,000...He Still Makes Enough...Super Goes Along...

By PATRICK ALCATRAZ
Editor

LEANDER, Texas - It's not that far down the pretty Hill Country roads from here to the bustling state capital, where the harried Legislature still battles the Texas budget, still wonders about public schools and still can't make up its mind where the slashings will begin and end.

Little Leander, a few winding miles northwest of Austin and carrying a population of a little more than 10,000, is doing something about it, and doing it fast.

Its school district serves a large surrounding area and enrolls more than three times the town's population, only this year it is some $29 million in the hole. First up is layoffs of 213 first-year teachers. Next, schoolboard members plan to change starting times of all schools to streamline the bus service. Cuts in the sports programs are also on the chopping block, including its golf and tennis programs. The Leander School District is the 3rd largest school district in the Central Texas.

It counts nearly two thousand teachers and more than four thousand employees. In noting the latest cuts, school officials said the district has already cut 250 positions, mostly from their central office, in order to save a little more than $11 million.

There are plans to increase class sizes, forget about opening two proposed new schools and eliminate district-issued cell phones. Free coffee in the faculty lounges is also on the way out.

But here's the kicker: Superintendent Bret Champion's salary is being cut by $20,000. Champion, shown in photo below, also will give up his cell phone and car allowance.

He'll still make $155,000, but the cut is dramatic if only because no other school district has taken such action against its schools leader. And even more stunning is the fact that Champion agreed to the paycut...

- 30 -

[Editor's Note: The superintendent for Austin ISD is paid $278,000 annually, plus perks related to cell phones and auto expenses. No word yet on whether her salary will be cut, or whether she would accept such action. We should also note that we sent a Q&A to Harlingen schools Superintendent Dr. Steve Flores two weeks ago. He has not replied. His Email address is: steve.flores@hcisd.org...]

34 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good story, Alcatraz. It tells us school districts elsewhere are doing serious stuff. Now if only the Harlingen supeintendent will take a paycut. I doubt it, tho

Anonymous said...

I love these articles about other places. It's not about us in the valley, but it is. we have schools and high-paid superintendents. thanks.

Ralph said...

Hey, speaking of taxes. Chapaneco lives on Hickory, right. I'm gonna check city records to see if he's paid taxes.

Sofia said...

Alacatraz, the Superintendant from harlingen makes $200.000.00 a year, this guy have no concious. School districts need to set a salary limit, take or leave it.

Sofia, Harlingen Tx.

Anonymous said...

Patrick, some blogger name Kingi Canutie, wrote a rebuttal to Toni Chapis comments about his crazy comments about the Trib. if you have a chance read it, before it is deleted.

Patrick Alcatraz said...

SOFIA, RALPH & ANONS:...Thanks for the comments. We hope Valley schoolboards are brave enough to cut administrator salaries before they layoff classroom teachers. Kids rarely know the name of the superintendent, but they know the name of their teachers. I still remember Miss Lopez, my first grade teacher in McAllen. As an aside, I want to thank Blogger King Canute for his post on Tony Chapa's blog regarding our comments section. We do not make them up, nor do we require our bloggers to give name, rank and serial number for verification. There's no need for us to pump-up anything, since we do not take advertising and have no need to document visitors for any business needing such an accounting. But I'm glad to see Sofia note that she lives in Harlingen. It's not about me, the blog or the number of comments we get; it's about the stories and the info they provide... - Editor

Anonymous said...

I hope the responsible actions of the Leander Superintendent will have a domino effect across the state and others in his position will either step up or be shamed into doing likewise. This would be a good time for people to write to their superintendents, school boards, newspapers and whomever else can put pressure on the fat cats to take a cut so that teachers and students aren't the ones that end up going without. M

Anonymous said...

They need to eliminate all the Curriculmn cordinators, at all levels. And cut the superintendants salaries at least by $15.000.00. Period.

Albert G.
HISD/educator

Sal. said...

I remember Elizabeth Taylor, on a movie she came out with Shelly Winters, Shelly Winters was the poor girl and Liz was the wealthy girl. I don't remember the name of the male actor, but I think, she got an Oscar's for that movie. Liz was a very good actor and very, very pretty woman.

Anonymous said...

Does anybody knows what happen to Jerry Deals blog? It has gone dead. No new comments, nada.
Read Canuties comments interesting.

Patrick Alcatraz said...

ANONYMOUS:...We exchanged Emails yesterday on an issue I wanted to discuss with him. He seemed okay, although Email may not be the best way to determine someone's health. We hope he's okay. Jerry Deal is a good man and a professional journalist. He's getting up in age, but then so am I. It's true: somedays are rougher than others. Let's hope he'll be back and writing... - Editor

Johnny Joe said...

Brownsville school Supt. makes more than $200,000. why?

Anonymous said...

EVen with Jerry's blog, temp. out of service, mhns is dead on arrival.
Tonie Chapaptoe is mad because no one blogs on his blog anymore. No more no less.
Jerry,get well soon, you are part of the mix, whether you like it or not.

Anonymous said...

Johnny Joe, carebrownsville.blogspot reported the head man, in brownsville, who's name is Springton, makes $198.000.00. If my memory serves me right, the Hidalgo's head school boss, makes $206.000.00, that is around around $16.000.00 a month. That is quiet a bit of compensation for such a small district.

Mary lou Tovares
Harlingen.

Mr. Brownsville said...

ooooooh. That McAllen police officer was chasing some chick on the job? Lost his $72,000 job. Otro pendejo. LOL!!!

Anonymous said...

Mr. Editor, she must be really hot, pleaseeeeeeee!!! post a picture of the voluptous diva, I want to see.

Sessi said...

I was glad to hear Mary Alice Palacios will not be going to Jail. Well the criminal element wins again. Those little criminals will be in state custody, before they are 18.
(Elizabeth T. was a very,very beautiful lady), Anon, don't worry Turner Classics movies will be featuring movies from Ms. Taylor soon, I bet.

Silverio said...

The story about, Antonette and Jacko on a previous post, was discussed at the coffee shop this morning at las Caseluitas.
Now that Chapatoe, doesn't get any comments on his failed blog, we hear he spends his lonely hours facing the monicker, counting pedestal, Jacko loves me, jacko loves me not, jacko loves me, jakco loves me not, jacko wants me on the back seat of his junkie looking ford, jacko does not want me, jajjaajaja, chapapatoe, you have become the joke at the morning breakfast.

Silver/W.Hanson Hgn. Tx.

Ye Ole Crazy Blue Knight said...

Chapa's son in law was executed by a hit man for ripping off a drug dealer about 8 years a go. Chapa and his daughter were asked to cooperate with HPD in the investigation of the murder. Both Chapa and his daughter refused to come in to HPD to give a statement. Chapa and his daughter hired a lawyer to kill the on going investigation. The case was never solved. Chapa went into hiding at his ex-wife's house. Chapa is a weasel and he needs to be exposed!

Patrick Alcatraz said...

ALL:...We have Emailed a copy of the above blog by "Ye Ole Crazy Blue Knight" to Tony Chapa for comment. We'll see if he replies and if he addresses this info and the serpentine rumors floating around town about some police case he won't talk about. (2.) We have the name of the McAllen PD employee who was sexually harrassed, but it would be unfair to her to again shine the light on something she likely did not initiate and wishes had never happened. We'd be interested in getting a photo of the cop in question... - Editor

El De Los Fresnos said...

Okay, let's see how Chapaneco spins that one. so maybe that's why he hates the cops? Menso.

Patrick Alcatraz said...

ALL:...Out of our great sense of fairness, we are posting blogger Tony Chapa's reply to "Ye Ole Crazy Blue Knight," whose blog you see above this one. Here it is in Chapa's words, sent to us via Email: "Your blogger needs to get his facts straight, I was never investigated, and never asked to come to the police station. My Daughter was questioned twice for about two hours each time. She was never asked to come back again.
They asked her to submit to a poligraph (sic) test. Our lawyer said he wanted to be present. They never set it up. My daughter has no knowledge about the incident.
Two men were arrested and charged. The Cameron County District Attorney dropped the charges due to the lack of evidence. Two brothers who implicated the killers recanted thier confessions after getting jailed together with the killers. The Harlingen police department has a large number of unsolved murders." Chapa, as is his wont, rambled on about his battle with this Website, but we found those comments (about his wife, etc., etc.) to be off-topic. Perhaps he forgets that it is his blogger Jake who claims to want him and his wife naked in the backseat of his Ford. To be cont'd... - Editor

Anonymous said...

So it was true what they were saying about Chapaptoe having a checkered past.

Mr. Brownsville said...

Ay, ay, ay, ay, ay. Chapa whining when cornered. Pobre vato. le patina el coco. Scram, flea. Alpha Charlie Kilo out! Ack-ack.

Anonymous said...

Maybe someone ought to ask the police to re-open the case again, there is no statue of limitation in murder cases.

Anonymous said...

"Open the case", Anon, Tony Chapa has been hurling stones at everyone including Korry Marra, Bid Dawg, Jerry Deal, and DP=M or anyone he dislikes.
Well he is WORST than the people he tends to belittle.
At least Korry is facing her demons, and has never been involved in a murder incident. She has more credebility than this poor excuse of a man. T/C eres un(COBARDE)

Hector/Harlingen said...

Chapa has been cut down to size. That's funny cause he's a short vato. But now he can't rag on anyone else, cause he didn't follow the law. that's how I read it. He has no credibility and should not be dumping on city officials from now on. His dog & pony show is over. No llores, chapete. Just go away.

Brown Town Man said...

He and his boyfriend, jacko, who dreams of chapete and his chola on the back seat of his Ford, are history.
Maybe a e-mail to Korrianne Marra, would help aliviate her stress of this gad-fly known as Toni Chapete.
Se te acabo cabron, a ti Y a tu chapete, jacko.

Anonymous said...

Aya, yai, aya yaiiii, The trib, pull the air out Antnnette and her red dress blog. Pinche viejio stupido, estas pillando como los marrones, kool arrow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Brown Town Man said...

Man, that cop must have been crazy to give up his job of $72.000.00 for some lady, that doesn't even look at you. Crazyyyyyyy, bro.

Brown Town Man said...

A esa Nac Estela Chaves, a poco cress que vas a ganar?? Mira, mira. No se te vaya hacer.

Anonymous said...

I hope that gal, was worth $72.000.00, carnal, porque por ese dinero, I could find me pretty good looking broads.

Hey Boy said...

Mr. Editor: Let me be the first to Congratulate you for your Victory over the rag line blog operated by tonie chapisneco. You literally destroy the Awhole and reemed him another one.
El Cobarde is using a slave boy by the name of Juana Ortegon, to send notices to Jerry Deal, that a blog war is coming. Tonie C. is grasping for anything to get the sewer red dress, cheap high heels blog going again.
The Tribune, destroyed his fu%$#*ed up blog in comments, articles, and one of your bloggers exposed him for what he is, a fake and a phony, not to mention the little dirty secret he was keeping in his dirty smelly closet.
Again my congratulations.

Hey Boy said...

(Blue Knight), he went hiding in his exwife house?? Tonie Chapisneco, el Cobarde, jajajaja!!