Employee salary questions

Question: What percentages of salary increases do employees typically receive each year and who determines the raise amounts? Are salary increases determined by the administration, BOE or are there state mandates? In a time where so many taxpayers are being asked to forego raises and tighten their budgets, I agree that staff salary freezes are a legitimate request from the community, especially since staff salaries are a matter of public record and many are much higher than the average taxpayer salary.


Answer: The Board of Education negotiates contracts with the district’s four collective bargaining units. None of the salaries are negotiated year to year. Rather, contracts typically cover an average of three years.

There is a state law, called the Triborough Amendment, which guarantees teachers receive at least a “step” in their pay if they are working without a contract. This law does not apply to the other unions in the district.

Since Mr. Tomlinson was hired in January 2008, he has taken a pay freeze during the 2008-09 and 2010-11 school years. The district Business Administrator Marco Zumbolo also took a pay freeze during the 2008-09 school year.
-answered by Stephen Tomlinson, District Superintendent