Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, March 9, 1995 TAG: 9503090099
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
But county Supervisor Bob Johnson ripped the proposal, saying it was an obvious attempt to get the county to hold down salaries for its teachers.
"I think he will be as successful in this as he was in trying to take over the Roanoke Gas Co.," said Johnson, a former lobbyist for the Virginia Education Association. "He wants to artificially hold down teachers' salaries, and that is wrong. I will fight it."
Johnson said such a move would be controversial, likening it to the protest over the city's abortive effort to take over the gas company two years ago.
Bowers said his proposal was triggered by the city School Board's decision this week to raise salaries for teachers so they'd be comparable to those in the county.
However, the county has not acted on salary increases this year. And if the county raises teacher pay, as expected, its salaries once again will exceed the city's in many cases.
Bowers outlined his position in a letter to City Council members. He did not discuss his proposal with county officials.
"In the spirit of Roanoke Valley cooperation and for the good of taxpayers in both jurisdictions," he said in his letter, "it seems that we have an unique opportunity this year, or at least in a multiyear cycle, to initiate uniform valleywide schoolteachers' salaries in the city and county."
Bowers did not include Salem in his proposal.
Salem's salaries are substantially higher than those in Roanoke and Roanoke County - $2,000 to $3,000 in some cases.
Chairman Frank Thomas said the county School Board is not trying to outdo the city or stay ahead in salaries.
Rather, the county is trying to bring its salaries up to the national average, a goal that was set before the board began considering salaries for the coming school year.
County salaries are about $1,850 below the national average.
"We are willing to cooperate whenever we can, but I don't see us giving up our goal," Thomas said. "We want to do what we think is right for our teachers."
The county is considering a 3 percent cost-of-living raise, in addition to a 1 percent step increase for its teachers. That would put its salaries above those of city teachers, particularly those with fewer than 13 years of experience.
If the county approves the raises, it would cost the city another $223,671 to close the gap and offer equal salaries in all cases.
John Saunders, a member of the city School Board, wanted to match county salaries if the raises are approved, but other board members opposed the move because they did not want to take funds from other programs.
Instead of trying to hold down salaries in the county, Johnson said, Bowers ought to provide more money to the city School Board so it can raise teacher pay.
"He ought to sit down and talk with them, to see what they need to provide larger raises," Johnson said.
Meanwhile, Bowers said he will encourage the city School Board to seek a meeting with the county School Board to discuss issues such as another high school for the southwest part of the valley.
Bowers created a stir last fall when he proposed a joint city-county high school, causing some people to believe he was proposing the merger of Patrick Henry and Cave Spring high schools. But Bowers said that was never his intent and he was talking about a third high school.
by CNB