New York's School honcho's Payday Problem.

In New York, the top education officer, Betty Rosa, recently got a surprising pay boost, $155, 000. This move makes her total annual salary is around $489, 000. Betty Rosa is now the chairperson of the Board of Regents and the State Education Department commissioner. She defended this raise by comparing her salary to a few well-paid fellow superintendents. “When someone else can get a big salary for 3, 600 kids, I get 2, 7 million kids? That does not add up, ” She said. Rosa lives in Manhattan, Albany and also owns a third home in Texas. She claims the extra money is needed to maintain her lifestyle and residences. But what people are missing is the unmentioned $119, 991 pension she collects from her previous job. She was a principal and a superintendent in the Bronx. This bits of information was uncovered by the media. "After spending a successful career in New York City schools, Commissioner Rosa earned a pension, just as she received a legitimate pay increase when appointed University of the State of New York President, both of which are entirely above board and legally authorized, ” Her spokesperson JP O’Hare said. This means she has two residences in New York one in Albany and one in Rockland County and also another in Texas.

Some people are calling this contradiction of earnings as “double dipping. " When she was asked how this salary increase benefits New York students she just complained about other superintendents salaries. “This isn’t about being served, this is about… this is the salary, ” she said. “I can turn around and say why your kids are being better served in District X when the board negotiated – that is their answer to who they want as the superintendent, ” The current Governor Kathy Hochul plans to spend around $37. 5 billion on school aid. The plan tweaks the complex formula that determines how much each school will get. But was met with criticism. "According to SED data, 59% of New York’s kids flunked their math exams last year — but I think even they can calculate that this insane pay raise doesn’t add up, " one Albany insider opined. State Assemblyman Mike Fitzpatrick (R-Suffolk) said the state’s test results show Rosa’s raise is unwarranted. “If New York State was number one in the country and was leading internationally, I couldn’t argue with paying Betty Rosa maybe a little more, but with the results that they’re producing here in New York state, it’s embarrassing, ”

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