On the December 7 election ballot is a proposed 1-cent sales tax dedicated to the Washington Parsh School System.
If approved, this 1-cent sales tax would be used for salary increases for all employees of the school system. However, the superintendent of schools and the members of the School Board would not receive any salary increases.
There has been confusion about this, with some people going to social media to spread a rumor that the superintendent and the School Board members would get a salary increase if the proposition is approved by the voters. That is incorrect.
The wording of the school system’s 1-cent sales tax proposal on the ballot has possibly led to some confusion among voters. The proposed proposition refers to the “school board’s salary schedule”, which is legally correct. But some voters are interpreting that to mean that school board members will also participate in salary increases.The “school board’s salary schedule” refers to the salary schedule that the parish school board has legally mandated for all Washington Parish School System employees, and it does not refer to the actual salaries of the board members.
School Superintendent Jennifer Thomas emphasized that if the 1-cent sales tax is approved, all school system employees will receive raises with the exception of the superintendent and the school board members. None of the 1-cent sales tax proceeds will be used for salary increases for herself or for the school board members, she said.
Wayne Kuhn, long-time attorney for the Washington Parish School System, agreed with Mrs. Thomas.
Kuhn said, “The language in the proposition stating "...including an initial increase to the School Board's salary schedule..." is the salary schedule of employees of the Washington Parish school system. School Board members receive compensation in accordance with La. R.S. 17:56. They do not receive a salary and are not considered employees.”
He added, “I emphatically state without question that the proposition, if approved, will not include any increase in compensation for school board members.
“In addition,” Kuhn noted, “the proposition, if approved, will not include a salary increase for the Superintendent, who has declined to be included.
Her salary is established in her contract with the Washington Parish School Board.”
Following an earlier brief job action by some employees of the school system, the School Board committed to finding a way to fund salary increases for employees. The 1-cent sales tax proposition on the December 7 ballot is designed to fund the salary increases.
One of the school system’s teachers who has been eager for a salary increase told The Era-Leader this week, “It would really be bad if this proposition is not approved because some people do not understand it.”
She said, “The wording can be confusing, but the intent of salary increases for the employees is clear. The School Board members and the superintendent are not getting raises. Please do not vote against the proposition because you incorrectly believe that they are.”
