Candidates say higher taxes are needed

Feb. 29—Six of the 10 school board contenders for the April 2 election showed up to the candidate forum on Thursday, and those present came together to endorse changes like raising taxes to pay teachers.

The League of Women Voters of Northwest Missouri held the forum at The Upper Floor, the nonprofit bookstore of the Rolling Hills Library. One man in the audience, Walter Landis, said it is obvious teachers are in need of support, and this is only more true after the St. Joseph Board of Education voted down the four-day class calendar, designed to alleviate staff stress, on Monday.

"The Republican-led (Missouri General Assembly) that has been in power for the last 20 to 30 years hasn't addressed what we're needing in increases for the teachers in our districts," Landis said. "And the ranking is very low, at 50th place out of the 50 states, so that seems to be a big issue."

Seated from left to right, Sean Connors, Warren Ingram III, Jacob McMillian, Mike Moore, Tami Pasley and LaTonya Williams took turns speaking. Not present were Kenneth Reeder, Ronda Chesney, Kim Dragoo and Steven Carrillo. According to host Sharon Kosek, she did not receive any explanations for non-attendance.

Candidates appeared to agree about how low teacher pay is, and on the high stress of a typical day for an educator. To try to help them out, each said they would be willing to work as a substitute teacher as part of service on the board, although this is currently prohibited by state law. A tax levy is likely to be proposed in the coming months to raise staff salaries.

Connors simplified his response to Kosek's question, "Will you support higher taxes for higher teacher pay?"

"Yes," he said. "We need to support our schools, so yes."

Ingram said it is a matter of raising both pay and benefits, and improving working conditions.

"We all know that when you go in for a job interview, one of the first things you ask is, 'What options am I looking at that help me besides what I am paid? What's good for me in the long run?' ... Those are big ticket items these days," he said.

McMillian echoed the call to raise the levy but said money alone will not be enough.

"What our teachers need more than anything right now is to get student behaviors handled," he said. "We can't have teachers being hit, kicked and spit upon and those kids in the classroom are going on field trips the next day. Our teachers need to know that the community and the administration are going to support them and their safety."

Moore said it is obvious that teachers are in trouble and they need help.

"And it starts with having enough money to attract and retain teachers," he said. "And part of that is just sheer numbers: Fill the open positions so they're not so burdened. And so, absolutely, when the community said 'no' to the four-day week, to me they said, 'We're willing to back up our teachers with higher taxes.'"

Pasley referenced how there are current bills in the Missouri Legislature to gradually raise the minimum teacher salary to about $46,000 by the end of the decade.

"At the same time, we can't rely on the Legislature," she said. "I've been teaching in the State of Missouri for 34 years. This will be my 31st year down at the Legislature advocating for teachers. We can't rely on them; it's time for St. Joseph to take control of our district's destiny. If you champion your kid, you have to champion your teachers."

Williams said it is important to remember that property taxes in a community with many people on fixed incomes are always a touchy subject, but this is a matter of necessity.

"I look at it like this: I like nice things, and in order to get nice things, you have to put the money in there to get nice things. And I look at teachers as those nice things all of us are wanting to get. And so I most definitely would (raise the levy)."

The next forum, organized by the Missouri State Teachers Association, will occur at 4:30 p.m. Monday, March 4, at the Troester Media Center, 3401 Renick St.

Marcus Clem can be reached at marcus.clem@newspressnow.com. Follow him on Twitter: @NPNowClem