On Wednesday June 9 on page 7A, you published a school budget chart.

This was for principals and operational personnel. It has been a very long time since I have seen anything so ridiculous.

Throughout your paper that day, in article after article, it is stated how badly the school system needs money. The administrators have cut themselves from 6.43 percent to 24.87 percent increases. Obviously the classification system is really screwed up. There can be no rhyme or reason for these increases.

Bear in mind the teachers received 4 percent increases, which should be adequate for administration.

Why would one principal go from $63,800 to $79,900, while another would go from $61,600 to $69,400? A 12.57 percent increase versus a 24.87 percent increase?

The elementary operations director receives a 19.21 percent increase while the secondary operations director receives only 8.95 percent increase. Both were earning $74,796 in year 1999. And folks, let me tell you, these are only salaries, they do not include perks and benefits. It is pure and simple mismanagement.

Show me a company in Fayette County or Georgia that gives these kinds of increases.

Ladies and gentlemen, this system is broke. You, the taxpayer, continue to be ripped off and results are not improving.

There should be a total financial accounting before the public approves any increase. We should never under any circumstances approve a SPLOST. The sales tax would represent another new method of school taxation which is not warranted.

When we can afford $4 million stadiums and eight high school football coaches, we obviously do not make a very good case for more taxes.

We need a private management company to come in and evaluate this school system and review the checkbooks. Give me a break.

Harold Sanford
Fayetteville

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