19,000 PA. Teaching Positions Eliminated in 2 Years; Corbett Gives $10,000 Raises to Top Aides

This reminds me of a Corporate CEO who gets a huge bonus when he eliminates half of his workforce.

http://articles.mcall.com/2012-10-02/news/mc-pa-school-funding-survey-20121001_1_school-districts-fewer-electives-class-sizes

Excerpt:

"For the second year in a row, Pennsylvania has lost thousands of teaching jobs and students have lost a multitude of programs and services due to stagnant state and local revenues that are not keeping pace with rising pension obligations, according to a statewide survey released Monday.

The survey, conducted by the Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials and the Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators, found 30 percent of respondent school districts cut 4,200 teaching positions through layoffs, attrition and vacancies left open in the 2012-13 school year.

That is on top of the 14,590 teaching jobs lost in 2011-12 after Gov. Tom Corbett and the Legislature reduced state education spending on public schools by $854 million, according to a similar survey the two organizations conducted last year."
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And then the Corbettites tried to blame a widespread drop in standardized test scores this year on a reduction in cheating by teachers.
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http://www.philly.com/philly/news/pennsylvania/20121021_Preaching_fiscal_responsibility__Corbett_gives_aides__10_000_raises.html
Excerpt:

"... those receiving $10,000 raises were two deputy chiefs of staff, E. Christopher Abruzzo and Luke Bernstein, who were bumped to $145,018 from $135,003, a roughly 7.5 percent increase; and policy and planning secretary Jennifer Branstetter, who will also be paid $145,018, up from $135,003.

Corbett also added $10,000 to the salary of the secretary of legislative affairs. The post was vacated last month by Annemarie Kaiser, who was making $135,003 ... Her replacement, Christopher Carusone, is being paid $145,018. One other Corbett executive - his new chief of staff, Aichele - received a raise with a promotion... When he became chief of staff, he began making $154,133..."