Buffalo, N.Y. Teachers Spend $9M in Taxpayer Cash in '09 on Cosmetic Surgery

[sangha]

Apparently their contracted benefits allow for such things. Maybe the district should not have offered it on the table in the first place. Seems odd to me.

Wingnuts think people and businesses shouldn't be free to negotiate wages and benefits. They prefer slaves and they want their Nanny State Govt to interfere in the economy.

 

[sangha]

typical.....we are funding the ongoing pensions plans and benefits of said organizations, and apparently without scrutiny. IF we are going to throw federal largess at unions, maybe, just maybe we might ask them to slim down some nice to haves to have to haves.......

the states need the money because they are broke and cannot ford the contracts they have indeed singed, so as a responsible partner, I thinks its encumbent upon them to say hey, we'll give you dollars, you go back and cut wasteful items that are more luxuries than critical needs....what a concept eh? BUT the union leadershipp will say no, get their members stirred up which may cost someone votes.....

This is what comes of a symbiotic relationship where-in unions are tied to politicos who give them dollars for contributions in return for contracts....plain and simple. rinse repeat.

You are to say that "we are funding" but only if we means rightwingers. Western NY State is very conservative.

 

[sangha]

typical.....we are funding the ongoing pensions plans and benefits of said organizations, and apparently without scrutiny. IF we are going to throw federal largess at unions, maybe, just maybe we might ask them to slim down some nice to haves to have to haves.......

the states need the money because they are broke and cannot ford the contracts they have indeed singed, so as a responsible partner, I thinks its encumbent upon them to say hey, we'll give you dollars, you go back and cut wasteful items that are more luxuries than critical needs....what a concept eh? BUT the union leadershipp will say no, get their members stirred up which may cost someone votes.....

This is what comes of a symbiotic relationship where-in unions are tied to politicos who give them dollars for contributions in return for contracts....plain and simple. rinse repeat.

you apparently have not connected the fact that federal dollars given to states for 'education' for schools filters down to .....districts. where do you think it goes?

and as I said before Western NY, including Buffalo, is Conservative/Republican territory

uhm, not quite....

obama won Erie cty. with 57.99%.....Albany cty. with 67% , he did lose 2 upper and west ctys in all of NY, Oneida- with 46% and Niagara with 49% ( and Richmond cty- staten island at 47%. He won EVERY region of the state.

food for thought-

That all leaves uncertain, for example, if Buffalo’s school district will get the $8 million Schumer touted.

At first, the new funding was lauded as saving districts in New York from going through with thousands of teacher layoffs. That story has changed a bit. Now, the funding can go to restore not just laid-off teachers, but to pay for salaries of those already on the payroll, or to even add new jobs. And it’s not just teacher positions that can be funded, but a range of posts — from librarians and nurses to janitors and occupational therapists.

snip-


If the federal formula is used, poorer districts, like Buffalo, would do better; New York City would get 70 percent of the funds under that scenario. A state formula, which includes some political calculations, would spread the money around more evenly across the state.


Schools to see infusion of federal funding - Albany - The Buffalo News



......wonder why Schumer would take the trouble?

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced that the Utica City School District will receive $494,554 in federal funding as part of the FY2007 Partnerships in Character Education Program grants from the United States Department of Education. The federal dollars will be used to implement comprehensive character education programs in the school district.

“Our children deserve the resources they need to excel in school and in life,” Schumer said. “Education should be about more than just reading, writing, and arithmetic. Character development programs have had noted success in improving student attendance, commitment and performance in schools. This funding will help schools in Utica to provide their students with the tools and opportunities to build a foundation for a lifetime of success.”

The Utica City School District will use the federal dollars to develop programs for students with academic or social needs.

Senator Charles E. Schumer

Neither Obama nor Schumer run the schools in Western NY. Rightwingers do.

 

[sangha]

School districts are local, not state...and as I said before.....Western NY, including Buffalo, is Conservative/Republican territory.

Western New York was Jack Kemp territory and is now Carl Paladino's turf. You don't get more conservative than that.

Health insurance is part of your total compensation package. This compensation includes salary, health benefits, vacation time, life insurance and whatever else may be negotiated. If the package includes cosmetic surgery that is up to both parties to negotiate. Nobody forces either party to sign

District Representative Party Hometown
01 Timothy H. Bishop D Southampton
02 Steve Israel D Huntington
03 Peter T. King R Seaford
04 Carolyn McCarthy D Mineola
05 Gary L. Ackerman D Roslyn Heights
06 Gregory W. Meeks D Queens
07 Joseph Crowley D Queens/Bronx
08 Jerrold Nadler D New York
09 Anthony D. Weiner D Queens
10 Edolphus Towns D Brooklyn
11 Yvette D. Clarke D Brooklyn
12 Nydia M. Velázquez D Brooklyn
13 Michael E. McMahon D Staten Island
14 Carolyn B. Maloney D New York
15 Charles B. Rangel D New York
16 José E. Serrano D Bronx
17 Eliot L. Engel D Bronx
18 Nita M. Lowey D Harrison
19 John J. Hall D Dover Plains
20 Scott Murphy D Glens Falls
21 Paul Tonko D Amsterdam
22 Maurice D. Hinchey D Saugerties
23 William L. Owens D Plattsburgh
24 Michael A. Arcuri D Utica
25 Daniel B. Maffei D DeWitt
26 Christopher John Lee R Clarence
27 Brian Higgins D Buffalo
28 Louise McIntosh Slaughter D Fairport
29 [Eric J. J. Massa ] vacant (Was D he resigned).....


my count has it at 2 republicans......out of 28 districts 29 voted Democrat but he resigned), with 2 democratic senators....

Why are you including places like NYC and Long Island when we're talking about WESTERN NY?

Is it because you know that this screwup is the fault of rightwingers in WESTERN NY?

 

[Sallow]

I am confused again.

In one thread Conservatives are defending government benefits for government workers.

In this thread they are mad about it.

Gosh..hard to keep up.

 

[Sallow]

Western New York was Jack Kemp territory and is now Carl Paladino's turf. You don't get more conservative than that.

Health insurance is part of your total compensation package. This compensation includes salary, health benefits, vacation time, life insurance and whatever else may be negotiated. If the package includes cosmetic surgery that is up to both parties to negotiate. Nobody forces either party to sign

District Representative Party Hometown
01 Timothy H. Bishop D Southampton
02 Steve Israel D Huntington
03 Peter T. King R Seaford
04 Carolyn McCarthy D Mineola
05 Gary L. Ackerman D Roslyn Heights
06 Gregory W. Meeks D Queens
07 Joseph Crowley D Queens/Bronx
08 Jerrold Nadler D New York
09 Anthony D. Weiner D Queens
10 Edolphus Towns D Brooklyn
11 Yvette D. Clarke D Brooklyn
12 Nydia M. Velázquez D Brooklyn
13 Michael E. McMahon D Staten Island
14 Carolyn B. Maloney D New York
15 Charles B. Rangel D New York
16 José E. Serrano D Bronx
17 Eliot L. Engel D Bronx
18 Nita M. Lowey D Harrison
19 John J. Hall D Dover Plains
20 Scott Murphy D Glens Falls
21 Paul Tonko D Amsterdam
22 Maurice D. Hinchey D Saugerties
23 William L. Owens D Plattsburgh
24 Michael A. Arcuri D Utica
25 Daniel B. Maffei D DeWitt
26 Christopher John Lee R Clarence
27 Brian Higgins D Buffalo
28 Louise McIntosh Slaughter D Fairport
29 [Eric J. J. Massa ] vacant (Was D he resigned).....


my count has it at 2 republicans......out of 28 districts 29 voted Democrat but he resigned), with 2 democratic senators....

Why are you including places like NYC and Long Island when we're talking about WESTERN NY?

Is it because you know that this screwup is the fault of rightwingers in WESTERN NY?

Buffalo is as right wing as it gets in New York State. It's also piss poor.

 

[Trajan]

tell it to Byron Brown, you know, the Democratic Mayor of Buffalo....or Brian Higgins.....

go ahead, keep digging......

55 Steven Pankow Democratic 1954 1957
56 Frank A. Sedita Democratic 1958 1961
57 Chester A. Kowal Republican 1962 1965
58 Frank A. Sedita Democratic 1966 1973
59 Stanley M. Makowski Democratic 1973 1977
60 James D. Griffin Democratic January 1, 1978 January 1, 1994
61 Anthony Masiello Democratic January 1, 1994 January 1, 2006
62 Byron Brown Brown Democratic January 1, 2006 Present

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mayors_of_Buffalo,_New_York

 

[Dont Taz Me Bro]

typical.....we are funding the ongoing pensions plans and benefits of said organizations, and apparently without scrutiny. IF we are going to throw federal largess at unions, maybe, just maybe we might ask them to slim down some nice to haves to have to haves.......

the states need the money because they are broke and cannot ford the contracts they have indeed singed, so as a responsible partner, I thinks its encumbent upon them to say hey, we'll give you dollars, you go back and cut wasteful items that are more luxuries than critical needs....what a concept eh? BUT the union leadershipp will say no, get their members stirred up which may cost someone votes.....

This is what comes of a symbiotic relationship where-in unions are tied to politicos who give them dollars for contributions in return for contracts....plain and simple. rinse repeat.

School districts are local, not state...and as I said before.....Western NY, including Buffalo, is Conservative/Republican territory.

You're not seriously trying to claim that the City of Buffalo is governed by conservative Republicans are you? You were making good points up until this dishonesty.

 

[Dont Taz Me Bro]

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Buffalo teachers left taxpayers on the hook for nearly $9 million worth of cosmetic surgery last year, according to the state-appointed authority overseeing public school finances.

The Buffalo Fiscal Stability Authority found that last year's costs for elective procedures such as chemical peels and other skin treatments were up $8 million over 2004's $1 million tab for cosmetic surgery.

Buffalo, N.Y. Teachers Spend $9M in Taxpayer Cash in '09 on Cosmetic Surgery - FoxNews.com

This is a perfect example as to why the U.S. spends more money on public education than any other nation in the world and yet has some of the worst results of any industrialized nation.

 

[bodecea]

typical.....we are funding the ongoing pensions plans and benefits of said organizations, and apparently without scrutiny. IF we are going to throw federal largess at unions, maybe, just maybe we might ask them to slim down some nice to haves to have to haves.......

the states need the money because they are broke and cannot ford the contracts they have indeed singed, so as a responsible partner, I thinks its encumbent upon them to say hey, we'll give you dollars, you go back and cut wasteful items that are more luxuries than critical needs....what a concept eh? BUT the union leadershipp will say no, get their members stirred up which may cost someone votes.....

This is what comes of a symbiotic relationship where-in unions are tied to politicos who give them dollars for contributions in return for contracts....plain and simple. rinse repeat.

School districts are local, not state...and as I said before.....Western NY, including Buffalo, is Conservative/Republican territory.

You're not seriously trying to claim that the City of Buffalo is governed by conservative Republicans are you? You were making good points up until this dishonesty.

Are you saying that Western NY is NOT Republican Conservative? They would be very surprised to hear that they are Democrat/Liberals there. They might even laugh a little.

 

[Dont Taz Me Bro]

School districts are local, not state...and as I said before.....Western NY, including Buffalo, is Conservative/Republican territory.

You're not seriously trying to claim that the City of Buffalo is governed by conservative Republicans are you? You were making good points up until this dishonesty.

Are you saying that Western NY is NOT Republican Conservative?

I'm saying the City of Buffalo isn't. The rest of western NY has dick to do with how the City of Buffalo runs its school system because it's the people in Buffalo making the decisions, not the rest of western New York.

 

[Trajan]

School districts are local, not state...and as I said before.....Western NY, including Buffalo, is Conservative/Republican territory.

You're not seriously trying to claim that the City of Buffalo is governed by conservative Republicans are you? You were making good points up until this dishonesty.

Are you saying that Western NY is NOT Republican Conservative? They would be very surprised to hear that they are Democrat/Liberals there. They might even laugh a little.

ask them when they walk out of a polling station....apparently they may talk a good game but it appears the results don't back that up, do they?

 

[theDoctorisIn]

typical.....we are funding the ongoing pensions plans and benefits of said organizations, and apparently without scrutiny. IF we are going to throw federal largess at unions, maybe, just maybe we might ask them to slim down some nice to haves to have to haves.......

the states need the money because they are broke and cannot ford the contracts they have indeed singed, so as a responsible partner, I thinks its encumbent upon them to say hey, we'll give you dollars, you go back and cut wasteful items that are more luxuries than critical needs....what a concept eh? BUT the union leadershipp will say no, get their members stirred up which may cost someone votes.....

This is what comes of a symbiotic relationship where-in unions are tied to politicos who give them dollars for contributions in return for contracts....plain and simple. rinse repeat.

School districts are local, not state...and as I said before.....Western NY, including Buffalo, is Conservative/Republican territory.

Western New York is Blue dog Democrat.

The city of Buffalo is VERY Democratic base turf.

I've spent much more time than I'd ever want working on elections in and around Erie County and the city of Buffalo.

 

[theDoctorisIn]

School districts are local, not state...and as I said before.....Western NY, including Buffalo, is Conservative/Republican territory.

You're not seriously trying to claim that the City of Buffalo is governed by conservative Republicans are you? You were making good points up until this dishonesty.

Are you saying that Western NY is NOT Republican Conservative? They would be very surprised to hear that they are Democrat/Liberals there. They might even laugh a little.

I was in the City of Buffalo on election night 2008, working on a State Senate race. Western NY is definitely more conservative than NYC, but the City itself is very much Democratic base, at least the inner-city neighborhoods. The suburbs of Erie county are much more Polish Catholic blue dog Dems who used to work at any number of car factories that all got outsourced.

 

[bodecea]

You're not seriously trying to claim that the City of Buffalo is governed by conservative Republicans are you? You were making good points up until this dishonesty.

Are you saying that Western NY is NOT Republican Conservative? They would be very surprised to hear that they are Democrat/Liberals there. They might even laugh a little.

I was in the City of Buffalo on election night 2008, working on a State Senate race. Western NY is definitely more conservative than NYC, but the City itself is very much Democratic base, at least the inner-city neighborhoods. The suburbs of Erie county are much more Polish Catholic blue dog Dems who used to work at any number of car factories that all got outsourced.

Well, having lived in the Cheektowaga area and then in the Rochester area, not seeing much in the way of Democrat/Liberalism.....but if you are finding some, good for you.

 

[theDoctorisIn]

Are you saying that Western NY is NOT Republican Conservative? They would be very surprised to hear that they are Democrat/Liberals there. They might even laugh a little.

I was in the City of Buffalo on election night 2008, working on a State Senate race. Western NY is definitely more conservative than NYC, but the City itself is very much Democratic base, at least the inner-city neighborhoods. The suburbs of Erie county are much more Polish Catholic blue dog Dems who used to work at any number of car factories that all got outsourced.

Well, having lived in the Cheektowaga area and then in the Rochester area, not seeing much in the way of Democrat/Liberalism.....but if you are finding some, good for you.

Cheektowaga is exactly what I was talking about, in termsi of the suburbs. I ran a field operation for a State Senate election in 2008, and a field operation for County Executive election in 2007. Cheektowaga is all blue dog democrat - I certainly wouldn't call them liberal - but they're still basically democrats. It's around 2:1 registered Dems, at least in 2008.

EDIT: Sorry if I'm coming across as a jerk about this, I'm just really excited to find a thread on anything about Western NY politics, I'm kinda obsessed with State Elections all over NY State, it's what I've done for a living for the last 5 years.

 

[syrenn]

And we wonder WHY health care costs are skyrocketing.

In my opinion elective cosmetic surgery should not be covered under ANY health care plan.

The health care plan that is offered to us changed a few years back. It didn't cover as much and the co pay went up. The reason was that several people in the CO. were abusing the plan to cover as much cosmetic surgery as they could fit in.

 

[Dont Taz Me Bro]

Well, having lived in the Cheektowaga area and then in the Rochester area, not seeing much in the way of Democrat/Liberalism.....but if you are finding some, good for you.

Cheektowaga has its own school district, so what does allegedly conservative Cheektowaga have to do with the policies in the Buffalo City School District?