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Despite economic woes, Paso Robles bumps superintendent’s pay

January 23, 2013
Kathleen McNamara

Kathleen McNamara

Even though the Paso Robles Joint Unified School District is one of the most financially distressed districts in California, the superintendent’s salary has been increasing.

Superintendent Kathleen McNamara has received several raises in base salary since 2009, taking it from $161,813 to $182,500 in 2012. Factoring in the district’s 12 furlough days this school year reduces her salary to $172,767. [CaliforniaWatch]

During the last fiscal year, the district was near insolvency and faced being taken over by the state unless it took “corrective action,” a San Luis Obispo County grand jury warned in a report last year.

The district is struggling with a massive bond debt repayment of more than $30 million because of two capital appreciation bonds it turned to as a way to raise money during the economic downturn.

In March, the district and the teachers union agreed that teachers would absorb a big paycheck hit to help balance the district’s stressed budget. In the agreement, teachers agreed to a pay cut of 9.72 percent over two years to help keep schools operating through 2014. Individual teachers gave up several thousand dollars from their last three paychecks of the 2011/2012 school year.

As to whether her salary is fair, McNamara told California Watch only others can make that determination.

“However,” she added, “I do feel taking the eight furlough days for the past four years and 12 furlough days this year as part of my commitment to assist in balancing the district budget was very appropriate and the right thing to do.”

 


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Daaammnnn!!!! $182500? I be smilin large too.


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It all about GREED. We are asked over and over to pay more money via taxes to help improve an education system that is broken. Overcrowded classrooms, kids are going to college to attend classes for basic math and english.


I am sure there is an unemployed person who would love to have her job and work for a lot less…


When you have no competition this is what you get. We need to shake up this public school system and bring in choices for parents in the way of vouchers, charter schools Kids interests should come first not Kathleen McNamara’s bank account..


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euroamerican,


Praise vouchers!


The most important part of vouchers is to teach our children Christian principles. A few of them would be that the woman is a second class citizen, and that children that curse their parents should be killed, and most of all, to teach the logical concepts of Creationism!


Besides, who could believe in Evilution, where we’re allegedly made from star stuff and primordial soup, and evolved along side of Apes into what we’re today? What a Satanic scientific joke! We laugh.


For true Christians, Creationism is far easier to believe in that Adam was formed out of clay, and where Eve was second class to the animals because she was created AFTER them as a helpmate to Adam. Also, where Eve was formed from Adam’s rib, the infamous “talking snake”, the “Tree of Knowledge”, the flaming sword “flashing” back and forth (Gen 3:24) and the other eye-opening stuff of the A&E story! This makes more logical sense.


Praise your commitment to the voucher system that let’s the people that don’t accept our Christianity to pay for it as well!


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You are on the right track for sure, but those measures won’t get the job done. You have to PRIVATIZE the schools to do that.


Mrs. McNamara is smiling not only about her pay raise; she’s also smiling because she knows that this privatization will not happen any time soon.


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“As to whether her salary is fair, McNamara told California Watch only others can make that determination.”


Well, then let the “others” determine that she should receive the same pay cuts that the teachers had to take of approximately ten percent! Everyone should help out, especially the ones at the top that oversee and that are held responsible because the buck stops at their desk!


McNamara’s salary of $182,500 minus 10 percent = $164,250. That’s a savings of $18,250.00 to the district. The hell with the insidious eight furlough days that she took to seemingly help out. She doesn’t have enough sense to feel embarrassed about this fact.


Doesn’t this hierarchy ruse get old?


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How about the parents just keep their kids OUT OF SCHOOL until a more satisfactory solution is found?


The PR parents DON’T HAVE TO COOPERATE WITH THIS!


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Is Paso becoming Bell, California north?


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Yet another slap in the face to the teachers and other employees who have have done their part in helping the district. This Superindentdant should be ashamed and run out of town.


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Considering the city’s fiduciary track record, this comes as NO surprise.


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Ah the CHICKENSHIT answer, only others can make that determination. Well if she is so INEPT of being able to comment on something so simple, then maybe she isn’t the right one for this job?


As far as her salary, she is just like corporate exes. Run everything into the ground, do a crappy job and while your underlings are taking paycuts etc. you are reward for doing a lackluster crappy job. Welcome to the way of doing business with higher ups in this country. This is embarrasing and in my book, they all have no souls.


One last in a down economy where most people in both Govt. and private sectors wages have stayed the same for the last three or four years do to a bad economy and nitwits like this act like they deserve a pay raise more than the rest because they are doing some kind of superior job? Yea way to go. Last month of school last year in Paso, three days a week. Yea you are doing a great job MORON!!!


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These are unbelievable sums of money! Whatever happened to Govt. and Civil service jobs the career paths to avoid? There is no confusion why our State and Country are in such a mess.


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