That’s just the salaries, but the salaries make up most of the budget of the administrative offices.

More than a half a million dollars a year in salaries for people who do not teach kids.

Can we afford it?

Even if we weren’t living in an area where so much of the population was struggling to make ends meet, to pay their bills, take care of medical expenses, and put food on the table; even if we were doing better, does it make sense?

For all of the students in all of the schools in the Millinocket school system, we spent $52,837 in books, yet the salary of just one man, the school superintendent, took $74,845 out of the school funds. Compare that to the total salaries of those in the school administrative offices; which, if you remember, was more than a half a million dollars.

Granite Street School spent $26,128 on books. Principals’ salaries were $57,070.

Millinocket Middle School spent $8,470 on books for all of its students. The principal’s salary was $60,625.

Stearns High School spent a total of $18,233 on books for its 9th to 12th grade students, yet the salaries of its two principals totaled $108,399.

How many of these people even live in Millinocket?

It’s a pretty scary thing, looking at a school budget, particularly when you understand that the money comes from us, the taxpayers.

However you look at it, the money comes from us.

When someone tells you that a particular program is to be paid for with state or federal funds, please don’t forget that this is still your money.

You have a right and an obligation to ensure that your money is used wisely.

There are just over 5,000 people living in the town of Millinocket. We have two school buildings in use. The total school budget for the Millinocket school system for one year is $8,613,787.47, more than eight and a half million dollars.

Yes, I know. I checked it a few times too, thinking perhaps I had a decimal point in the wrong place.

Not counting the money spent on the school system, the town of Millinocket spends an additional $6,653,254.06.

That’s a lot of money too, but let’s not forget that these expenses include the police, fire, and ambulance departments. This money keeps the streets plowed in the winter, pays for numerous municipal programs and helps to support other community programs. There may be room for cuts there too, but that’s food for another column.

Let’s do some comparisons:

• The school superintendent earns $74,845 a year, while the town manager earns $63,000.
• The principal of Stearns High School earns $64,947 a year, while the salary of the town police chief is $48,940.
• The assistant principal of Stearns High School earns $43,452, while the town fire chief earns only $23,690.
• While the town can’t afford to fill one position in the police department, the school is asking for a new track field.

It’s your money. Are these your priorities?

-- Ken Anderson 02/07/03