"Connecter"
vs. "Connector"
Misspelled word in teachers' union sign
Arthur G. Purves, president of the Fairfax County Taxpayers Alliance
(FCTA), today posted on the FCTA website a photograph of a political sign referring to the
FAIRFAX CONNECTOR bus system. In the sign, the word "connector" is misspelled.
The sign was authorized by "Pro-Fairfax", a pro-tax coalition headed by the
Fairfax Education Association (FEA). The FEA is a union representing 6500
Fairfax County Public School teachers and administrators.
Mr. Purves stated, "This sign reinforces the perception that the teachers'
union is all about high taxes and not about high academic standards."
Through the Pro-Fairfax coalition, the FEA successfully enlisted the
help of the fire fighters' union and parents of mentally challenged children
to lobby the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors for a $300-per-household
real estate tax hike last month. However, while the school budget request
was fully funded, the public safety cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) was reduced
and programs for mentally challenged children were reduced. Meanwhile,
between FY2002 and FY2004 the inflation-adjusted school budget is increasing
three times faster than enrollment. Since FY1998 school staff has increased
nearly twice as fast as enrollment.
Mr. Purves also holds the teachers' union partially responsible for the
Metrorail fare hikes. To placate the powerful FEA and fully fund the
schools' budget request, the supervisors cut Metrorail funding by $4 million
when they should have increased it. Metro has been hard hit by snowstorm
costs and by a decline in tourism and is facing a $48 million deficit in
FY2004.