 Online Nevada, journal
of the Nevada Policy Research Institute, looked closely
at the Nevada State Education Association and its
national parent organization, the National Education
Association, and turned up a slew of interesting items.
Among them:
- The NEA is classified by the IRS as a union, not
a professional association.
- The NEA is exempt from sales tax on its real
estate properties because of congressional
charter given years ago, when it was a true
professional association, has never been
repealed.
- NSEA officers make a lot more than the lowly
teachers they supposedly labor for, averaging
over $100,000 a year with hefty car and travel
allowances and other perks thrown in. Nevada
teacher salaries run from $21,220 to $45,977.
- The union's 16.000 Nevada members pay an average
of $500 each year in dues. Of the $8 million
total, $3.6 mill goes to the NSEA annual budget,
$2 mill goes to the NEA, and $2.4 mill apparently
disappears in smoke.
- When negotiations between the Washoe County
School District and the NSEA's Washoe County
Teachers Association go to arbitration, the
arbitrators are normally employees of the NEA,
the parent organization of the NSEA, with a clear
conflict of interest.
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Illustration
from
NSEA: The 800-lb Gorilla of Nevada Politics
- Nevada school districts spend taxpayer money to
collect NSEA dues from teachers and turn the
money over to the NSEA.
- Bargained into the Washoe County contract is a
provision giving the president of the county
teachers association "up to 40 days leave
without loss of pay" for union business.
- Sixty-six Clark County teachers could not pass a
standard teacher competency test last year.
- Fifty-three percent of all Nevada taxes (the
state budget) goes for education.
The Online Nevada article was prepared and written by
NPRI research analyst Erica Olsen. For a copy, write
NPRI, P.O.Box 20312, Reno NV 89515 or fax (702) 786-9604 |