Vermont's Independent Voice
Browse News
Browse Arts + Life
Browse Food + Drink
Browse Cannabis
Browse Music
Browse Movies
Browse Events
Browse Classifieds
Browse Personals
Burlington paraeducators and their supporters took to the streets last week as part of an ongoing campaign to raise the wages of Burlington's lowest paid civil servants. Although the city has an ordinance requiring that all municipal workers receive a livable wage -- or enough money to cover a family's basic needs such as food, housing, child care and taxes -- the school department does not.
In fact, none of Burlington's paraeducators earns enough to live on. Fifty-five percent of the district's 172 teaching assistants earn $9.25 per hour or less -- about $9990 per year; the Vermont Legislature's Joint Fiscal Office figures a livable wage in Burlington at $12.02 per hour. According to the Vermont Livable Wage Campaign, the pay raise would cost property owners another $3.25 per month, or about $40 per year.
As of this writing, the School Board's Finance Committee was expected to consider the matter at its May 17 meeting, and bring the issue to the full board in August.
More By This Author
About The Author
Ken Picard
Bio:
Ken Picard has been a Seven Days staff writer since 2002. He has won numerous awards for his work, including the Vermont Press Association's 2005 Mavis Doyle award, a general excellence prize for reporters.
Ken Picard has been a Seven Days staff writer since 2002. He has won numerous awards for his work, including the Vermont Press Association's 2005 Mavis Doyle award, a general excellence prize for reporters.
Speaking of...
-
Vivid Coffee to Open Café and Roastery in New Moon Space in Burlington
Oct 22, 2020 -
Burlington Councilors Met With No Public Notice in Another Violation of Law
Oct 21, 2020 -
Can Anyone Do Anything About Bike Theft?
Oct 21, 2020 -
Freeman French Freeman Architects Imagine Better Spaces for Burlington and Beyond
Oct 14, 2020 -
Burlington's City Hall Park to Reopen This Week
Oct 12, 2020 - More »
Comments
Comments are closed.
Since 2014, Seven Days has allowed readers to comment on all stories posted on our website. While we’ve appreciated the suggestions and insights, the time has come to shut them down — at least temporarily.
While we champion free speech, facts are a matter of life and death during the coronavirus pandemic, and right now Seven Days is prioritizing the production of responsible journalism over moderating online debates between readers.
To criticize, correct or praise our reporting, please send us a letter to the editor. Or send us a tip. We’ll check it out and report the results.
Online comments may return when we have better tech tools for managing them. Thanks for reading.
