Let's adjust/add for the added insurance to come up with a total amount that each town compensates it's average teacher (salary + ins.).


Recall the average salaries:

Wakefield: $73,902
Stoneham: $72,302
Winchester: $75,752
Lynnfield: $84,173
Malden: $84,284

Melrose: $65,383.

Now the premiums amount for each town:

Wakefield: 75%
Stoneham: 80%
Winchester: 75%
Melrose: 84%

(this data is from another MM post - I have not verified)


According to the GIC rate sheet for state employees, https://www.mass.gov/files/documents/2018/10/12/GIC_Rate%20Sheet%20FY19_Active.pdf, the most expensive family plan, is $668.38 at 25% Premium, meaning that each month a family pays that for their insurance, at 75% of the total premium is paid for by the state. Now these rates are not necessarily what the individual towns/city employee pays, but they are probably close. Also different plans have different rates for family, so you could do the analysis I present below and any one of them, but the ultimate trend will be the same

If a 25% of total premium is paid by the employee, than the total premium is 4*668.38 per month or $2673.52. Multiply that by 12 and now you have ~$32,000 year.

Now that we have a number to work with, lets look at the final compensation package for the above four towns.

Melrose would pay 84% or 32,000 or $26,950 for insurance and $65,383 salary for a grand total compensation package of: $95,332

Wakefield would pay 75% of 32,000 or $24,000 insurance and $73,902 salary for a grand total of $97,902.

Stoneham would pay 80% of $32,000 or $25,600 for insurance and $72,302 salary for a grand total of $97,902

And finally, Winchester would pay 75%of $32,000 or $24,000 and $75,752 salary for a grand total of $99,752.

So even with the insurance cost adjustment, Melrose teachers are still compensated less than their neighboring towns.

Also, let’s look a the steps and lanes salary levels for teachers for comparable towns such as reading and Stoneham at the M-30 level. We are basically at the same amount. The reason why the “average is lower” is because Melrose had a wave of retirement a few years back according to the superintendent. As a result 30 percent of teachers are in the first three years and 70 percent have been their less than 10 years.The suggestion they leave at a higher rate than state averages after a few years is nonsense. Again, look at the steps and lanes increases for comparable communities and then add in the overly generous health care contributions. Not sure why Yes supporters continue to use the same scare tactics playbook that the hard working people of Melrose see through. Probably explains why the override is currently projected to lose by a 3-1 margin.

Also, let’s look a the steps and lanes salary levels for teachers for comparable towns such as reading and Stoneham at the M-30 level. We are basically at the same amount at the M-30 lane. The reason why the “average is lower” is because Melrose had a wave of retirement a few years back according to the superintendent. As a result 30 percent of teachers are in the first three years and 70 percent have been their less than 10 years.The suggestion they leave at a higher rate than state averages after a few years is nonsense.

That so-called "wave of retirement" was Taymore forcing out teachers over 45 (most not actually retirement age or even wanting to retire) with her big toolbox of intimidation and harassment techniques. That's when the district lost great teachers like the legendary Dr. Peterson and brought in a bunch of bottom-rung C- rookies who didn't stand a chance of being hired by more respectable districts. As soon as those low performers have gotten their Melrose-taxpayer-paid master's degree along with their requisite first three years of experience, they've booked it to better-paying districts, appearing to be more qualified, when in fact they are just the repackaged low performers (just like those many administrators who've made their leaps into their Peterson Principle advancements up the chain of highly paying positions as they pass through the Melrose revolving door). Melrose parents are so naive and have no idea that their children are getting a truly sub-par education here.