A Saline Public Schools teacher that was hired in 2009 would start with a salary of $40,425 and see it rise to $111,750 in the 15th year, an increase of 178 percent.

The analysis of the hypothetical Saline teacher's career salary track was done by Michael Van Beek, director of education policy at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy.

The analysis was done as if the teacher's salary increases were based on the conditions of the existing 2009-10 teachers contract.

It assumes that the hypothetical teacher earned a graduate degree in the eighth year of the contract. About 59 percent of teachers have a graduate degree, according to 2008 data from the Michigan Department of Education

It also assumes that the hypothetical teacher didn't get any of the bonuses offered for extracurricular or special teaching activities. And the salary analysis does not include a salary longevity bonus at the end of the 15th year, worth an additional $2,579.

Van Beek wrote in an e-mail that most school districts have very similar contracts, with automatic "step" increases on top of across-the-board increases.

"This is a typical method for compensating teachers," Van Beek said. "The percentages will change, the step increases will change, but the way it accumulates is the same for most every school district in the country."

According to the contract, the hypothetical teacher received an 8 percent increase in years two and three, a 9 percent raise in year four, and 11 percent raises in years five through seven. After earning a graduate degree, the hypothetical teacher got a 27 percent raise in the eighth year and then got a 10 percent raise the following year. In years 10 through 15, the percentage raises were 4 percent, 2 percent, 2 percent, 3 percent, 2 percent and 2 percent.

"This is what our school boards are agreeing to. It is no wonder it continues to cost more to keep school employees working," Van Beek wrote in an e-mail.

According to Annarbor.com, the Saline school district is anticipating a $5.4 million shortfall from a $52.4 million budget.

"People in the private sector cannot afford to pay for a teacher who is going to get 8 to 10 to 27 percent increases," said Charlie Owens, state director of the National Federation of Independent Businesses. "It's not sustainable given our current economic situation. At some point, this is going to have to be addressed. And none of this related to performance."

Saline Superintendent Scot Graden didn't return an e-mail seeking comment.

Saline Spokesman Steve Laatsch refused to comment.

Tim Heim, the Saline teachers union president, didn't return phone messages.

There was a time, Brendan Wagner says, when he was the choice of the Michigan Education Association.

Wagner, a school board member for Warren Consolidated Schools, lost his reelection bid in May. Wagner is the director of pupil transportation at the Chippewa Valley School District. He said he received $500 from the MEA in his first campaign for the board.

The MEA turned against him in his reelection bid because Wagner wasn't beholden to the union, he claims. Media reports indicate that his MEA-supported opponent raised ten times as much money as the typical school board candidate traditionally takes in.

"Right now, they are hurting schools," Wagner said. "The MEA will eat their young. They will sacrifice jobs to get their salaries."

Wagner said the vast majority of teachers are worth what they are making, but that the union doesn't recognize the economic crisis that schools face.

"Individual teachers have said to me, 'We will gladly take a pay cut, we will gladly pay for a portion of health care. We just want to keep our jobs.' But the MEA's mantra is 'no'."

"Eventually, the teachers are going to have to step to the plate and get involved in concessionary bargaining," Wagner said. "By that time, there will be so much blood letting in terms of program cuts and kids won't have availability of arts and sports, and all these things will be sacrificed. And then teachers will come to the table and say, 'We give.' My question is, 'Why didn't you come to the table in the first place?'

In a May 6 press release, the MEA trumpeted Sue Jozwik's victory over Wagner.

The Macomb Daily wrote, "Jozwik, a favorite of the Michigan Education Association teachers' union, has raised an astounding $16,358 to finance her election campaign. By the standards of typical Macomb County school board campaigns, that is about 10 times the amount raised by most candidates."

The district made news when the news site www.candgnews.com quoted Jennifer Miller, Warren Education Association Executive Director, as saying the district had "kids on the floor without any desks."

District officials, including Wagner, have questioned the accuracy of that statement. Miller has not responded to repeated e-mails and phone messages asking for clarification.

The average salary of a Warren school teacher is $73,421. The teachers don't contribute to health care costs.