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Following the money, Hawaiian-style

A Hawaii education reporter has cast a jaded eye on the Hawaii State Teachers’ Association:

HSTA reports on its 2003-04 Form 990 that $3.1 million of $4.8 million in dues collected from 12,513 members was paid out in HSTA personnel salaries, benefits and payroll costs. Executive Director Joan Husted now tops out the pay chart at $157,050 per year, including benefits and allowances. President Roger Takabayashi fares even better. His $160,409 compensation package is $28,000 more per year than earned by his predecessor. While teachers struggled mightily to achieve a less than 3 percent raise per year during the 2005 round of collective bargaining, their union leaders got raises of 15 percent to 20 percent.

The National Education Association claims on its Department of Labor LM-2 form that it gives the HSTA $102,000 in grants for an executive director. At the same time, $105,176 is deducted from teacher dues for an "Executive Director Option." The NEA also funnels back $410,000 in UniServe director grants. However, if all 12,513 members are paying $140 per year each in NEA dues, that would amount to $1.7 million in dues going out of state for purposes other than collective bargaining for Hawaii’s teachers.

Dues also went to the HSTA’s 527 fund, with IRS reporting of $94,221 in receipts and $5,500 in current expenditures, including $2,000 to a PAC supporting Hawaii’s House Democrats, $1,000 to the Democratic Party of Hawaii and $500 to the Hawaii State Republican Party. The HSTA’s 2004 end of year political action fund report declares $49,628 in contributions from the general fund and $30,636 in expenditures to 33 politicians — all Democrats.

Even payroll costs to run the HSTA Political Action Committee fund are up to $89,000 for an organization that takes in approximately $180,000 per year. Other costs incurred are for automobile, room and board and expense allowance. The candidates are lucky that there’s any money left over for them after all the administrative costs.

And union leaders are somehow surprised–nay, indignant–that fewer and fewer people are joining up?