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Community college teachers join pay debate

By Becky Ogann

Story Created: Apr 16, 2007 at 2:13 PM CDT

Story Updated: Apr 16, 2007 at 2:13 PM CDT

DES MOINES (AP) - Community college teachers in Iowa want a pay raise too.

They say they're being left out of the debate over teacher salaries. They want lawmakers to approve a $5.6 million package to increase their pay checks.

Representative Jeff Kaufman, a Republican from Wilton, is the only community college teacher in the Legislature. He was joined on Monday by more than a dozen teachers to make their point.

Lawmakers are working on a plan to spend $250 million over the next three years to raise salaries for elementary and secondary teachers. They're also poised to put an extra $41 million into the Iowa Board of Regents.

Dave Neas of Southwest Community College in Creston says community colleges have been regularly shortchanged. He says tuition is sixth highest in the nation while salaries rank 39th.

Kaufman concedes he has a conflict of interest by pushing a measure that would increase his own salary, but he says he'll give any additional salary to a scholarship fund.

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