Education payouts not in line with Montana wages

Montana State Univer-sity-Bozeman just hired a new president, Waded Cruzado, from New Mexico. The taxpayers will pay $280,000 a year for her expertise, plus housing, car expenses, disability and country club benefits — that's $135-plus an hour.

The president of the University of Montana-Missoula, George Dennison, makes $205,050 per year ($99 an hour) with the same amenities.

The Commissioner of Higher Education, Sheila Stearns, earns $211,201 a year ($102 an hour) with similar benefits.

All this is happening while the commissioner bemoans higher tuition for college students and the need behind the future increases. Shouldn't these leaders set the example and take cuts in pay while Montanans are losing their jobs like those in my area?

Should we start hiring people who are more in line with Montana wages or allow the educational bureaucracy to continue this "leap frog" mentality that is now present in higher education?

As Christmas approaches, higher educational officials are saying "ho, ho, ho" while college students, local school districts scrambling with tight budgets and taxpayers are saying "no, no, no."

Rep. Dee Brown, R-Hungry Horse, represents House District 3.