Oregon school chief asks for 8% cut in pay

7/26/2012

Oregon’s school board approved a request from Superintendent Michael Zalar to cut his pay 8 percent, returning his salary to what it was in 2011.

Mr. Zalar submitted a resolution Wednesday night to the board seeking the reduction, saying he felt it was in the “best interest of the district, school, and the community.”

“I feel this is the right thing to do. I am doing this voluntarily. This is not something I feel coerced to do,” Mr. Zalar said.

The concession, which the board approved unanimously during a special meeting to get community input on the district’s budget and spending, reduces the superintendent’s annual salary from $130,220 to $119,094.

“Thank you. I know that this has been the toughest year of your life,” said board President Patrick Kapfhammer, who was elected to the board in November.

Mr. Zalar, who was hired in 2008, was among several administrators to receive salary increases for the 2011-12 school year.

The wage increases were approved before Mr. Kapfhammer, Jeffrey Ziviski, and Michael Csehi joined the board.