THE LAST WORD:Relief over pay accord

Good news on the teaching front in Newport-Mesa.

School district officials and teachers have agreed, unanimously, to a sweeping new pay increase that raises teachers salaries over the next three years by 19% and benefits by 3%.

That means the average annual salary for a Newport-Mesa teacher will go from $64,292 this year to $77,348 by 2009.

With home prices still high and gas prices and the cost of living skyrocketing, the annual salary numbers still don’t seem that much. But teachers need only look to the private sector to see that they got a good deal.

Many in the private sector have seen their salaries rise by much more modest increases, like 2% and 3%, and benefits costs are on the rise as well.

As we said before, the district can’t give away the store when it comes to taxpayers’ money, but teachers need to make a decent wage.

This agreement goes a long way toward both goals, and we congratulate Newport-Mesa officials and teachers for coming to a conclusion that benefits all concerned.