The Sept. 27 Letter of the Day ("Correct the superintendent's pay before seeking a tax hike") labeled the Minneapolis school superintendent's compensation "way out of line" because it exceeds the governor's salary, which is capped by statute. To use the governor's salary as a comparison is ridiculous. The governor gets perks that far exceed those of the superintendent -- a house on Summit Avenue in St. Paul and transportation provided by the state. Plus, the governorship can be a steppingstone to a highly compensated position, as demonstrated by Tim Pawlenty, who will apparently be making approximately $2 million in his new position. We don't think superintendents have that kind of compensation ladder. From a larger perspective, teaching kids is the most important task in our cities and nation today. Compensation for superintendents to provide leadership in this task should reflect that perception. Between the three of us, we have decades of administrative and governance experience in the public and quasi-public sector. Based on the perceptions formed during this experience, we feel qualified to declare that superintendents are not overpaid.


RICHARD BERGE, JERRY ROBICHEAU AND JAMES WOLF, Faribault, Minn.