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Chiefs superstar appropriately named
5-year deal raises salary by $26,500 BUENA -- Diane DeGiacomo boasts a doctorate from Rutgers University and 34 years' experience in education. She spent the last three years as superintendent of the Buena Regional School District, where she works up to 80 hours weekly. These are just some of the reasons the district's top-ranking official gives to justify a $26,500 pay raise she'll receive over the next five years. "I'm probably one of the most experienced superintendents in Atlantic County," DeGiacomo said. "I think it's a fair salary. I certainly think I earn every penny of it, and I believe the community recognizes that." The salary hike -- to which some residents and township officials take exception -- is part of a five-year contract recently approved by the school board. Under terms of the contract, DeGiacomo's current $117,500 salary will jump to $144,000 by 2006. She also will be paid a percentage of her unused sick days when she retires. DeGiacomo oversees about 2,500 students. That's about 500 less than neighboring Hammonton, which has a school budget equal to that of Buena Regional. Hammonton's Superintendent Mike Kopakowski earns $107,619, according to the business administrator with Hammonton Public Schools. Kopakowski's salary will increase next year to $111,923. Starting next July 1, DeGiacomo will earn $122,500. Unlike DeGiacomo, Kopakowski has no assistant superintendents. Buena Regional's assistant superintendent currently makes about $90,000 -- a salary subject to annual increase. But DeGiacomo notes she has more experience than Kopakowski, who does not have a doctoral degree. Also, being the superintendent of a regional school district compounds the complexities of the position, she said. "There's a lot of responsibility with this job," she said. "I'm responsible to the community, to the board, to the teachers (and) the municipalities. And I act as a public relations officer for the district." DeGiacomo likened her post to being the CEO of a $29 million corporation, referring to the 2002-2003 Buena Regional school budget. But some question how the raise will affect taxpayers in Buena Borough and Buena Vista Township, which recently rejected a $29.5 million school budget that would have raised the tax rate by 17 cents. The defeated budget was amended, cutting the tax rate hike to about 6.5 cents. "Nobody wants to deprive our students of an education," said Buena Vista Township Committeeman Pete Bylone. "But as a taxpayer, do I have to pay until it hurts?" As a committeeman, Bylone says his foremost priority is the average township taxpayer. "We'll be paying her all this money," he said. "But what does that mean for somebody on the streets making $20,000 a year or someone else with four kids?" More than 60 percent of the average tax bill in the township goes toward school taxes. "You have to work harder, longer just to pay your taxes -- it's a disgrace," said David J. Leonardis, a Buena Vista resident. "How much can you keep taxing people before they're tax-picked into slavery?"
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