Maybe we should go after teacher's salaries too - does the average $70k+ teacher salary in New York and Massachusetts seem a little high? Do they really "need" that? Starting salaries are lower, maybe we could just fire all teachers when they hit 45 or so to keep costs down? If they can't figure out another career by then, that's on them. (Edit: And the pensions they get! My mother didn't start teaching until she was around 38, and she was eligible for a pension after 10 years of service, but ended up putting in closer to 25 and was able to get close to a maximum benefit. She did have to opt-out of federal social security though, but that's a small price to pay for getting a significant chunk of your full salary in your retirement years)
Teacher Salaries By State | Average Salaries For Teachers | Beginning Salaries For Teachers | Teacher Raises | TeacherPortal.com