Use tax windfall to reward teachers

I am writing about the Dec. 1 California state budget “surprise tax windfall” opinion piece (“Why state should bank its surprise tax windfall”). I wonder why the possibility of a one-time, tax-free payment to public school teachers wasn’t mentioned.

Although the article states a good case for resisting spending the revenue, I think a special payment to teachers should be seriously considered.

School districts’ funds were cut for the 2020-21 budget year due to the anticipated state shortfall, so districts and teachers have been working with reduced funding. Bay Area teachers are already paid embarrassingly low salaries. Due to the COVID pandemic, they are being directed to provide individualized, quality instruction to children and communicate with parents in a unique and challenging environment. This effort takes additional hours, resources and creativity — all for the same salary.

Allocating some of the windfall to increase teacher compensation this fiscal year is reasonable.

— Barbara Coats

San Jose