DEAREST READERS, LET US TALK ABOUT THE $100,000 CLUB.

Lady Budgetdown has now turned to **Croswell-Lexington Community Schools' 2025 employee compensation disclosure** The report required for employees whose reported salary, defined similarly to Medicare wages on the prior-year W-2, exceeds $100,000.

And compared with some ledgers we have opened lately, this is a rather short guest list. 🪶

There are **12 positions** appearing in the district's disclosure:

🏛� Superintendent - **1**
🏛� Assistant Superintendent - **1**
🏫 Principals - **3**
🏫 Assistant Principals - **2**
📋 Administrators - **3**
🍎 Teachers - **2**
**Total: 12**

Now, Lady Budgetdown generally does not see much purpose in turning these reports into a parade of individual employees. So instead, let us look at the two top leadership positions and then the districtwide totals.

👑 **SUPERINTENDENT**
Medicare Wages: **$145,133**
Total Compensation: **$249,523**
Difference: **$104,390**

🪶 **ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT**
Medicare Wages: **$134,377**
Total Compensation: **$232,001**
Difference: **$97,624**

And when we combine **all 12 positions** appearing in the disclosure:

💰 **Combined Medicare Wages:**
**$1,415,244**

💰 **Combined Total Compensation:**
**$2,336,771**

📜 **Benefits and Other Compensation Above Medicare Wages:**
**$921,527**

That $921,527 difference equals approximately **65.1% of the combined Medicare wages**.

A very important bit of bookkeeping etiquette here: that does **not** mean benefits represent 65.1% of total compensation. It means the additional compensation equals approximately 65.1% of the Medicare-wage total.

And another detail worth noticing:

Of the **12 positions** on the $100,000+ disclosure, **2 are teachers**.

The other **10 are positions identified by the district as superintendent, assistant superintendent, principals, assistant principals or administrators.**

Does any of this, standing alone, prove that someone is overpaid?

**No.**

Compensation should be considered alongside responsibilities, experience, district size, comparable districts and other relevant context.

But taxpayers deserve to know the **full cost of compensation**, not merely the salary number most likely to catch their eye.

And that, dearest readers, is precisely why we open the ledger.

**Salary is one number. Total compensation tells us more of the story.**

🪶 With receipts and respect,

**Lady Budgetdown**

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