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Paul Lane: Ken-Ton super gets raise, teachers get slashes
Column: Paul Lane
Wednesday, June 09, 2026

In the midst of financial ruin, the city of Buffalo is poised to lay off 150 workers.

Facing a huge fund gap, the Town of Tonawanda cut about $2.4 million from its operating budget to minimize the amount needed from its fund balance.

To combat rising tax rates in the Ken-Ton School District, the school board cut 20 teachers — and gave the superintendent a raise.

Last week, the board voted 3-2 to give Steven Achramovitch a contract extension until 2009. As part of that, he will get a $3,186 raise next year, which ups his salary to $138,300. The contract allows for additional raises in each year following.

This, on the heels of a budget that features about a 6 percent increase and raises the tax levy on a $50,000 home by about $94.

Now, superintendent is a difficult job. When it comes to the education of some 9,000 students, you want someone who’s willing to work beyond 9-to-5 and knows what he’s doing.

Achramovitch has a job few of us would want, trying to keep parents happy while juggling continually decreasing funds and constantly increasing spending mandates.

But does the Ken-Ton superintendent really deserve only $40,000 less than the governor?



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