"Overpaid" Teachers

The absolutely invaluable Bruce Baker at Rutgers has a new post assessing whether teacher salaries have been "spiraling out of control." He compares Northern NJ teachers' salaries to Southern NY teachers' salaries:

The first graph shows that Westchester County, NY teacher salaries are well above those of nearby New Jersey counties, and on average, Westchester salaries have increased more in recent years. Rockland County, NY salaries for teachers with a BA surpass the highest of the New Jersey counties in the figure by 2007, because Rockland salaries are also growing faster than NJ county salaries. Bergen County teachers, immediately adjacent to Rockland and closest to Westchester, fall well below those counties and have grown, on average, more slowly.

 Adding to other statistical data Baker has analyzed, he concludes:

Given these findings, I would have a difficult time arguing that the New Jersey “tax burden,” which is also not highest in the nation is caused by either or both New Jersey teacher and bloated administrative salaries growing out of control.  I would also have a hard time making the argument to teachers that their evil, greedy administrators have been hoarding the goods to the disadvantage of the teachers.

May I ask a question?

Why isn't Bruce Baker on every TV screen, radio, and newspaper op-ed page in NJ?