Gretchen Daub Westman: Teachers not ‘better off’

Regarding the Aug. 25 letter “Teachers ahead”: Sen. Bob Rucho touted the fact that teachers can now “opt to claim a state tax deduction for purchasing classroom supplies up to $250.” He stated that the teacher in question came out “thousands of dollars better off” since her salary had increased, even though she spent an extra $27 on taxes for the school supplies she purchased despite the lack of a sales tax holiday weekend.

My question for Rucho is: Why is this teacher having to purchase classroom supplies in the first place?

This story was originally published August 30, 2016 at 4:45 PM with the headline "Gretchen Daub Westman: Teachers not ‘better off’."