So much for schools saving money

During the last school year, school districts all over Michigan, because of a state wide incentive, offered attractive buy-outs to the teachers at the top of the pay scale who were eligible to retire.  In the district I am in the teachers who accepted the buy-out will receive a bonus of $30,000.00, I believe to be paid in three $10,000.00 installments, and an increase in their retirement benefits.  Well if it saves the district money that can be used to benefit students and the teachers left to continue the educational journey of the students, then money well spent right?  The idea was that the highest paid teachers would be gone and the openings created would be filled by teachers who would be paid the entry level salary, this would be a great savings to the district.  In the district that I am in, about one hundred openings were created due to the buy-out, and because there are way more teachers than jobs, the district received five thousand applications!  Now this district I am in does not pay steps to a teacher coming to the district, regardless of years taught elsewhere, and the district has been proud of this.  I can't say that it has never happened, but it has been as rare as a steak fanned over the fire.  BUT with 5000 applications for 100 job openings this district that I'm in paid steps to new hires!  I can't say how many, but one is too many.  I won't be convinced that with 5000 applications for 100 jobs that the district could not find very qualified teachers more than willing to come in at the entry level salary.  If the candidate had a job elsewhere and  felt he or she couldn't take a pay cut, then stay where you are, and if the candidate had been laid off, then something is better than nothing!  I might not feel this way if things were different, but the buy-out was offered to SAVE MONEY, we are working without a contract right now, steps have not increased for a while, and the board is suggesting that we take a pay cut!  I don't get it and I am really mad about it.  I feel like I've been slapped in the face.  The bottom line is, it's just wrong.
Rosemary