There’s fresh air coming from the northwestern corner of Pennsylvania, but it has nothing to do with the weather.

Rather, it is refreshing to see what one school district superintendent is willing to do to help his district overcome a burgeoning budget deficit.

Jay Badams, Erie schools superintendent, as part of a new five-year contract on which the Erie School Board may vote on Wednesday, suggested that his salary be locked in for the entire term of the pact and that some of his fringe benefits either be reduced or eliminated.

Badams, hired in June 2010 at a base salary of $169,500, currently is being paid $185,000 annually. He was scheduled to receive annual pay hikes of 3 percent through June 2015, but renegotiated his contract to keep his salary at its current figure through March 2018.

Meanwhile, one of the perks Badams has chosen to forgo is his $4,800 annual stipend for a vehicle. He’ll now receive a mileage reimbursement, the same as other district employees.

Badams is willing to do what he asks of others. For example, as reported by the Erie Times-News, the district has sought and gotten wage freezes from other administrators and from support staff members.

The Times-News quoted Badams as saying, “I just don’t think right now it’s appropriate to be talking about salary increases. I also told the board that for a district of our size ($185,000) seems like a salary that shouldn’t be exceeded.”

To Erie board president Mary Schenley, Badams’ move on behalf of saving money is consistent with the superintendent’s overall leadership style.

With Badams at the helm, annual deficits since before the 2011-12 school year have been cut by $13.5 million; the 2013-14 deficit is expected to be 62 percent less than the 2011 shortfall.

While Badams isn’t the only school superintendent to have opted for no pay increase during the past couple of years, few, if any, have agreed to do so for such a lengthy period.

Good examples should begin at the top. Badams knows it, and, more importantly, he’s demonstrating it.