Giambra, unions go head- to-head

[WNYresident]

The full story in the Buffalo News

Giambra, unions go head- to-head
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Call for salary cuts stirs angry response

By MATTHEW SPINA
News Staff Reporter
10/9/2004

The body language in the room full of union leaders was not good for a county executive trying to coax them and nearly 10,000 members to sacrifice a pay raise in deficit-ridden 2005.
The president of the Civil Service Employees Association local gazed out the windows toward a sun-splashed Lake Erie. The union head for blue-collar workers sat with arms folded.

Frowns were the rule for most of the 13 representatives gathered Friday in front of County Executive Joel A. Giambra.

So after his budget director laid out his unpleasant vision - layoffs and the hiring of private firms to plow snow and maintain county facilities - protests rained down on his first idea. That is to save $8 million as workers across the board forgo a 2 percent raise. "It seems to us that even if we give you a little bit, you will be back asking us for more," said Mike Summers, of the Sheriff's Police Benevolent Association, who said his 170 members took no raise in three of the last four years.

The full story in the Buffalo News

[Curmudgeon]

Let's not overlook the most important part of this story:

While state income taxes per person rank 22 percent above the national average in upstate New York, local property taxes upstate are 55 percent above the national average, reports the Public Policy Institute, an arm of the Business Council of New York.

Erie County's property taxes, looking at all taxing entities, are 42 percent above the national average, the institute said.

You can't blame it all on Medicaid, said the institute. Public payrolls upstate far exceed the national average, with 62.5 local government employees for every 1,000 residents. Nationwide, it's 49 per 1,000.

"Upstate's businesses and taxpayers are paying state and local taxes that are about $5 billion to $6 billion a year higher than they would be if they were living in, say, Ohio," the institute said in a report made public in August.

It's time to start laying off a LOT of people. Simple solution to the problem.

[WNYresident]

Plus cut thier salaries and benefits. I know it's hard to do but it has to be done.

[CheektowagaFan]

Wont happen without help from Unions and thats a fact!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Like take Cheektowaga, Cheektowaga has a certain amount of Full-timers they must keep! Thank god for contracts!

[WNYresident]

Every town/city does need a certian amount of employees, it's common sense. What the tax payer doesn't need are employees that are paid more than what the position is worth. Pay includes the cost of health benefits, retirement plans along with the physical cost per hour paid.

[Curmudgeon]

Cheektowaga has a certain amount of Full-timers they must keep! Thank god for contracts!

Actually, I think you should be thanking the Devil for your contracts. These contracts that are destroying the economy of WNY are an affront to God.

That's what happens when you strike a deal with the Devil - you get burned in the end.

[CheektowagaFan]

Curm, Ive said it to you before ! The 90 isnt far from you Ill bet. Use it if Life in NYS is that bad.... Nothing is stopping you !

[Curmudgeon]

Careful what you wish for - soon you'll have no more taxpayers! They'll all have moved away.

[Deerhunter]

First it was the legislature, now its the Unions. When will Giambra admit that if it weren't for his mismanagment, and his campaign promise to lower property tax rates by 30% or he wouldn't run, has directly contributed greatly to this counties operating deficit. The county is worse off than the city, that he so loudly criticized. These expenditures he speaks of didn't escalate overnight. From what I have read, the medicaid bill is 30 million over last yrs. Not 130 million, which is what the counties deficit is claimed to be....It may actually be higher. Now he wants the Unions to take a 2% pay cut, when he was just looking for a 40% pay raise for himself. I hope we didn't forget that.

[absolivious]

There'll be no "light at end of the tunnel" until Tier I retirees start dying off.

Sure it sounds crude - but it's the truth.

[WNYresident]

It may actually be higher. Now he wants the Unions to take a 2% pay cut, when he was just looking for a 40% pay raise for himself. I hope we didn't forget that.

Deer hunter hit the nail on the head. You can't expect others to go without less even if it's too much to begin with if the leadership never takes cuts.

[Curmudgeon]

When will Giambra admit that if it weren't for his mismanagment, and his campaign promise to lower property tax rates by 30% or he wouldn't run, has directly contributed greatly to this counties operating deficit.

Mismanagement? What happened to that 30% tax cut? It stayed in the taxpayers pockets, where it belongs! And Erie County is STILL 46% over the national average for local taxation!

If the deficit causes a crisis where lots of people (and there 25% too many at least) get laid off to help balance the budget, then he is doing exactly what he was elected to do!

First it was the legislature, now its the Unions.

...yes, it IS the unions (and other special interests) who corrupt the legislatures (state and county) over time and you wind up where we are today.

If that buffoon (Giambra) is able to implement real reform and reduce taxes, I say DOUBLE his salary.

Giamra (or any other EXECUTIVE) is not your peer. He is your boss. When times are tough, executives make tough decisions. They don't take pay cuts to please the masses. How much does a a county exec make anyway, $90,000 or so? Not a lot for a guy who has a billion-dollar enterprise to manage with thousands of employees.

It's time to stop cow-towing to these people and time to start managing them.

[Giambra's smoking habit]

Wow is this a tough subject or what? the right thing to do in this situation is what everyone's afraid to do in the first place!The union's should take a 2% cut whether it's against principle or not. You're either going to loose money you've never seen in wages or loose ALOT more in property taxes coming out of your pocket. Don't be stupid, take one for the team. God knows people in this area have been getting shafted for years bearing the weight of your contracts. Argue all you want about it but that's what it boils down to. We the citizens should not have to pay $900 and more per year in property OR sales tax so you can have a insignificant jump in pay. Everyone says they want "change" in government and Joel throws a few changes at us and everyone bitches and complains till their blue in the face. Don't get me wrong, he's not the best leader (maybe not even a decent one) but I would take him over Dennis Gorski ANYDAY.

[citymouse]

As long as Joel is playing the blame game, why dosen't he blame his buddy Patacki in albany?
He blames the Assembly because they are the only democrates in the picture.
Patacki is just as much to blame for This medicade debt as the Assembly, as is Bruno in the Senate.
While we are at it how about the disprportionate amount of medical reembursment The washington goverment doles out to various states? New york getting much less than most.

[WNYresident]

God knows people in this area have been getting shafted for years bearing the weight of your contracts.

Depends on which side of the contract you are on. I hear what some people get paid in local governments and thier duties and I can't believe it. It's like are you serious? But they get spoiled and think it's the norm. You get the excuse, well you can take the civil servant test too. That's not an answer. It's almost like saying don't complain to me that we are boning the tax payer, you can too, just take the test.

Or when you hear, well they got a raise i should get one too. Well all in all they shouldn't of gotten a raise in the first place. Just because one area was stupid enough to sign a contract doesn't mean other areas should follow suit.

A 2% cut isn't enough. One someone making $100,000 when they throw thier overtime in is only a $2000 cut.