Reply With QuoteHow former elected officials receive lifetime benefits from the Town of West Seneca?
Kevin Gaughn's downsizing campaign had a limited shelf life due to fact that sooner or later people would realize that it is not delivering what he promised. That is why he pushed so many referendums in as many towns as he could at taxpayer expense of paying for the special elections. The shelf-life of his downsizing campaign was when the residents of Grand Island said no on September 23, 2010, because they saw what was already happening in the other towns. They were informed based on information such as the following:
From: http://www.isledegrande.com/letter/l...or2010-pg2.phpTown Accountant Clarifies Stats - Sept. 2010
As the Supervising Accountant for the Town of Grand Island, I feel compelled to write, to clarify some of the statistics that are flying around the papers, both in print and online.
Mr. Keller notes quite a few statistics in his letter to the Island Dispatch on 9/17.
He states that out of Erie County’s 25 towns, reducing each by two council members would save “…every Erie County Taxpayer more than $6.8 million per year”. Aside from the syntax error, that we EACH appear to be saving $6.8 million, using Mr. Gaughan’s own statistics from his website, one calculates the savings of $761,628 not $6,800,000. This is slightly less than 2.4% of his example of $32,140,386 as the cost of government. Mr. Keller goes on to note the increases in the taxes and levies on Grand Island over the last ten years. Of particular interest is his sales tax comparison. I don’t believe Mr. Keller is familiar with how sales tax revenue is distributed. He cites “…and the amount of sales tax we pay that’s passed onto Grand Island town government increased by 77%”. The sales tax revenue increases that Grand Island enjoys are directly attributable to three (3) factors 1 – the increased traffic from Canadian shoppers to our Western NY area, since their dollar has stabilized, 2 – The mandated sharing of the additional ˝% and 3 – the growing population and tax base on Grand Island that allows us to receive our fair share, and that fair share accordingly has grown. Increased sales tax revenue equates to lower property tax increases. Likewise, our mortgage tax revenues have grown in the past ten years. This is directly attributable to the desirable place we all live. Unlike sales tax, that is distributed by population count and assessed value, mortgage tax is directly influenced by the sales in your community. Property values remain stable, and your Town tax dollar goes a long way. The distribution of sales tax or mortgage tax has no correlation either directly or indirectly to the size of your Town Board.
Mr. Keller writes of the cost of employee benefits increasing 142% and the Town levy increasing 57%. In those same 10 years, a resident’s General Fund tax rate has increased a total of only 16.7%. This is an average of 1.67% each year. Meanwhile, the cost of living has risen 2.4% each year. It seems to me, the Boards of the last ten years have done a pretty good job of stabilizing taxes, amidst some pretty crazy healthcare and retirement contribution increases and fluctuations. During those same ten years we have had a three grade increase in our Town’s bond rating. This is a direct reflection of our stable financial position. Yet, we accomplish this in a geographic area fraught with green and red budgets and control boards. We must be doing something right. The escalating costs of health care in the United States have no correlation either directly or indirectly to the size of your Town Board.
I have been employed by the Town of Grand Island for nearly all of these last ten years that have been referenced. I take my job very seriously, I watch over the Town finances as if they were my own, and, since I am a resident and taxpayer, that is, in part, true. I believe each of the board members I have had the pleasure to work with, have served to the best of his/her abilities. That being said, each has (had) strengths and weaknesses in different areas. The ability of other members to compliment the strengths and smooth the weaknesses has been vital. Decreasing our representation to only two council members, in my opinion, would be a huge mistake, a mistake from which we may never recover.
Pamela Barton
Posted September 20, 2010
“We in America do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate.” ― Thomas Jefferson
How former elected officials receive lifetime benefits from the Town of West Seneca?
I am not what you are trying to ask/say but voting either way on this issue will have no effect on whether or not former or future elected officials receive lifetime benefits from the town.Originally Posted by wnyfuture
“We in America do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate.” ― Thomas Jefferson
Of course, you don't. Yes, you're right this doesn't effect former elected officials receive lifetime benefits but this does effect how many more people can receive lifetime benefits. Is that what you want? Legacy cost to continue to increase.
The answer to that is not limit representation and allow more waste, but to eliminate it, wihich would require an act of the State Legislature or Constitutional Convention.
In any event how much does eliminating these two positions actually save in future costs? And how are you going to to prevent the town from creating more positions that are not elected that will wipe out these future savings?
“We in America do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate.” ― Thomas Jefferson
Answer, my question first, how many former office holders are still receiving lifetime benefits?
It does not matter whether it is 1 or 10001 because that can't be changed by staying with a 3 member board.
“We in America do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate.” ― Thomas Jefferson
I agree but again, how many have lifetime benefits? Why won't you answer, you know the answer!
Do you know the answer? That is one costly option for town residents to pay for.
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I do not, that's why I asked. I know it's atleast two, maybe more. Allegedly, it's Walsh, Graber, Osmanski, Wroblewski.
By the way, DT, check the scoreboard, that was a pounding, eh? 68-32% ouch!
Is it true, the vote to keep it 3 still intact?
WNYfuture, why do you continue to ask DT questions? He is one of those people who is book smart and doesn't have an ounce of common sense.
The answer to your question is 32. Yes, we pay lifetime healthcare benefits and retirement pensions for 32 former West Seneca Town Board members.
Instead of DT and his cronies, wasting time on trying to stop people, who are trying to do good and saving taxpayers money in WS. Why doesn't DT go after
Mrs Meegan for allowing Joesfic to collect all that money. Go after Town employees, who steal from the Town, by stealing scrap from the garbage, money
that could be used to reduce gas costs in the Highway Department. Stop the Town from hiring people hired without taking a Civil Service exam. I can go
on and on with items that would save the Town money, but enough for now. I would work with DT, if he was willing to go after these wrongdoings, I would
pass petitions or do whatever is needed.
How many of the 32 were elected officials? Keeping the Town Board at 3 will not change this number, nor will it significantly reduce it in the future.
Do you know that positions in the Labor Class of Civil Service can be hired without taking a test?
Do you know that I have already sued the Town over provisional appointments lasting more than 9 months?
Keeping the TB at 3 will continue power in a few with less checks and balances, hope you enjoy your "savings" the next few years.
As for me I am moving on to my next issue.
Last edited by dtwarren; November 7th, 2012 at 11:09 AM.
“We in America do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate.” ― Thomas Jefferson
Yes, it was a blow out. Worst than Bills-Cowboys Super Bowl. People of West Seneca have spoken.
Yep, and we will all have to live with the consequences. Let's talk again in three or four years. See how the three-person board is working then.
By the way, I have noticed how the West Seneca initiative and Kevin Gaughan really got the ball rolling for the downsizing of other Town Boards and for the advancement of "Regionalism" in WNY. Other Towns really jumped on that band wagon. We stepped over a dollar to save a dime. Woo hoo for us.
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