Just another tax hungry Politician - Robert Anderson

[4248]

Amherst Former Highway Superintendent Robert Anderson wants $81,000.00 - 81 Thousand tax dollars - why because he says he earned it !

Don't you get sick and tired of hearing about Party Playin Patronage people cry for more ?

This guy claims over the years he earned unused sick time and vacation - prior to becoming a elected Official. Now he wants that money - but not at the pay rate he earned as a "Laborer" - he wants it paid as if he earned it while being the Highway Boss - that rate would be $53.00 a hour .

This Party Guy went from a laborer to becoming a Crew Chief - two patronage posts. Then the Party Controllers put him up for election to Highway Boss.

After putting in enough time to get vested at the pension level of Highway Boss - he retires at a much larger tax funded pension for life.

Still, he's not happy with that - he wants home owning tax payers to give him a $81,000.00 tax funded retirement gift. He's trying to tell us he had never missed a day because of vacation or sick time. Well when you have a position where no one keeps track of your working hours - its easy to not truly document hours worked.

He claims he was "Directed by the Town to delay his application to receive compensation for about 162 unused sick days and had accumulated 30 vacation days" - who "Directed him" to do that - was it in writing ?

Here's where it gets even sketchier: Robert McCarthy Director of Human Resources states, "This situation is largely unprecedented" - He further states, " This is certainly something that has never happened before" Doesn't that mean there's no past practice or standard guidelines to use ?

Then there a paragraph that appears to be from Marc Brown from Golderg and Segallo that reads - "The also plans on being consistent with how similar matters have been presented in the past" he said. "They've had other prior matters involving similar situations, and they want to maintain the consistency along those lines."

These statements seem contradictory - first there's no "Precedent" - yet the lawyer claims "Similar past actions" and he wants to be consistent.

Ether way this ends up - Amherst Tax Paying Home Owners will get stuck again because of a self serving Politician. There will be legal fees for tax payers - there could be court time - what ever money this man gets will be tax dollars.

These type situations are seldom heard of but seem to be common among "Party Playin Politicians" - this kind of greed at the exspense of tax payers must end.

If there is no "Precedent" - and Mr.Anderson wins, this will set one so every Patronage Player coming after Anderson will be looking for the same tax funded pay out.

It should stop here and now - "Use it or loose it" - correct the contracts to prevent future abuses.

[WNYresident]

Who ever negotiated the labor contracts did a piss poor job when it came to the best interests of the property/business owners in our community.

[BorderBob]

I'm going to cash in my annual leave at my current rate of pay. However, since I can only carry over 240 hours in any given pay year and I am cashing out 404 hours in a few weeks when I retire it was arguably earned at the high rate.



b.b.

[4248]

It was earned at the lower rate - it should be paid at the rate of pay you received in the year you earned it. Better yet - use it or loose it.

Also - if you earned overtime in any of those years - the vacation time you didn't use should be washed. If your to busy increasing your pension working more days then you have too - you shouldn't be allowed to pass on vacation days. - Use it or loose it.

Most over time is voluntary - some is acquired by other workers passing it to the senior employee so he/she can inflate their tax funded pensions.

Thats just another insider double dip trick. Get time and a half for overtime - stash vacation and cash it out at a higher rate.

You see all these little tricks the seniors can pull because of past contracts - then they bargain these things away for future employees. This after years of quietly telling the new guys to play along - "Some day it will be your turn" - No it wont - the new contracts will exclude the newer employees from doing it.

The Unions will blame management - when in many cases the Union uses these things as bargaining chips. So who's screwin who ?

Next time the senior guy wants the new guy to pass on or sell over time - the new guy should tell him to get lost. Your day won't come - the new Tiers and contracts will shut the door on all these double dip tricks.

[grump]

4248 continues to stun and amaze me with his thinking. Use it or lose it. In other words call in sick whether or not you are sick. I thought that it was to avoid that type of nonsense that employers used sick time buy back policies.

[grump]

I'm going to cash in my annual leave at my current rate of pay. However, since I can only carry over 240 hours in any given pay year and I am cashing out 404 hours in a few weeks when I retire it was arguably earned at

b.b.

BB, take your buyout at the highest rate you can get. You owe no one any explanation or apology for it.

[4248]

4248 continues to stun and amaze me with his thinking. Use it or lose it. In other words call in sick whether or not you are sick. I thought that it was to avoid that type of nonsense that employers used sick time buy back policies.

First we aren't talking about a normal employee - he's a patronage slug who wants a pay day. He made highway super because of Politics. He could have cashed in or used his time when his pay rate was lower - he chose to roll it over. So as I stated - if he gets paid for it - it should be paid at his former rate of pay - not double because he got pushed up.

Sick time is a gift - its not to compensate you for not getting sick. When your employment ends that time should just go away.

This is another hidden perk Politicians and Party Players dive on. When they approve it for workers - voters/taxpayers don't realize they are also giving it to appointed and elected officials. That part is never exposed.

These Politicians act like the no co pay stuff is for employees - sick time is for employee - state tax funded pensions are for employees. - The Politicians approve it because they receive it once its approved.

Tax payers are getting back door-ed by these self serving Politicians everyday - while they act like their "Doing it for the community" - their self serving - self promoting tax abusers for the most part.

If a honest - factual survey was ever produced on a local level - it would prove once and for all - the majority of those who vote are tax feed employees and their families.

[grump]

4248, if your last statement is correct, and it may be, then shame on those who don't vote. No one is stopping them but themselves. As for elected officials I don't believe they get sick time or vacation time. Thats not to say they don't get sick or take vacations, they certainly do both. They just don't get a particular number of days allocated to them. If I'm wrong please direct me to something in writing other than your ravings that proves otherwise. Anderson's claim is for time he accrued or allegedly accrued prior to his holding elective office which he won twice if I remember correctly. Isn't the dispute over the rate as much as anything?

[4248]

Grump - don't take this the wrong way - but you asking me if elected or appointed officials get sick time or vacation tells me you dont pay much attention.

I also did state - if this tax hungry chump gets paid - it should be calculated at the rate at which he earned it.

Do some searches and find the info for your self - you'd only dispute anything I posted any way - so excuse me if I don't indulge you.

[grump]

Actually, 4248, I do pay attention. That's why I limited my comments to elected officials. I know appointed officials get vacation and sick time. I'm not gonna waste my time looking for that which doesn't exist. Since you're the one who claims it does you look for it. If sick time is a gift what makes you think it can be taken away?

[gorja]

4248 continues to stun and amaze me with his thinking. Use it or lose it. In other words call in sick whether or not you are sick. I thought that it was to avoid that type of nonsense that employers used sick time buy back policies.

At my employment, we have the use or lose it for sick time. I have over 600 hours of sick time that I will lose whenever I retire. I don't call in sick unless I'm sick. It all depends on one's work ethic.

[4248]

Its ludicrous that tax funded employees actually get a "Bonus Check" for not calling off sick.

Then they cash in again by banking their sick time and cashing it in at a higher rate than when it was earned.

This is just another nonsensical perk thousands of tax funded employees enjoy - besides many who have no copay insurance - paid healthcare - eye glass coverage - hearing aids - Aflac insurance and more - all tax funded.

Then throw in banking vacation time because their to busy working overtime to take time off. Its out of control -

Now remember the elected official we are talking about is a Highway Boss - which is the highest paid Party Cookie one can be elected to - in this case the guy makes $53.00 an hour plus benefits and tax funded pension.

Its just ridiculous - this is why home owner taxes are so high. Bottom line !

[grump]

At my employment, we have the use or lose it for sick time. I have over 600 hours of sick time that I will lose whenever I retire. I don't call in sick unless I'm sick. It all depends on one's work ethic.

Too bad.