See no evil, Speak no Evil, and Dance like a Chorus Line!
Not so fun fact: The average senior on Social Security gets $12-14 thousand a year to live on.
Part time - 10 hours a month - two five hour meetings and a Lancaster Town Council Member gets $24,000.00 tax dollars a year + Cadillac New York State tax Funded Pension credits and other Tax funded benefits.
Also some were quietly taking an extra $6000.00 a year, health care tax funded bonus buyout.
Isn't it great how the three Town Board Members who have "Nothing to loose" talk about giving up 2% of a future raise!
The same three Council Members -
Councilman Stempniak, Councilman Ruffino and Councilman Abraham!
These three people collect two pay checks already, they have collected two healthcare packages(In Mrs.Stempniak's case for many years) - dental care - paid insurance and more.
Councilman R.Ruffino works for a bank - he is one of the well paid people who benefited from his Banks Bailout. He sits and collects a tax funded salary from the Town, while collecting his bank salary as well.
Councilman Abraham is collecting two tax funded salaries and tax funded retirement payments. Tax funded health care and insurances. He collects as a full time Lancaster School Teacher and Town Board Member!
Councilman Donna Stempniak collects an enhanced New York State Tax Funded Pension (right now) - plus tax funded Town Board pay. She, in years past has collected, as Mr.Ruffino did - $6000.00 extra tax dollars every year from the Town for healthcare.
Now the Grand Stand gesture:
Now they want to act like they will "Sacrifice" a 2% future raise.
As LC wrote:"Thats approximately $350 for 2010".
(One year Offer, is this a joke?)
Now let me see - I am not the best at math but, $6000.00 tax dollars a year for just one term =
4 years = $24,000.00 tax dollars has already been collected per term, per Town Board Member.
So, it would take over 20 some odd years at $350.00 a year,
to equal just one year of the tax money already collected by each person.
Could a taxpayer get money like that - NO!
Ask Mr.Ruffino if his bank would accept that? He says, "I have been listening to residents."
I bet he has, as they come into his Bank crying and trying to save their homes before foreclosure.
Supervisor Giza responded that such action would result in the budget being reduced by a fraction of a penny.
NO, he did not offer to even consider forgoing his raise!
Do they truly believe people are that stupid?
LC wrote: "Council Member Donna Stempniak opened the meeting by stating that the board had been
remiss over the years in not setting down with the department heads, the budget director and the Supervisor for the purpose of having a formal budget review."
LC wrote, "Any savings are welcome regardless how small. Why hasn’t this process been utilized for years?
Or, considering this is an election year is this is nothing more than political grandstanding?
Given the fact that its Election time - my Vote goes for Grandstanding.
LC wrote: "And I am sure everyone will be wondering whether the other elected officials and department heads will follow the example set by the council members and decline their salary increases. Spread the wealth, spread the pain!"
Again, was there a resolution to forgo the raises presented?
If they are serious - put it in writing - make it for three years minimum and present it signed sealed and legally binding before the November Election.
Again, My bet is - they timed this perfect as the Bee has already been fed their lines. The Media will splash this out and the uninformed Voters/Taxpayers will never know what happened till after the Election.
Can't Wait to read the story in the Bufnews and I wonder if stooge 4 and Mr.Luke(Lipstick) Morretti will do a big piece on it. He owes them for the excl use tip on Highway Super R.Reese!