Ho, ho, ho!
That”™s the sound of the electorate when they first heard of Bill Ryan and the gang”™s plans to give themselves raises and stipends.
Hah! Good one, they thought, awarding pay raises in the 11th hour; something you”™d expect out of Albany or Washington.
But no, it wasn”™t a joke. They work gosh darn hard, unlike you Mr. and Mrs. Businessowner/Homeowner/Taxpayer.
“It”™s not about me, it”™s the office of the chairman,” Ryan said in one news report.
Humbuggery.
Ryan went on to say, “This position is full time and more.”
Well, we”™re all glad to hear it isn”™t a no-show job.
But imagine working hard and not feeling fully compensated. Guess that”™s a feeling unique to politicians, and they don”™t like it.
Ryan and his colleagues got a scolding from the League of Women Voters of Westchester who opposed the stipends aka raises.
In a letter they wrote: “The League believes that legislators should be viewed as professionals fulfilling their responsibilities to the county and the electorate. There is no need for financial incentives beyond a base salary. Stipends are not always based on comparable responsibilities or merit. Also, they may influence the addition or elimination of committees for political or financial reasons, rather than need. The LWV of Westchester recommends that a review be made of the existing committees, with a goal towards consolidation.”
Consolidation. Now there”™s a word currying favor more and more in Westchester and the rest of the state. More on that later.
What possessed the county lawmakers to pick now as the time for a raise? And what have they done to deserve it?
County workers have been working without a contract for the past two years.
Property taxes are still rising.
Many young people cannot afford to live here.
Health-care costs are unbridled.
Forget being perceived as business-friendly. Lately we seem to be flipping a collective bird ”“ aka “The New York Hello” ”“ at potential corporate residents.
And yes, we did not forget; the county budget also includes 3 percent raises for department chiefs and commissioners.
And we”™re feeling the pinch ”“ although not as sharply as other states ”“ of spiking gas and home heating oil prices as well as the subprime mess.
The U.S. dollar is losing its value and cachet.
Hey, time to stop and smell the economy. It isn”™t smelling rosy. It stinks.
Forget about your stipends and raises. Now is not the time.
Concentrate on relieving the county”™s high taxes by consolidating local government services. Sacred cows and agencies be damned.
William M. Mooney Jr., president of the Westchester County Association, points out that there are nearly 400 public sector entities in the county. Across the state, there are 4,250.
Big is one thing; bloated is another.
Gov. Eliot Spitzer set up the state Commission on Local Government Efficiency and Competitiveness and told them to have recommendations to relieve New York”™s $35 billion property tax burden by April 15, which coincidentally is the day taxes are due.
Instead of saying woe is me, let”™s try to fix things first. Let”™s make Westchester more business friendly again by the very least keeping taxes in check. And if county lawmakers can”™t keep taxes in check, keep your raises in check.
And by the way gang, if you indeed give yourselves raises, we mean “stipends,” please remember November is not that far off.
And those of us left holding the tab may indeed opt to cut the fat from the menu.
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