The object of talking about the raise is to "get the people talking and concerned about this rinky dinky pile of $ and they will forget where the big payola is"---truly it is pitance compared to the sewer/water tower/reval/police contract etc.......and it hides the over all budget of the rest of the town employees...
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
If my memory serves me right, wasn't there a threat of a permissive referendum if the board passed the $5000 raise? Now all of a sudden it's an irrelevant issue. Unbelievable. All that the board members are suggesting, is that all the residents that complained about the $5000 raise, is for them to come down to the town hall and donate their time to help come up with a solution regarding the wages of our elected officials. After all, what's good for the goose is good for the gander. Show the officials that residents are willing to solve town problems for free, and they should also.
If no one shows interest in joining the committee, then the board should pass the $5000 raise. Call their bluff.
The residents of Rotterdam want the town to move into the 21st century, but they don't want to pay 21st century wages to get there.
Cicero, the Town Board will never let this town move into the 21st century if it means raising taxes because the board members know that it will cost them too many votes and they will never get re-elected. You are absolutely correct, to fix many of the towns problems is going to cost money and the town doesn't have the money to pay for them.
If no one shows interest in joining the committee, then the board should pass the $5000 raise.
You are missing the point cicero.
First, the residents did speak up at the meetings with their displeasure with the raise, and the way it was being handled. The correct way was to propose the raise while putting the town budget together last year. You don't just pass a law to give yourselves a raise. The correct way is implementing it into the budget and having a public hearing for the residents to share their concerns. And the LAW has a check and balance system for this and it is called a permissive referendum. It is clearly not a threat as you stated. It is the LAW!
Second, the town board is in conflict within itself regarding these raises. They clearly do not agree. And the board has already voted down the raise for this year. So it should be a dead issue until the next budget is adopted.
Third, Shadow is correct that Rotterdam doesn't have money now as it is. And we have businesses such as the SI Group looking for a tax break that will effect the taxes in the Schalmont school district. Rotterdam is in a desperate way when it comes to infrastructure. There are many other pressing issues in this town that need addressing NOW and there isn't enough money to handle them. And although the town board is overdue for a raise, this is hardly the time. Wait for next years budget.
You were the one who found the new assessor's salary at $9,000 higher than the previous assessor. They appeared to have just slipped that one in!
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
Mertz says pay issue not dead Town Board member complains last increase was 17 years ago
By PAUL NELSON, Staff writer First published: Tuesday, January 22, 2008
ROTTERDAM-- Town Board member John Mertz isn't ready to totally give up on the idea of a pay raise for him and his colleagues on the panel. "This is something that needs to be addressed," he said after the pay raise proposal was recently defeated 3-2.
The measure would have increased the board's compensation by 50 percent from $10,000 to $15,000 for what is considered a part-time post. Mertz, a Republican, cited the growing demands of attending more meetings as well as "public scrutiny and the attacks by the media" to justify the increase. Furthermore, he said, it's been 17 years since elected officials received a pay hike and even then they lost health benefits. Still, Mertz said, he considers it a privilege to represent the people in this 7-square-mile Schenectady County community. "We've become aggressive and progressive in moving this town forward," he added, noting that paying elected officials more might help attract better candidates. Fellow Republican Michael Della Villa says he voted against the proposal in part because of the recently concluded reassessment in Rotterdam, which led to a tax increase for some property owners. "I don't think it's the right thing to do, especially given where we are with the taxes and the reassessment," he said. "I don't think a 50 percent increase would be prudent." Mertz says between the Town Board and Planning Commission meetings, he personally puts in at least 20 hours on his part-time position. He, along with Deputy Supervisor Joseph Signore, who Mertz says proposed the salary increase, voted for it while Della Villa, Supervisor Steven Tommasone and John Silva voted against it. He said elected officials in towns comparable to Rotterdam are paid a lot more to be public servants. "We're just talking about fairness with the other communities," Mertz added. Paul Nelson can be reached at 454-5347 or by e-mail at pnelson@timesunion.com.
"This is something that needs to be addressed," he said after the pay raise proposal was recently defeated 3-2.
The vote was 2-2 with one absentee, defeating the proposal.
Quoted Text
Fellow Republican Michael Della Villa says he voted against the proposal in part because of the recently concluded reassessment in Rotterdam, which led to a tax increase for some property owners. "I don't think it's the right thing to do, especially given where we are with the taxes and the reassessment," he said. "I don't think a 50 percent increase would be prudent."
I agree with Mr. Della Villa's feelings, however, he was incorrect in stating that he voted against it. He, instead, should have stated that he submitted a letter that was read with his non-agreement towards this. He was not there when the vote was held and his vote was not counted. Actually, looking at it now, Mr. Della Villa is not quoted as saying he voted against it, so this may have been another flub my Mr. Nelson. The actual quotes don't say that he voted for/against it, they just state he wasn't in favor of it.
Quoted Text
"We're just talking about fairness with the other communities," Mertz added.
Then be fair to the residents that you represent and go through the proper channels. Be fair to your own community.
How about the Town Board showing us some progress in solving some of Rotterdam's problems and then maybe the residents will feel more like voting them a raise. Forming a community committee is not solving anything and it's just a waste of time, further more funding another study isn't solving any of the towns problems either. Start dazzling us with your brilliance instead of baffling us with BS.
I think that I will need that sharp object senders was talking about to poke my eye out if they do form a committee to see about a raise.
Now really, think about it. The board has not had a raise in 17 years. So for them to want to implement one is understandable. Eventually, a raise would have been discussed. Either by this present administration or ones in the future. But there are a few questions that need to be answered. So did they just think about this raise a few weeks after the election? Why wasn't it discussed at the time of the budget proposal? What do they expect to gain from a newly formed committee to discuss these raises? We already know that other townships are paid a higher wage. And will the people (public servants) on this committee get paid as well for their time?
Now let's take Mr. Silva. When I watched the replay on TV, Mr. Silva seemed to have gone on and on about a possible future full time position for the supervisor. That is just what Rotterdam needs is a full time supervisor with a full time salary with benefits. Pallleeezzz! Perhaps Mr. Silva is just paving the way for a future supervisor's position since his CEO status at Hometown Health is in jeopardy. Perhaps?
They had better put this raise issue to bed for now. This is looking more and more like political suicide!!
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
They weren't here 17 years ago.....move along the town with the reval taxes collected---show me the $$ trail and I will vote you back in- then take up the raise issue again......ya'll knew what it was when ya'll were pounding the pavement for the votes to get to the seats(thank you)---
Now show me the golden calf.....
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
They had better put this raise issue to bed for now. This is looking more and more like political suicide!!
Anything that cost money in Rotterdam is political suicide. If residents aren't getting something for nothing, it's political suicide. Spending money on something in which it can't be seen, tasted, smelled, heard, or felt immediately isn't worth spending money on. Rotterdam had a chance for sewers 25 years ago and it was voted down. Why???? Because it cost to much money, and people couldn't justify the cost of sewers when they already had septic. Short sighted.
The $20,000 a year raise is for the position, not the particular individuals who currently hold the position. If the extra $5000 for a board position entices just 1 competent resident to run for the position it's worth it.
Mertz, a Republican, cited the growing demands of attending more meetings as well as "public scrutiny and the attacks by the media" to justify the increase.
I don't know if this quote was taken out of context. But.... if this was said, I don't believe it has any relevance to why the $5000 raise should be passed. The only reason that should be given for the $5000 pay raise is to adjust for the cost of living for the past 17 years it wasn't adjusted.
I was planning on going to the meeting tonight, but I don't know if I can make it. But if I can I will be there about 7:30. If I can't, and whoever goes, please let us know how it went. I hope to be there though.
ROTTERDAM — Town Supervisor Steve Tommasone will appoint a five-member committee this month to study salary raises for elected and appointed town officials. Without discussion, four of five board members supported creating the committee during Wednesday's Town Board meeting. John Silva was absent. Tommasone said the committee will be charged with studying the salaries of all officials in relation to similar towns. He intends to appoint residents and small business owners to the panel, which will report to the board in March.
Logged
All that the board members are suggesting, is that all the residents that complained about the $5000 raise, is for them to come down to the town hall and donate their time to help come up with a solution regarding the wages of our elected officials. After all, what's good for the goose is good for the gander. Show the officials that residents are willing to solve town problems for free, and they should also.
