I think that we have to stay on to the subject at hand. It is not about how much the raise is. The issue is the procedure. This raise should have been part of the budget process and before the election. And there should have been a public discussion at that time.
To present this proposed raise after the budget process and after the election and with a public discussion on New Years day, does not show favor with the residents. And now the town board has set themselves up for a possible permissive referendum.
Don't put too much weight on the fact that Diane Marco voted for the raise. She's DONE in less than a week. THANK GOD! So no matter what happens, there will be no flack for her. Her last explosive episode was over the police commission! The cops rallied around her and she was the mega mouth for that. That episode is probably what did her in anyways. Residents were very disappointed in her and the cops behavior!
But now that she will no longer be with the town board, she has secured a job with her friend Mr.Paolino. Is that another created position by the dictatorship? And if it was, it should be subject to a civil service test to even the playing field. Ya know....to be FAIR!
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
I'm against any raise of any kind unless it's brought to the residents and they vote in favor of said raise. We're paying for it so we should have a say in if it passes or not.
I'm against any raise of any kind unless it's brought to the residents and they vote in favor of said raise. We're paying for it so we should have a say in if it passes or not.
Looks like there will have to be a permissive referendum.
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
Okay, so I attended today's Town Board meeting and was glad to see a few others brave the snowstorm as well.
The agenda was chock full of swearing-in's, appointments, and other such things.
Of course, my reason for going was the public hearing on the proposed Town Board salary raise. I had my say, along with a few others. Only Ms. Marco spoke in favor which wasn't unanticipated given her previous vote in support.
I guess we'll see what happens. It was intimated that there would be future hearings on this matter but only by Ms. Marco. The onus will be on the newcomers. Their vote on this matter is a litmus test for me.
I will have to wait until saturday to watch the replay. But Michael did any of them mention the possibility that this would go up for a vote first to the residents?
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
No, that wasn't stated, but I did catch Mr. Della Villa outsideafter the meeting and told him about this site, so I hope that even if he only comes as a lurker, he'll see all our feelings. Anyway, Mr. Della Villa told me tonight that he would not be voting for the raise.
Thank you guys for the update on the town meeting yesterday. I regretfully was unable to attend for obvious reasons. But I was surprised that there was no mention of the meeting in todays Gazette or the TU. I will have to catch it on the replay. Thanks again!
Thank you guys for the update on the town meeting yesterday. I regretfully was unable to attend for obvious reasons. But I was surprised that there was no mention of the meeting in todays Gazette or the TU. I will have to catch it on the replay. Thanks again!
Hard for them to mention anything that happened there when they didn't come to see themselves... Guess we can count on them not being around, since they don't want to really have to sit around and listen to the Republican Supermajority.
No, that wasn't stated, but I did catch Mr. Della Villa outsideafter the meeting and told him about this site, so I hope that even if he only comes as a lurker, he'll see all our feelings. Anyway, Mr. Della Villa told me tonight that he would not be voting for the raise.
Well Joey 'abstain' Guidarelli, when first appointed, said he would vote against the proposed Walmart super center, but when push came to shove, he ABSTAINED!! So hopefully Mr. Della Villa will stick to his guns. I personally think that Mr. Della Villa will lean toward the side of Mr. Tommasone. But time will tell.
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
Posted on: 01/02/08 Ross Marvin, Spotlight Staff email: marvinr@spotlightnews.com
In the town board’s first meeting of the year, members of the public voiced surprise and concern over a proposed board member raise that would bump member salaries by $5,000 each from $10,000 to $15,000.
New members, Republican Michael Della Villa and Democrat John Silva, were sworn into office less than two hours before members of the public began to discuss whether or not the men should receive a 50 percent pay raise.
Elaine Zimmer, of Putnam Road, said she was not opposed to an increase in board salaries, but that a $5,000 increase was unreasonable.
“It’s an awfully large jump,” said Zimmer.
Fellow Rotterdam resident, Kevin March echoed some of Zimmer’s sentiments and also pointed out that the discussion of a wage increase didn’t occur until after elections took place in November.
“All the members in front of me were elected at a time when members made $10,000,” said March. “While I realize the board has done many things to make the town of Rotterdam a nicer place to live, a 50 percent jump in salary is just not something I would be used to. My salary will likely go up 3 percent this year, not 50 percent.”
March also voiced his concern that if board member salaries were set at $15,000 they would be too close to the supervisor’s annual salary of $16,000.
“Will we be looking at a raise for the supervisor sometime in the future?” March asked the board.
While several board members suggested that the supervisor’s salary should be increased, Supervisor Steven Tommasone opposed the adjustment. The supervisor’s salary would not change under the proposed local law.
Only one resident spoke in favor of the raises — recently retired board member Diane Marco who left this year after eight years of service to the town.
“I firmly support this as a resident and a former councilperson,” said Marco who went on to explain that the New Year’s Day public hearing was not an attempt to avoid discourse with residents, but was typical legal procedure.
“There are certain procedures we have to go through,” she said. “No one is trying to backdoor this or put it under the rug. The raises have been discussed for the past two years and checking into other the salaries of other municipalities, this is fair.”
In similarly sized towns like Guilderland and Malta, board members receive an annual salary of $19,860 and $15,000 respectfully. But, Schenectady County Legislators who represent the interests of municipalities like Rotterdam make just over $14,000 per year.
Last month, the board voted 3-to-2 to amend the supervisor’s preliminary budget to include money for the raises. In order to amend board member salaries, the law stipulates that the town has to adopt a local law and hold a public hearing.
If the law is not passed or overturned, the $20,000 budgeted for the raises for four board members would remain unspent in 2008.
According to Town Attorney Girard Parisi, the board will likely vote on the salary increases at their next meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 9.
So Ms Marco states that the raise has been talked about for 2 years. Publicaly or privately? And if it was discussed over the past 2 years, than all the more reason that it should have been implemented during the budget process that was in place just a few months ago?
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
So hopefully Mr. Della Villa will stick to his guns. I personally think that Mr. Della Villa will lean toward the side of Mr. Tommasone. But time will tell.
It will take NO votes by both Mr. Della Villa and Mr. Silva to defeat the raise (joining Mr. Tommasone). Mr. Mertz and Mr. Signore are currently YES votes.
Fellow Rotterdam resident, Kevin March echoed some of Zimmer’s sentiments and also pointed out that the discussion of a wage increase didn’t occur until after elections took place in November.
“All the members in front of me were elected at a time when members made $10,000,” said March. “While I realize the board has done many things to make the town of Rotterdam a nicer place to live, a 50 percent jump in salary is just not something I would be used to. My salary will likely go up 3 percent this year, not 50 percent.”
If you take the 3% cost of living raise you get annually and extrapolate it by 17 years in which the town board didn't receive that cost of living raise, that would be a 51% raise, or $5100. An annual salary of $15,100 a year.
To put it another way, say you're working for a company for 15 years. When you were hired, you started at $8 per hour in 1993 for an entry level position. Decent money for entry level position in 1993. Now after 15 years, now 2008, you are making $18 an hour due to performance and cost of living raises. If you lose your job or quit, do you expect your employer to be able to fill that position for $8 per hour it payed 15 years ago? Of course not. The entry level wage for the same job you were hired for 15 years ago is most likely $11 or $12 per hour.
Remember, these raises aren't exclusive to the individuals that hold the elected positions, but for the position itself. Regardless who holds them.
Comparing our town officials wages to private sector compensation practices is a losing argument. You are actually reinforcing the reason why the our town should bump up the compensation for our elected official. We should be grateful that we can find people competent enough to run a town this size for $9 per hour. We shouldn't press our luck.
Fellow Rotterdam resident, Kevin March echoed some of Zimmer’s sentiments and also pointed out that the discussion of a wage increase didn’t occur until after elections took place in November.
“All the members in front of me were elected at a time when members made $10,000,” said March. “While I realize the board has done many things to make the town of Rotterdam a nicer place to live, a 50 percent jump in salary is just not something I would be used to. My salary will likely go up 3 percent this year, not 50 percent.”
If you take the 3% cost of living raise you get annually and extrapolate it by 17 years in which the town board didn't receive that cost of living raise, that would be a 51% raise, or $5100. An annual salary of $15,100 a year.
To put it another way, say you're working for a company for 15 years. When you were hired, you started at $8 per hour in 1993 for an entry level position. Decent money for entry level position in 1993. Now after 15 years, now 2008, you are making $18 an hour due to performance and cost of living raises. If you lose your job or quit, do you expect your employer to be able to fill that position for $8 per hour it payed 15 years ago? Of course not. The entry level wage for the same job you were hired for 15 years ago is most likely $11 or $12 per hour.
Remember, these raises aren't exclusive to the individuals that hold the elected positions, but for the positions themselves. Regardless who holds them.
Comparing our town officials wages to private sector compensation practices is a losing argument. You are actually reinforcing the reason why the our town should bump up the compensation for our elected official. We should be grateful that we can find people competent enough to run a town this size for $9 per hour. We shouldn't press our luck.
Point taken. I wouldn't begrudge them some sort of raise, but it's in the WAY that they're doing it. And I wouldn't mind if it wasn't such a LARGE change.
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