SCHENECTADY COUNTY Raises require public hearing Budget includes 3 percent more for 5 commissioners BY KATHLEEN MOORE Gazette Reporter
The raises are already in the budget, but five county employees can’t get them until the public gets a say. Tonight , the county Legislature will hold a public hearing on whether to give 3 percent raises to the three civil service commissioners and the two elections commissioners. The hearing will begin at 7 p.m. in the County Office Building, 620 State St. If approved, the civil service commissioners would get a $206 raise, bringing their total salary to $7,082. The elections commissioners would get $2,387 each, for a total salary of $81,955. “It’s the standard 3 percent,” said county spokesman Joseph McQueen. The 2010 budget includes raises for almost all employees. All of the raises were unanimously supported in this year’s budget vote, Mc-Queen said, but that wasn’t enough for the civil service and elections commissioner positions. “Certain positions have to go before a public hearing to implement what was already budgeted,” he said. The $288 million budget includes a 2.13 percent reduction in the property tax levy. The county is using $4.8 million in federal stimulus money and is taking $2.1 million out of its $35 million surplus funds account to reduce the tax levy. The budget also includes $9 million in new spending and adds several new positions, including that of an engineer to handle man- agement of mandated storm water requirements. There are no layoffs in the budget, although the county is offering an early-retirement incentive program. Employees over age 55 with more than 25 years of service can retire with 15 percent of their base pay if they agree to leave by Dec. 31. The county expects to save $300,000 with the program, assuming that 25 percent of the eligible workers accept the incentive.
“It’s the standard 3 percent,” said county spokesman Joseph McQueen
WHAT,,,,,,,exactly is meant by that dumb-a@@ statement,,,,,,,when the state/county are falling into the crapper.....let's see if Moody's would like to rate their job and give a false value of a 'due' pay increase.......mean while,,,,in Gotham,,,,the sheeple are lining up to get their stamps heap, unemployment etc.........HEY,,,,'commish',,,,,Riddle me that.........
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