Local Government TV

Friday, December 03, 2010

Divided Northampton County Council Gives Controller A Raise, Effective 2012

You get what you pay for. That's the decision a sharply divided Northampton County Council reached on December 2, when they increased the Controller's salary from the $39,000 being paid now to $65,000 in 2012.

Although Northampton County's budget next year is $290 million, Controller Steve Barron is only a part-time official. Recent changes in the County's Home Rule Charter will make the job full-time, effective 2012. But the new salary was set at $50,0000, a figure thought too low by five Council members, who raised it to $65,000 when a full-time Controller takes office in two years.

Leading the charge for the payhike were Democrat Ann McHale and Republican John Cusick. McHale pointed to a study done by Human Resources Director Patricia Siemiontkowski, noting a salary range for Controllers in other counties at $60-65,000. Cusick noted that paying such a low salary creates a risk of making the position unattractive to qualified candidates. "My goal behind sponsoring this Ordinance is that whomever decides to run for this office next year will be someone with some accounting background who could bring that to this position," stated Cusick.

United in opposition to this raise were Democrat Lamont McClure and Republican Ron Angle. McClure pointed to a recent increase in Lehigh Valley unemployment. "It's tone deaf of us to be raising the salary at all." He added that if no qualified candidates run, they can always raise the salary in the future.

"Frankly, I don't care whether the next Controller has bookkeeping experience," argued Ron Angle. "I see the Controller as the financial watchdog of the County. That's what that job is. Whether he is a CPA or whatever is irrelevant."

But Angle also noted that whenever he and McClure are on the same side of an issue, "it's usually a loser."

And lose they did. McHale, Cusick, Mike Dowd, Peg Ferraro and Bruce Gilbert voted for to raise the salary to $65,000. Gilbert and Ferraro were swayed by the study showing what other counties pay. And Rev. Dowd noted, "We took a part-time position, made it full-time, and then we say that's the only source of income that person is supposed to be operating within."

Joining Angle and McClure were Tom Dietrich and Barb Thierry.

7 comments:

  1. Hopefully, now someone qualified will run. The political hack in there now is an embarrassment.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I think the council is full of embarrassments.

    ReplyDelete
  3. This Barron hack is a real winner. He really showed what an ass he is with his goofy video.

    I hope a qualified Democrat and Republican dump this boob.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I want to know what Dowd makes if he thinks that $50,000 is unreasonable for a full time position.

    Wish I made $50,000 a year and I've been working fulltime for 13 years...

    ReplyDelete
  5. Bruce is fast proving his campaign rhetoric was just that.

    Disappointing.

    ReplyDelete
  6. The Jack Schitt graphic is a riot. Outstanding.

    ReplyDelete
  7. "Wish I made $50,000 a year and I've been working fulltime for 13 years"


    wow. how very disappointing for your parents.

    ReplyDelete

You own views are appreciated, especially if they differ from mine. But remember, commenting is a privilege, not a right. I will delete personal attacks or off-topic remarks at my discretion. Comments that play into the tribalism that has consumed this nation will be declined. So will comments alleging voter fraud unless backed up by concrete evidence. If you attack someone personally, I expect you to identify yourself. I will delete criticisms of my comment policy, vulgarities, cut-and-paste jobs from other sources and any suggestion of violence towards anyone. I will also delete sweeping generalizations about mainstream parties or ideologies, i.e. identity politics. My decisions on these matters are made on a case by case basis, and may be affected by my mood that day, my access to the blog at the time the comment was made or other information that isn’t readily apparent.