Q. Easton City Council is among the highest paid - I think they are the highest paid - in this area. Their annual salary is $9,371 and they also receive complete medical benefits. Is that correct?
Panto: "That is correct."
Q. I know there was a movement afoot four years ago to stop that, and I don't think it went anywhere.
Panto: "Well, it went to an independent study commission, who came back with a recommendation that the benefits and the salary stay the same. I'm not sure I agreed with it, but I certainly voted for it. I think if you're going to set up an independent commission to make a recommendation, those people are spending their time and energy to look at that situation. We should at least support it unless it's so far off that it's ridiculous.
"City Council has not received an increase in their salaries I think for ten years now."
Q. Well, you realize that in Northampton County, Councilmen only receive $7,500, mre than $2,000 less than an Easton City Councilman, and there, they receive no benefits.
Panto: "I don't disagree with any of that. I agree with it, bt that is a Councilmanic type action. It's not for me to - I do make recommendations, and I did make that recommendation that we look at, especially, the pension.
"More than anything, more than the dollars abut the salary and more than the dollars about the health benefits ('cause we're self-insured; as long as we have healthy Councilmen, which fortunately, we do, it doesn't cost us a lot of money), my real concern is the pension.
"It affects the pension immensely because our actuarial assumes that a Councilman could someday become a Mayor or another full-time employee of the City. Their years on Council, I don't believe, should be one for one. I think it should be a third. You have to work three years to get one year of pension eligibility.
"We had Council members in the past - Mike McFadden, Tom Goldsmith are the two most recent ones who served on City Council and earned some longevity, and then became a Mayor and increased their pension considerably. All within the law. But that is one thing I thought we could change."
10 comments:
Why do you think these people run for office!!!!
I will be interested in the Ambassador segment.
I visited Easton in the last year for an event at the State Theater. We planned on going early and having dinner downtown, but the kids feel asleep in the car. I did not have enough change for parking meters and was rejected by local businesses for change because it was a Saturday and the banks were closed. One business finally gave me change. Then I saw a "Red Coat" Ambassador. She reached in her pocket and offered me all the change and lint she could muster up. I graciously declined and just wanted to provide feedback on my experience and offer feedback. Talking with the Ambassador restored my confidence we enjoyed a fine dinner locally after our event "Jack Hanna".
The Ambassador was picking up trash as she walked down street which is a benefit to the city.
I would recommend the program continue and Easton should even go out of their way to uniform these people with nice jackets, shirts, and caps. Nothing is a better deterrent than a highly visible police officer or public servant. They are also easily identified by the weary patron in need of assistance.
I have a crush on the Ambassadors....the friendly face of Easton.
The self insurance aspect of health benefits is troubling. There is discrimination in hiring with these plans. Obviously employers are not going to be quick to hire someone with a dependent child and a $50,000 annual medical cost. The same will follow for council. A potential candidate with a dependent with high health expenses will not stand a chance with self insurance. Voters will reject the high costs if the conditions are known.
As far as pensions the real problem is that employees are pensioned based on their highest salary. An employee who transfers to a job paying more at the end of his career collects based on his highest income not really what was earned for the full time of employment. The real issue is that and the way to fix the problem is to base pensions on actual earnings much like social security. Then elected officials or anyone does not get the benefit of fixing a pension at the highest salary and not true wages.
The ambassadors are great.
To have them every property owner in downtown Easton will have to pay 6.5 mills of taxes or a one time increase of 33%.
The ambassadors are great, just not worth the cost.
I come to your restaurants and theatre often now and the Ambassadors are a great program and so is the Main Street program and the Farmers Market. I understansd that all of these programs are included in the NID, not just the Ambassadors. All three have made a vast improvement in your downtown and the mayor -- well you are lucky to have one of the best. Can we get him in Allentown?
Anon 821. I am not familiar w the cost. Where do you get the 6.5 mills?
Sorry for the typo.
It's 6.95 mills.
"The steering committee developing the improvement district is basing a portion of the budget on revenue generated from a 6.95 millage rate, according to information obtained by The Express-Times."
From the Express Times website
Look up Bell, California.
The real question is why people in other municipalities run for local council when the pay is $2,000 per year with absolutely no benefits. Must be public service. These people deserve our respect.
I don't know if Easton can justify those high salaries for city council much longer. They have contracted out much, water sewer garbage and now they are considering getting out of managing the downtown. They do half of the work that they did 15 years ago.
Post a Comment