Fiscal Affairs Director Doran Hammond gently suggested, at yesterday's Finance Committee hearing, that an ordinance providing for a separate Gracedale account is really unnecessary. Last year, Council adopted a resolution calling for a separate Gracedale account to keep its funds segregated from the rest of the County, and Council President John Cusick now wants to codify that wish. But Hammond told Council that there already are tow accounts set aside for Gracedale, and it is treated as a "special revenue fund."
Bob Werner asked about surpluses in previous years, and Hammond acknowledged they went from the Gracedale accounts into the general fund. "I feel this Ordinance is necessary based on past practice," stated Werner, which seems to be the consensus of the eight Council members at yesterday's meeting.
Today's one-liner: "The shortest way to the distinguishing excellence of any writer is through his hostile critics." Richard LeGallienne
Local Government TV
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Thursday, January 19, 2012
27 comments:
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.
Doran was not gently suggesting anything. This is important so council can keep tabs on the money taken out of the special revenue fund and make sure it goes back for operations or capital expenses when the facility needs it. This way as in the past (which Mr. Werner pointed out) the money won't get lost and forgotten about. We need it, it will pass and anyone who votes no will be dealt with at the ballot box just as Angle was!
ReplyDeleteUnecessary- Gracedale will never be profitable again with out needing millions of county dollars. Will the ordinace allow for the negative balance , i. e., the local money to be carried forward ?
ReplyDelete1:24, Feeling a little ominpotent, aren't we?
ReplyDeleteThis is a critical piece of legislation. Mr. Hammon was just saying what Stoffa told him to say.
ReplyDeleteAfter the games played by this administration regarding Gracedale, a separate money trail must be established. It is also important that any money that needs to go in or is "taken out" must be run by County council.
No more trust of these guys until they earn it.
This is a good idea..The County , in the past, apparently raided Gracedale to pay for other general fund needs. This , hopefully will prevent that. However, the county needed the increase Stoffa requested to help get gracedale squared away and the last Council refused to do that..So, we'll see..
ReplyDeleteI have a G.D. question, what the hell are we doing pandering to the union that represents human services?
ReplyDeleteI thought we were out of money, why are they getting a G.D. raise?
ALL PAYS SHOULD BE FROZEN AT THE VERY LEAST.
Stoffa has routinely given out fat raises over the past seven years. Then with the other side of his mouth he condemns the unions.
ReplyDeleteDear 11:34 and 3:06,
ReplyDeleteIf you really feel that way, why don't you go to the meeting tonight and ask the same questions in the same tone? See how that works out for you...You might also become less ignorant to the facts and then know what the hell you are talking about..If you knew what was in the contract, which you obviously don't, you'd realize Stoffa got a good contract for the county..Human Services will eventually all be privitized thanks to our Republican Governor..Then you will get what you pay for...Sadly..
Unless the other unions receive the same "good contract". Isn't Stoffa trying to negotiate a giveback from the Gracedale union.
ReplyDeleteThe entire particulars are in the paper today. I say pass let us all have a taste of the ambrosia.
We are either broke or we are not. Someones been sleeping in my bed....Pappa Bear
Frankly I am quite tired of people roiling the waters with these forked tongue assertions.
Much of the human Services budget is paid for by State and Federal monies..The county only has to increase their portion when the State cuts their share..Of course, our wonderful governor is cutting back, forcing an increase in the county share..Instead of bitching about the contract , why don't you call the Governor and yell at him..
ReplyDeletehe's the reason the county's costs are going up..
We the taxpayer pays whether it is county funded or state funded. I for one see the need to cut back. It is coming like it or not. We can not afford to take care of everyone including unions who get some 65 cents on a dollar in benies. You can't even get that out of the contracts. We go to court, lose and pay anyway. It does not matter which hand it comes from, it comes from we the people. I have a family with needs where does it end??? Everyone should first help their own. We are headed here so get ready. This economy is bad and getting worse. Who will pay then??? We must privatize. We will privatize or close down. I am just as worried about criminals being let loose because there is no money.
ReplyDeleteGet the ordinance done before JC takes over and finds the money.
ReplyDeleteYou union guys are idiots. Stoffa gives one union fat raises and cries that the Gracedale union is piggish and needs to have huge pay cuts.
ReplyDeleteFor once in your life, think about that. Stoffa picks and chooses who gets screwed and what truth is the best truth that day.
You unions don't give a crap about your "brothers" and "sisters" in the other unions do you?
Wait till Callahan gets there. His specialty os not only selling nursing homes but laying off union memerbs. SWEET!!!!
Dear 7:30,
ReplyDeleteAre you a complete idiot? The contract had more givebacks than gains and yet u r attacking the unions and the administration. You obviously have no idea what's in the contract. Your ignorance ,along with the other antiunion posters, is absolutely pathetic. Most union service workers have part time jobs because their salaries aren't even close to being enough to raise a family. Most live paycheck to paycheck at best. So please, unless you have any idea what u r talking about, just shut up!
Dear 7:30,
ReplyDeleteAre you a complete idiot? The contract had more givebacks than gains and yet u r attacking the unions and the administration. You obviously have no idea what's in the contract. Your ignorance ,along with the other antiunion posters, is absolutely pathetic. Most union service workers have part time jobs because their salaries aren't even close to being enough to raise a family. Most live paycheck to paycheck at best. So please, unless you have any idea what u r talking about, just shut up!
Hey Tom
ReplyDeleteDid you catch what Cussick said tonight about starting somewhere as far as higher contributions?
Batter up?
7:46,
ReplyDeleteYour name is appropriate - FOOL. just another give me, give me, union do nothing slug. If the union pukes have a part time job it's because they have so much time off from their real employment
Tom is one of Barron's union thugs. One day he is loving Stoffa for fat pay checks and then he is praising Barron for asbestos.
ReplyDeleteNo wonder these union people don't get it.
Zorn and other moronic posters,
ReplyDeleteYou have no clue what was in the contract..Tom was correct..You are pathetically ignorant..The administration disagrees with you..7 Of 8 Councilpeople disagreed with you..The unions think you are pathetic, cowardly punks who can post crap on the blog but didn't have the guts to come to the meeting tonight..You are cowards, cowards, cowards...Not one voice there attacking the contract because you all would have been laughed out of the meeting..Give it up..Way to go Tom!!!
Tom's comments here are always welcome. The contract approved does contain concessions.
ReplyDeleteUnder other circumstances you would think that if the county bailed out GD after a bad year then the taxpayer would see that money come back on a good year for other uses. When we give GD taxpayer monies we do not have it for other services. While this seems fair to me the unions are a very squeaky wheel and without the public who are not union supporting and demanding equal justice it just will not happen. While I dislike that term I do feel it should be used if only to say "how do you like it?" It's only fair if one side uses it? Who gets 65 cents on a dollar in benefits. I do not want my taxes raised because of this and they will be at some point.
ReplyDeleteWe wil see this money separated I believe but again it just does not feel fair. GD should have an account built on profit and union givebacks and only use this before coming to the county. Who says you have to spend everything. Have a buffer first. And where are the union givebacks? What a joke that turned out to be. The joke is on "we the people" although Mario who uses this term is nowhere to be found on this subject.
Yeah Gracedale, give back just like Human Sevices?
ReplyDeleteI didn't believe it at the time, due to the gigantic spin machine,
I WANTED TO DUMP GRACEDALE!!!
Literally 2 weeks AFTER the voters chose to keep the place, Stoffa had a magic remedy for repairs. Now this half assed contract approved.
To tell you the truth if I worked at the place and watched all these revolting developements, I would not be inclined to offer "much" in a contract negotiation.
I think, and this after much thought, that there was a conspiracy at play to make a case to sell the place.
AND I VOTED TO SELL!!!
Until it is proven otherwise I feel;
I WAS DUPED!!!
Stoffa is playing one union against the other. He is a master at that. Of course the dumb union people can't figure that out. They will sell their "brothers" out for an extra dime.
ReplyDeleteSo to one Human Services union he gives fat raises and to Gracedale he says give money back.
HMMM, something doesn't add up does it. Must be Reibmans fault.
By the way Stoffa is spending millions of dollars more than anyone else in human services, why no outcry about that?
for a county that has NO money, I would like to know how much they just spent on clocks at GD. they installed i would say around 75 clocks that are all in sync with satellites!! maybe they should have put the money into something more important!
ReplyDeleteAs far as the costs of benefits. I tried to explain before, but Bernie deleted my posting.
the reason they pay $.60 on a dollar is because the wages are lower than the rest of the county, If they pay was higher the employee would pay more.. common sense.. raise the wages!Example: if someone is making 10.00 an hour the county will pay .10 for benefits, if someone is making $5.00 an hour the county has to pay .20 for benefits. The more you make the more the employee pays. Simple facts!!!
I only delete comments containing personal attacks. Wages are lower at Gracedale for housekeepers, but not the nurses. The benefits are now in the high 60s.
ReplyDeletePure fact. The "cents on the dollar" benefit argument has always been disingenuous. That is one reason thinking people dumped Angle and Saved Gracedale.
ReplyDeleteJohn Stoffa and his crew get the same "cents on the dollar" in benefits as the housekeeper in Gracedale.
The difference is Stoffa is overpaid at $85K and the housekeeper is underpaid at $23K. so if someone wanted to pay games they could make it look like the housekeeper cost more.
More fuzzy math from the people who brought us chaos.
LS
Stoffa is a disgrace. We won't vote for a fancy speech again.
ReplyDelete