Look, it's no secret that I just love, adore and respect Councilwomen Debbie Campbell and Terry Cohen. What they have done for the City representing the citizens is above and beyond what ANY other Council Member has ever proven to do in the past.
However, let's get real on some of the topics GA brought up. Number one, do I feel Council Members should be gifted with Health Insurance from the Taxpayers? After months of thought on this matter, no, I do not believe they should be gifted with it.
They are not City Employees and are more along the lines of Contractors/Consultants. That being said, even though you and I both know they do represent the citizens on a full time basis, I also believe that GA and some others are defending Debbie and Terry simply because other Council Members enjoyed the luxury of Health Insurance. It started out with former Mayor Barrie Tilghman gifting Michael Day with Health Insurance and then changed her mind once he was voted out of Office.
Now, how they've gone about handling all of this has been wrong. Then again, if I were to look at the way this Council and the former Council handled most items on their agenda I'd have to say they handled 80+% of it wrong too, seriously.
As for the change in time for Work Sessions, well, we ALL know this was out of spite. Let me just say this. IF the citizens vote for Smith, Comegys and Shields again this upcoming election you can find another source for your daily news and information because I for one will shut this damn Blog down so fast it isn't funny. Their spite, disrespect and lack of professionalism is beyond disgraceful, so I agree with you there GA.
As for their trying to only get wealthy and retired people to run for Office, I'm not so sure I can firmly agree with you and allow me to explain why. It's almost impossible to get anyone to run for Office in Salisbury, let alone someone who fits either agenda.
Besides Bob Caldwell, who else ran for Mayor that was worth a damn? Look at who was running for City Council this last election as well. NONE of them, and I do mean NONE of them were qualified, other than residency. Jim Ireton never ran a business, let alone a milti million dollar business.
Anyhow, I don't want to get too long winded on this one, as I easily could. In these hard economic times I believe the Health Insurance Policy is a valid discussion. We shouldn't have to use perks to get and or keep Council Members. That being said, the Council should also remove ANYONE ELSE receiving such perks from the City as well and not just pick on the City Council Members.
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
To be fair, I think that those "perks" should be removed, but with a reasonable period for the recipients to find other sources for those truly needed, like health care.
ReplyDeleteThe Tilghman way of doing it was a politically motivated direct slap in the faces of Campbell and Cohen; it was a roadblock that she threw up to disgrace everyone who came after her, particularly her successor. All of her council pawns had qualified for retirement medical plans via either their own or their spouses. Tilghman knew that Campbell and Cohen were the only two who would be left in the lurch (and the only two with dependent children).
Ireton did the right thing to extend the benefits by adjusting the budget. Now it's time to make another adjustment, but not so that the rug is pulled from under those who came on the job with the promise of a health care program.
I disagree, Joe. My brother served as a town commissioner years ago in another state. He was self-employed. People begged him to run. That would have cut into his ability to make some of his income and pay for his health insurance.
ReplyDeleteBecause they offered health insurance, K. was able to take time away from business, drop his insurance for awhile, and be a commissioner. (He was great, even if I am biased.)
If we don't offer something, then we only get the rich, the connected or the retired from civil service like Comegys and Smith.
Campbell and Cohen may not have run multi-million dollar businesses, but it's obvious they know business and money. I've lived here a long time and not all of the council people who did run big businesses were good.
I don't want any more good old boys. If health insurance is what it takes to get smart women with children like Campbell and Cohen, I support it.
Now, I don't think the insurance should be fantastic and everyone else's terrible, but what I hear is officials get what employees do so that's fair.
Don't forget who were earlier beneficiaries of City healt insurance coverage -- Michael Day and Shanie Shields (FOB's).
ReplyDeleteIt was not started for C & C.
I agree with you Joe!
ReplyDeleteSadly all politicians believe they deserve perk after perk and to represent the people. Corporate America has created this greed and entitlement. Where will it end? I agree with Joe, Council Persons should not get insurance benefits.
ReplyDeleteIf that's what it takes to get someone with a brain to run, I say let them have health care benefits. With all the pi****g away of money that the Tilghman administration did, it's a drop in the bucket to pay to have someone with real ability and connection to the people. I think health care for those folks is getting a bargain for someone who devotes so much time to the city and its people for the paltry sum of what, $15,000 a year? In the long run, it's peanuts.
ReplyDeleteCouncil access to health insurance has been in place since long before BPT. In fact, Mr. Seidel used the city's insurance when he served on council. There is nothing scandalous or wrong about a council member utilizing the insurance. The value of having access to the coverage was taken into account by the council salary review commmittee too.
ReplyDeleteI do not live is Salisbury. I do think in today's climate, the option for health insurance should be offered. Council members should be responsible for paying what the city employees pay, i.e. single coverage pay for single coverage, family pays for family coverage. In our small town for our town concil, we offer a stipend which just about covers your water bill. Salisbury city business is a lot more to manage and govern than our small town. The rest of our governing boards are all volunteer.
ReplyDeleteWouldn't even be an issue if we were a civilized country with Universal Health Care.
ReplyDeleteWould this even be an issue if Barrie Tilghman and her henchmen and henchwomen didn't try to break the law to screw their political opponents?
ReplyDeletePeople have allowed this to become about Campbell and Cohen. Just what Barrie Tilghman, Gary Comegys, Louise Smith, Shanie Shields and Jonathan Taylor wanted.
Jonathan Taylor posted pictures of both Campbell and Cohen's kids, about Campbell's husband and got very personal about their families in ways that would make me afraid for my family and I'm 6' 3" and 260 lbs.
Families are put on the line when people are in office so I have no problem at all with them getting this "perk". If it was my family, hell yeah I'd think they deserved to have part of the freight paid.
As for the two gals, they've saved the city a helluva lot more taxpayer dollars than the insurance costs.
Even as tight as I am, this is a petty bunch of horsesh*t when you've got a fire department chief blowing money like a cheap ho.
Just my two cents, Joe. Otherwise, love the blog. Keep it up.