If health insurance isn't expensive enough, now we see just how much we're paying for our legislators to enjoy free premiums.
Cayuga County taxpayers should not be paying over $164,000 annually in health insurance premiums for legislators. In fact, taxpayers are paying Legislators Steve Cuddeback, Michele Sedor, Sam DeRosa, Herb Marshall, Steve Netti, David Pappert, and Peter Tortorici nearly as much in annual health insurance preimums ($9,335) as they are in base salary ($9,500).
And taxpayers should certainly not be covering 100 percent of the premiums for retired part-time legislators with 10 years of service, which is costing taxpayers more than $5,000 a month, a figure which will keep growing as more retired legislators take advantage of this lucrative benefit. Who wouldn't? Currently, taxpayers are paying over $1,000 a month to cover premiums for retired legislators Paul Sedor, Charles Savage, Jr., and Arbon Hatfield.
No part-time position - whether in government or the private sector - should provide free health insurance, and certainly not free lifetime health insurance for its retirees.
Most of the American workforce in the private sector is now contributing to their company healthcare plans. We should expect the same of our county employees, who are being paid with our tax dollars.
Legislators who argue that free health insurance can be a necessary perk to lure the best people for public office seemed to have forgotten that the legislature - unlike the private sector - is not filled with the best people for the jobs, but people who earned the blessing of party bosses and then won an election ... sometimes unopposed. These are not jobs in which there is an open, competitive interviewing process between many highly-qualified candidates.
The only type of people who will be lured to these jobs by the free health insurance ... are those looking for free health insurance.
So, the next time your legislator tells you they are fighting to keep taxes down, let them know how much you pay for your skyrocketing health insurance ...
.. and, with the help of our detailed graphic on A6 today, how much you're paying for theirs.
And taxpayers should certainly not be covering 100 percent of the premiums for retired part-time legislators with 10 years of service, which is costing taxpayers more than $5,000 a month, a figure which will keep growing as more retired legislators take advantage of this lucrative benefit. Who wouldn't? Currently, taxpayers are paying over $1,000 a month to cover premiums for retired legislators Paul Sedor, Charles Savage, Jr., and Arbon Hatfield.
No part-time position - whether in government or the private sector - should provide free health insurance, and certainly not free lifetime health insurance for its retirees.
Most of the American workforce in the private sector is now contributing to their company healthcare plans. We should expect the same of our county employees, who are being paid with our tax dollars.
Legislators who argue that free health insurance can be a necessary perk to lure the best people for public office seemed to have forgotten that the legislature - unlike the private sector - is not filled with the best people for the jobs, but people who earned the blessing of party bosses and then won an election ... sometimes unopposed. These are not jobs in which there is an open, competitive interviewing process between many highly-qualified candidates.
The only type of people who will be lured to these jobs by the free health insurance ... are those looking for free health insurance.
So, the next time your legislator tells you they are fighting to keep taxes down, let them know how much you pay for your skyrocketing health insurance ...
.. and, with the help of our detailed graphic on A6 today, how much you're paying for theirs.
Citizen
Hot Jobs
New! Off the Menu
The Citizens' Say
Post your comment - click hereThere are No comments posted.