John "boy" Haas & The Two Amigos
It is clearly evident! That John "boy" Hass and the two amigos; Albrecht and Basham, do not want to tackle the real issues of our city's deficit. John "boy" doesn't want to make the Fire or Police Departments restructure or even say NO to them on any issue because; his brother-in-law is on the fire department.
But, he now as Council President wants to cut the City's Health Department and it's programs out!
John "boy" won't think about doing the following things to cut the budget deficit!
- Take away the Fire Departments free Life Center Memberships to each Fire Department employee. They have workout equipment already paid for by taxpayer money at the station. $15,400.00 a year! $350.00 x 44 employees.
- Stop paying the 34% for Fire Depart., 29.5% for Police Dept., and 24% of all other city employee's pension plans, including John "boy's" and the elected officials.
- Stop paying the Police Department a $1,000.00 a year cash clothing allowance every year! And, then not make them required to spend it on the clothing! $44,000.00 per year for the Police Department. Fire Department receives this money as well!
- Require city employees to pay more than $25.00 per month for single health care coverage and $50.00 per month for a family! Taxpayer cost $6,000 per yr. for single and $15,000 per yr. for family. Just with Fire and Police Departments that is: $528,00.00 per yr. if all were single coverages and $1,320,000.00 per yr. if all are families!
Maybe, Rober Forrey can do a piece on John "boy" and call it "Oxy-Moron"! Because, he uses scare tactics that if this proposed income tax increase does not pass we may lose services! Then turns right around and suggest that the Health Department be eliminated or merge somewhere else. Ultimately cutting services and programs to the citizens! If that not a oxymoron statement then what is?
John "boy" wants to cut the Health Department because in one big broad swoop he can gain alot of money to fix the budget money wise but, not fix the problems! Same reason they want this Proposed City Income Tax Increase; it fixes the money issues but, not the problem! That problem is: Unions and the Collective Bargaining Unit! They have a choke hold on our governments and are sucking the taxpayers dry!
Taxes should be determined by the taxpayers... not the unions and a collective bargaining agreement!
Hopefully Ohio lawmakers will pass Senate Bill 5 and loosen the grip of unions on the citizens!
Jay McDonald, President of the Fraternal Order of Police of Ohio and a major in the Marion Police Department, recently hired Mark R. Weaver. Weaver is a prominent Republican media consultant and has been hired by police and fire unions to thwart plans by Gov. John Kasich and GOP lawmakers to kill binding arbitration and eliminate or alter collective bargaining. It is reported that Weaver would receive $300,00.00 for a budget for the campaign effort. Neither McDonald or Weaver would confirm!
So, expect some big ads to come out very soon against Senate Bill 5!
Read this link, this could be Portsmouth
ReplyDeletehttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/02/20/sunday/main20034120.shtml
There are a lot of things hidden in the budget. Getting rid of the Health Dept. won't fix the problem even for a year. That dept. only accounts for 6% of the General Fund Budget. The real problem is the pension pickup and the health insurance. The water dept. makes money but the profits from it are diverted to other depts. The only reason the water rates were raised 18% was to help the other departments. Check the budget and see where all your money is going. Most people will be surprised. Actually the clothing allowance requested for the Police Dept. is $64,000.
ReplyDeletewow...so less informed than you'd like to think you are....only a small handful of the firefighters take advantage of the LifeCenter benefit. Savings would be no where close to $15,400. Not to mention that I am pretty sure that the dipatchers are not offered that benefit, and they take up 6 of those 44 spots. But nice try...oh and another thing, all workout equipment at the stations has been donated or purchased and placed there by the members themselves. Not one taxpayer dollar. But nice try...
ReplyDeleteFire Dept receives only $600/year for clothing/uniforms, not $1000 like the police....
and if I'm not mistaken, the firefighters have offered to pay $200 per month for their family plans, or approx. %15, same as the SB 5 wanted....
To Anonymous March 21st.
ReplyDeleteLife Center Benefit: Those who don't receive the membership receive a check in that amount! Interesting point though - if only a few take advantage of the benefit you call it - then that in itself says that it is a sham for the taxpayers to pay for this benefit.
Clothing allowance:
But, the police do not receive a Life Center Benefit either.
Insurance Benefits:
They should have been paying 15% all along! Now, start payin their share of their retirement.
Stop asking for pay raises every year; the rest of the country has been put on hold for increases and have been for a couple years now!
And, your well informed! The firefighters agreed to pay for their insurance like they should have been anyway; and in return asked that nobody be layed off from the fire dept. They once again went behind the backs of the other unions and cut a deal! Jackals, every last one of them! Drinking and driving and having a gun in the vehicle too when pulled over! The person this happened to brag about it! Not, a very brite person either!