I suppose when you’re trying to cut costs, particularly health care costs, every little bit helps. To whit, New York State’s Attorney General Cuomo and Monroe County’s Executive Brooks have both announced that they’re shutting down free health care benefits for public Authority members:
N.Y., Monroe try to end health benefits, other rewards || Democrat & Chronicle: Local News
(March 9, 2007) ? State and Monroe County officials struck separate blows Thursday at the long-held practice of giving health insurance and other perks to board members of some public authorities.First, state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo ordered the state Power Authority and the Thruway Authority to stop paying health insurance premiums for current and past board members, saying the act is illegal. And he warned other authorities, if they are doing so, to stop dishing out the benefits.
A few hours later, Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks and Legislative Majority Leader Bill Smith, R-Pittsford, submitted a proposed county law that would outlaw future members of the Monroe County Water Authority board from getting health insurance.
If you, like I, were unaware that members of the Rochester-Genesee Regional Transportation Authority were in fact volunteers in the first place, I’ve got an update for you: they are. I know. News to me, too. . .
But if they are, then there’s no reason we should be footing the bill for member’s health care, is there? I suppose not, but then I’m not certain that this was the big fish I would have hoped the new Attorney General was setting his lines for. . .
Case in point, witness John Riedman. Just check out the bizarre test case that the D&C decided was appropriate to display the flagrant misuse of power:
Democrat & Chronicle: Local News
Riedman gives $150,000 a year to keep open the fish hatchery at Powder Mills Park and gave $1 million in 2005 to the Rochester Museum & Science Center for a new gallery. But while Riedman has been generous to the community, he has been relying on state taxpayers to help pay for his health insurance, at an expected cost of $11,352 this year, according to the authority.
So this guy’s contributed no less than 1.15 million dollars to Rochester in the past year, and we can’t handle a measly $11,352 in insurance? I mean, I realize that there are board members who are giving a whole lot less and getting the same 11-large. But why pick on this guy? Are they saying that it’s wrong to take his health care away, or are they saying that he’s rich enough to pay his own way? I just don’t get what they were going for, here.
And then there’s Maggie Brooks. In Monroe County’s case, 11 big ones per member of Association-X makes a big difference, so I’d be willing to go along with this idea of hers. However, she doesn’t have a law on her side, she needs to pass a law. In order to pass that law, she needs to make sure that the current members (largely appointed by fellow majority Republicans in the Legislature) don’t lose their benefits (em. mine):
Democrat & Chronicle: Local News
Until Thursday, Brooks, who is seeking re-election this year, had defended the benefits given to Water Authority members. Yet Brooks’ aides said it became clear that the perks were excessive. She thought it was important, however, to continue to provide salaries to board members to compensate them for their service, said spokesman John Durso.The County Legislature, expected to vote on the proposal Tuesday, appoints members to the Water Authority and sets the salary and benefits for the board. But the Water Authority is an independent agency.
Um-hum. And “Brutus is an honorable man.”
So, we’re going to pass a law stating that everyone currently getting benefits will keep getting benefits, but new people don’t? What, exactly, is the turnover rate for an appointed part-time position with free health benefits? I’d never leave, personally.
So, the state’s doing something almost completely meaningless and the county is doing something completely toothless. Huzzah! We’re cleaning up this joint, tute-sweet.
Technorati Tags: Rochester, Monroe County, New York State, Andrew Cuomo, Maggie Brooks
powered by performancing firefox
