The LuLac Edition #1957, February 22nd, 2012
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WRITE ON WEDNESDAY
AUSTERITY & THE COUNTY
Even though Luzerne County Council passed a budget last week, and it appears the Prison union might make some concessions, a letter writer to the Times Leader had it correct when he stated the County should adopt a plan of austerity in the next few years. Here are his thoughts:
Time for Luzerne County to turn toward austerity
It seems that we are at a “Y” in the road and Luzerne County has a choice to make. Is it going to continue this policy of short fixes for mounting debt, or is it going to have a new day in Luzerne County?
People who work for the county already have decent salaries and benefits. Since they work for the residents of Luzerne County, it is time they share more in its financial survival. Union representative Paula Schnelly told council members to come to the courthouse and watch the laid-off workers cry. I suggest to Ms. Schnelly that she have the remaining workers – who won’t take a 2012 wage freeze or give up 12 days of paid work to help save their fellow workers’ jobs – come down and watch them cry.
Interim County Manager Tom Pribula feels Chief Public Defender Al Flora will sue the county no matter what because the council is not providing his financial request. It is refreshing to note that the manager can, with council confirmation, put someone in that office who will cooperate.
Councilman Rick Williams said it perfectly. We have to adopt a serious austerity concept that brings us out of this quagmire a leaner, stronger, more efficient county.
Let’s hope we take that road, because we cannot continue down the one we are on now.
Charles Austin
Harveys Lake
posted by David Yonki @ 12:40 AM
1 comments
1 Comments:
"People who work for the county already have decent salaries and benefits." Some people Yonk, some people, Do you think $30,000 can raise a family and own a modest home without great sacrifice???? I think it is time to get off the backs of the county workers.
I suggest to Ms. Schnelly that she have the remaining workers – who won't take a 2012 wage freeze or give up 12 days of paid work to help save their fellow workers’ jobs – come down and watch them cry." What is your problem Yonk? You know damned well that the employees never had the opportunity to agree or disagree with any plan, it was never brought to the employees.
"I suggest to Ms. Schnelly that she have the remaining workers – who won't take a 2012 wage freeze or give up 12 days of paid work to help save their fellow workers’ jobs – come down and watch them cry.
Am I nuts? Pribula asks the employees who make salaries as low as $19,000 per year to give up 12 days pay while he earns $2,000 per week and has not given a dime by way of leadership or example. He will be right up front looking for his old job back and I wonder if he will take the original salary or one of these new Vonderspend type salaries? Skrep and Vonderspend created a huge increase in management salaries and what did it get us? It sounds easy to give up 12 days pay but at the same time, the county manager offered not one imaginative suggestion that would help. All he did was cut jobs and ask for days off without pay and for that they gave him $2,000 a week? Pitiful!
So for the record, in the future, please hold you criticism of the employees for not cooperating to help with the problem, take your frustration on Paula Schnelly who has to be the worst union president in the county's unionized history. Keep in mind that Petrilla gave her daughter a job so ain't that sweet? When would the boss ever do a huge favor for the union president without a quid pro quo?
One other complaint while I'm wound up. Why does Pribula use percentages to describe a tax increase rather than millage? People don't relate to 2% or 4% but they know what millage is. I think all he did was cause confusion and distrust by not talking millage from day one. He is too much of a bean counter than a county manager.
OK, that's it from me. I'm going to take a valium and go to bed.
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