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| Majoring in the Minors |
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| Written by Pete Theisen |
| Sunday, 05 December 2010 22:39 |
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The City has recently had a staff discussion about "pre 93" health care benefits. The amount that is projected to be collected this year from the affected people is about $507,600. By way of explanation, the pre 93 people are employees and retirees from the City of Sarasota who worked for reduced wages (relative to what people elsewhere were earning) in exchange for a promise of city paid lifelong health insurance. You guessed it, the City administration wants to default on the bet. In the context of the more or less $131,000,000 budget it is not a huge amount, perhaps 10 cents on the assessed value per thousand of the city. This could be met by cutting waste in other areas of the budget, some of which I have identified already, with no tax impact at all, although no doubt some of the cuts will turn out to be someone's sacred cow. The commissioners all voted for taking it from the mostly retired 705 people unlucky enough to be pre 93s, but that could be revisited. I sent this appeal to all the commissioners and candidates. One candidate has indicated that he will join me in opposing the measure, another is wavering. "The people of Sarasota are kind and generous. We dare not dishonor their reputation. We must not dishonor their reputation. "The last thing we need for Sarasota is another "Meanness" award. While it is true that we need to save money, the proposal to renege on the promised free health care benefits to the City's pre-93 retirees just goes beyond the pale. "'It was a commitment, it was a promise. No question that people were told that.' (from the September 20th City Commission meeting) Today (11/24/10) I call upon every current City Commissioner and every candidate for election to the City Commission to join with me in opposing this proposed breach of faith with those who have served us at reduced wages for so many years. "Should I be elected I will vote "no" on charging pre-93s for the promised free health benefit. There are other ways to cut the budget." |
| Last Updated on Tuesday, 07 December 2010 13:29 |
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