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1/11/2011
Appleton labor contract taken up Wednesday – and other stuff
Appleton taxpayers have questions to ask Mayor Hanna, the city’s Human Resource Director and the Finance and Administration Committee. I asked (and answered) three of them yesterday.
- Would it be wise to get more accurate health care cost assumptions for 2012 and 2013?
- Would it be wise, before passing a 3-year contract, with shared revenues expected to shrink, to tell taxpayers exactly how the city expects to pay for those increases in the out years?
- Would it be wise to consider that potential state labor law changes may impact future negotiations and then consider a one-year contract, in the best interest of city taxpayers?
Yes, yes and yes
You can – and should – ask your own questions of the Finance Committee – 5:00 this Wednesday afternoon at the Finance Committee’s meeting – 6th floor, City Hall, 100 N. Appleton St. The meeting room is on your left, 10 feet in front of the elevator.
Other stuff
This really gets under my skin – it’s an abuse of power by (at least one) county supervisor(s).
Supervisor Jerry Finch, whose district includes wards in the towns of Menasha and Neenah, has been circulating a petition among board members calling for a resolution that would reduce the Winnebago County Board from 36 to 35 supervisors. With 17 supervisors signing the petition, the resolution could be introduced at the county board meeting Jan. 18.
Key fact: State law allows only one change in board size between federal Census counts. In other words, if a petition reducing Board size to 35 members succeeds, there’s then zero risk taxpayers and responsive supervisors would even debate the value of a significantly smaller, possibly more effective board.
It’s not a coincidence that Finch represents the Town of Menasha; last night the Town Board was to vote on a resolution opposing the reduction in size of the Winnebago County Board of Supervisors, declaring the “Town of Menasha needs representation at the county level for its residents and its businesses…”
I think this county board size business needs some serious discussion. It’s time – once again.
Jo Egelhoff, FoxPolitics.net
COMMENTS
Would it be wise?
Jo you are starting to song like a broken record with your "Would it be wise?" question. And I agree with you. You simply want an answer to some basic, simple questions.
Please City Council. Be Bold! And please answer the question(s) before you vote.
David (Tue Jan 11 08:37:39 2011)
It was nice to see you last night Jo.
On the Winnebago County Board issue. I am with Supervisor Finch on this issue. Reduction in the number of supervisors impacts Townships much more than villages and cities...if you lower the number of supervisors the less representation townships have. Look at the Town of Menahsa. The township has the 3rd largest population in the County (yes..we have more people than the City of Menasha), yet we only have one supervisor on the Board who represents just Town of Menasha residents. The rest represent more than one municipality.
The more you reduce the board, the more power is consolidated at the city and village level and the more townships are at a disadvantage.
Jerry is working to maintain representation for townships and I support him.
Dale McNamee (Tue Jan 11 08:40:22 2011)
I really fail to see the logic in reducing part-time elected board seats, thereby reducing the opportunity for citizens to serve in a decision making position in their local government.
The more you reduce the opportunites to serve, the larger you make the districts, and the closer you get to people serving who "have the best line of BS."
We could get into the subject of what a campaign for a seat on a smaller board would cost, but I'll leave that to Jack and others who may be better qualified to address issues of financing campaigns.
Duke (Tue Jan 11 09:19:56 2011)
David, I agree, Jo is sounding much too civil. Maybe the question should be, " when are you going to get off your complacent arses and ask the common sense, but difficult question, how will these contracts be paid for." Simply raising taxes on folks, many of who have not seen any raise in income for 3-5 years, and some of us who have had our incomes reduced significantly.
It's not the tiresome argument that public employees worked for lesser comparative wages for years because they had more opportunity to move to other private sector jobs. Our Nation, and our area does not enjoy those larger opportunities and we must plan for a leaner period.
The out year contracts had some pretty hefty increases as noted earlier; does government simply lay off folks. That seems a senseless approach; now is the time for shared concern, keep jobs even if scaled back or more shared cost for benefits. We have faced this situation in our own family and chose to do what it takes to get through and still be standing on the other side of this rotten economic period.
Two things I have observed during 45 years in the labor force, the economic tide will rise again, and the rising tide lifts all ships, except those whose owners chose not to keep in good order.
Richard Parins (Tue Jan 11 13:17:08 2011)
David, I agree, Jo is sounding much too civil. Maybe the question should be, " when are you going to get off your complacent arses and ask the common sense, but difficult question, how will these contracts be paid for." Simply raising taxes on folks, many of who have not seen any raise in income for 3-5 years, and some of us who have had our incomes reduced significantly.
It's not the tiresome argument that public employees worked for lesser comparative wages for years because they had more opportunity to move to other private sector jobs. Our Nation, and our area does not enjoy those larger opportunities and we must plan for a leaner period.
The out year contracts had some pretty hefty increases as noted earlier; does government simply lay off folks. That seems a senseless approach; now is the time for shared concern, keep jobs even if scaled back or more shared cost for benefits. We have faced this situation in our own family and chose to do what it takes to get through and still be standing on the other side of this rotten economic period.
Two things I have observed during 45 years in the labor force, the economic tide will rise again, and the rising tide lifts all ships, except those whose owners chose not to keep in good order.
Richard Parins (Tue Jan 11 13:17:42 2011)
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