Most of the Jeffersonville City council pretty much ignored e-mails sent to them about the health care plans provided by Jeffersonville taxpayers that nearly all the members take advantage of even though most have benefits available to them from their full time employers.
Ed "Moe" Zastawny (R) replied in his E-mail suggested to "reference an employee handbook" and that city employees are "significantly different" than elected officials... Well Duh Moe !! that's the problem, part time employees ARE different, they DON'T have the option of receiving medical benefits like you and other members of the council do ..Jeesh.... you can see what we are dealing with here...like everyone carries around a copy of the Jeffersonville employee's handbook...
Recently elected councilman Dustin White (D) responded "Cease and desist" from using his personal E-mail account even though that is the one listed on the Jeffersonville City web site...Jeesh Dustin why do you even have an e-mail address if you don't want people using it.
Lisa Gill (R) appeared rather upset at being questioned about her part time status and benefits then seemingly proceeded to throw fellow council members under the proverbial bus. Ms. Gill says she spends more than 40 hours per week plus weekend work...Ms. Gill went on to say "What is unfair to the taxpayers is those that hold this office who do not put in even the part time hours."
Interesting information Ms. Gill, care to share with the BatBlog just who on the council doesn't even put in the "part time hours" ??? Pretty sure the public and voters would like this information...Just e-mail the BatBlog at hoosiertaxpayer@outlook.com
PART II next week....
Come on now, HT!! If you were privy to my email then you must know I provided my City email address.
ReplyDeleteAs far as my private email address being listed, it was without my knowledge and is not there now.
Yes you did provide your city email address, the Batblog just feels "Cease and Desist" was pretty strongly worded. The sender was just going by what was published on the City website...
ReplyDeleteWas "Cease and desist" really necessary ???
That is more commonly used to someone who has broken some sort of law....but thanks for responding and all comments are appreciated...Also how do you feel about this issue ??
It's obvious by the indifference and ignoring of the email that they aren't too keen for this special benefit to be known. Very few people are aware of this bonus for essentially part time work. How many responded and who?
ReplyDeleteGood job getting a response from a city official, HT!
ReplyDeleteI believe 5 of the 9 current council members responded Gill, Owen, Zastawny, Hawkins and White.. Jahn, Maples, Samuel and Webb did not...
ReplyDeleteLet me say this,... the person who emailed them was very polite and cordial, who just asked why taxpayers should pay for their and families coverage when most had coverage from their full time employers. She did her research had the costs through an open records request and thought that this information should be brought out to the public and the BatBlog agrees.
IMO those who did respond except for Hawkins and to a certain extent Owen were dismissive in their tone like this shouldn't be brought to light.
If any of these councilmen/women didn't have coverage through their employers, neither the BatBlog or the author of the email would have a problem with them taking the City's insurance. On the other hand the taxpayers shouldn't be forced to pay thousands of dollars for those who can have insurance from their employer. Which is not only wasting tax dollars unneedlessly but also benefiting the private businesses that these councilmen/ women work for that now don't have to provide them with coverage...
Dumb ass Democrats have an opportunity as the minority to take the Republicans to task over their wasteful spending! Republicans have done this for years, and we're obviously successful.
ReplyDeleteInstead, greedy Democrats want their benefits too! It's too late now......already in bed with the greedy Republicans!
Ms.Gill does work hard, but feels she is owed more compensation than others. While I believe just compensation is being paid with their sizeable salary, MS Gill is not owed anymore than that. What I don't understand......what happened to those who Brag about the great Republicans. Awfully quiet!
ReplyDeleteLet me get one thing straight, while several members of this current council did just vote themselves pay raises. They DID NOT vote in the ordinance or provision that allows them to use the City Health package. That I assume was voted in by a previous council, if someone is aware when this happened please let us know....
ReplyDeleteOn the same note this perk, benefit, can be rescinded or altered by a majority vote of the current council and agreed to by the mayor.
The question is does anyone on the council have the courage to stand up and start a motion to bring it to a vote... in the name of fiscal responsibility and saving tax dollars. The same reason that 5 of these councilmen led by Matt Owen used to eliminate Jeffersonville City Court just this past year.
Correction: I have not responded.
ReplyDeleteSaying its reprehensible to sign up for healthcare, in my opinion, is not being polite. People need healthcare.
My choice of words are my own. To make it clear, the words were necessary. It was proper notice.
ReplyDeleteWhen a taxpayer contacts you via the email you have listed on the city's website I fail to see why you should tell them to "cease and desist". Politely asking them not to use that email in the future as it was listed on the city's website in error would have sufficed.
ReplyDeleteEveryone does indeed need health insurance. The question is who should pay for it.
ReplyDeleteHow about this. For those who don't have health insurance pay half of the amount it costs the city. For those who are offered health insurance from their employer can must keep their company insurance.
ReplyDeleteIf I remember correctly, White is a big fan of Obama care. Dustin where is your loyalty to Obama.
Some employers give back money when you don't take their insurance. It saves them money. Some councilmen may be pocketing money and getting a great deal with the city health insurance. Double dipping!
ReplyDeleteLooks like we have another arrogant public official.
ReplyDeleteIn my first post, I stated my personal email was listed on the City site without my knowledge and is no longer there. I provided my City email address, which is now on the site, to the person who sent the email.
ReplyDeleteYes, #ILoveObamacare!!!
I think I have cleared up my position on the cease and desist. Now I will cease and desist from this thread. Nice blogging with you folks. Have a great weekend!!!
ReplyDeleteI'll still use the original email address, Sue me.
DeleteI hope he does. People like you and Dorman are warts on a butt that need to be lanced.
DeletePeople wonder why we have trouble finding good candidates.
Have we found a decent canadate?
DeleteRepublican office holders are in the early stages of "I'm in power now" so go Fuck yourself! DW is basically siding with them, so he is no better. Samual staying silent. Since he is self employed, this would be very costly to not take the city insurance.
ReplyDeleteIt would be nice to know how these 9 people provided health insurance to themselves and their families before they were elected Perhaps Mr White would let us know how he was covered and by whom before the election. Did these people run just to get health insurance?? If so, the people have been duped
ReplyDeleteBottom line/-- the City Council is a PART TIME job. I don't believe any of those on the council plan to quit their FULL TIME jobs to be on the council. Therefore the part-time employer should NOT have to provide benefits to the part-time employee AND their families. This is just plain WRONG If those on the council don't understand this, it is only because they don't want to. It is pure GREED.
ReplyDeleteMr. White, as an elected official, the citizens of Jeff are your employers.
ReplyDeleteMaybe you should show them a little respect.
QuestionL If MO is out of the country, is DW in charge?
ReplyDeleteExactly ^^^^^
ReplyDeleteWhere is Saville Rowe? He was so concerned about the wasteful council spending! Very quiet now! 2 faced?
ReplyDeleteThe salary increase seems reasonable for those putting in the time. I don't mind paying for someone who uses up their free time doing the work of government for all of us. I know Lisa Gill puts in the time. And I know some do not put in the time. It's nice to see they voted Matt Owen president of the council. He should attend more meetings now.
ReplyDeleteThe health insurance seems wrong for those who can get this at their regular job.
What is the most troubling to me is the lack of responses to a citizens concerns. Less than half responded (one was cease and desist) and most responses were dismissive in tone. That and the apparent hypocrisy of this council in the past of eliminating funding for positions and their elimination of City court in the name of being fiscally responsible. Yet when it comes to being fiscally responsible, with something that benefits basically only them they don't want to talk about it...Hypocritical and self serving...
ReplyDeleteFishing Report
ReplyDelete"2 faced" is not only inaccurate,
a weak attempted label,
but is also incorrect English usage as well.
I have not seen where the humble Savile Row
has expressed an opinion
on the insurance thingy,
pro or con.
However, the Bat Blog can report
there is a new story going around the political corridors of power
that the Jeffersonville City Council may be considering
re-instigating the city council's participation
in the Public Employees Retirement Fund
(PERF) program....
;)
Former city councilperson Peggy Wilder killed it off several years ago.
Bat Blog Update
ReplyDeleteA sage
from within those corridors of power
noted that the money saved by Mayor Mike Moore
in the last three budgets, including 2016,
from NOT squandering yearly tax funds on the "10th Street Plant Extravaganza",
now has saved $100,000 a year and an additional $300,000
will be available
for when the city court is re-implemented.
Pretty dern smart.
Hoosier Taxpayer and the Bat Blog gets a lot of credit.
Hoosier Taxpayer has very correctly identified
ReplyDeletethe expensive insurance expenditures,
an additional $2,000,000 on soccer spending
with lots more in the pipeline,
the very expensive re-occurring plants scandal,
and other excessive budget items.
The city court can easily be funded.
The many long term benefits of the city court
are being lost. The council was deceived.
The Award Winning Bat Blog is covering it.
This is posted on the Clark County Democrats Facebook page. It is going on now.
ReplyDeleteHello fellow democrats. There is going to be an organizational meeting this Sunday 1/17/16 @ 7pm at Logan's in Clarksville. We will be in the back room.
The next post is not about the democrat meeting
DeleteSounds like bla bla bla!
ReplyDeleteHow did the Democrat organizational meeting last night at Logan's go?
ReplyDeleteWas there a failed coup d'état.....?
ReplyDeletecoup d'état
"A sudden appropriation of leadership or power; a takeover."
What is up?
How many people attended the meeting?
Nothing has been posted about it.
Two things.
ReplyDelete1. There are employers that offer part time employees insurance.
2. My job provides free insurance to me and my whole family. Who am I to begrudge someone else who has the same benefits.
This is not their job.
ReplyDeleteWell considering that someone above said that we are their employers, I would say that it is their job.
DeleteWell, this subject has come and gone. By the next election nobody will care. That's why many on the council are keeping quiet. The same ones will get elected, and we will be talking about exactly 4 years from now.
ReplyDeleteThere is the affordable health care tax that may come into play with excellent insurance that they now have. For every $1000 over a certain cap, they have to pay $400 in extra taxes. Maybe I'M can enlighten us on this.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately not true
DeleteRather telling that not one of them will denounce this horrible waste of taxpayers dollars. I suppose it isn't considered wasteful when they are the ones who benefit. Shameful
ReplyDeleteWhat was the source of their insurance coverage BEFORE they were elected? And where would their insurance coverage come from if they had lost the election?? Why do they think the taxpayers owe them AND their families insurance coverage when they have full time jobs? This is NOT a small perk. It is costing the taxpayers over $600,000 during their term.
ReplyDeleteAnon it's called the Cadillac tax, and that's true. My company sent out a notification that they have kept costs low for the employees to avoid this tax.
ReplyDeleteThe Cadillac tax has been delayed until 2018 -- and who knows what will happen with Obamacare by that time. Plus, the thresholds at which the tax kicks in are $10,200 for a single plan and $27,500 for a family plan. I have a feeling that the Cadillac tax will be changed or eliminated before 2018. jmo
ReplyDeleteAnd -- if the Cadillac tax does go into effect -- it is 40% of the amount that the insurance cost exceeds the threshold. So it would only affect a very small % of plans in effect today.
ReplyDeleteI sent a email to White's special address today, told him to sue me and bite me.
ReplyDeleteI really hope he does both. Just because someone is an elected official, doesn't mean you should be a jerk to them. What happened to treating people decently.
ReplyDeleteHope someone does the same to you some day.
Dustin started it with the not treating people decently thing. The emailer is hardly a scary stalker or other threatening person that needed to be came after with implied threats. The language was only necessary, as he put it here, if he intended to take legal action if the citizen had the nerve to email him again at his government published address about a matter related to his job as a supposed public servant. He overdid it, the shortdudewithalawdegree ego got out of hand, and if some razzing by commenters and emailers gets him fitting back into his britches in a way more appropriate for a representative of the people, it's been a good and successful effort.
ReplyDeleteDidn't the lawyer Steve Voelker
ReplyDeletepost on the CCC that Mr. White had some
sort of previous anger management problem
about a sign or something?
Yeah Mr. White could have been a little more diplomatic, they were going by what was on the City web site. And a cease and desist order is for someone breaking a law not sending an email...but then maybe it is against the law to ask tough questions of a city council...
ReplyDeleteNotice to all city and county employees:
ReplyDeleteYou are NOTHING.
All of you (elected or appointed) are there to serve the people.
If, instead, you are there to feed your egos you need to get th' hell out.
I'm sure that you are "special" to all of the other "special" people in the Courthouse and City Hall but to common people you're just THERE.
... and that can be remedied.
Rant over. Carry on.
Exactly right RF and "serve" means what is best for their constituents and not themselves...They didn't put this perk into effect but it can be remedied by them easily. Will someone have the courage to step forward and do what is right ??? Sadly probably NO...
ReplyDeleteSo if these council members get insurance and we know Mr. White thinks EVERYONE needs insurance, then why don't the Jeff PART TIME employees get the opportunity to have insurance?
ReplyDeleteShame on these PART TIME council members for accepting this perk!!
P.S. Apparently there is the same issue in other municipalities in the county!!
What about the people who are on the Redevelopment board; the Drainage board; the sewer board; and all the other boards ---- perhaps they should get this perk too. After all, they probably think that they work more than 30 hours a week too! But even if they don't, they probably think they are as "special" as the council. Maybe we should provide insurance for ALL the citizens of Jeff!! As White says, "EVERYONE" needs insurance!
ReplyDelete