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Today's Poll: What do you think of the City's proposed 1.5-percent tax increase?

By Howard B. Owens
Richard Gahagan

It ALL comes down to paying the OUTRAGEOUS salary, benefits and pensions of city and state UNION employees. It is driving several cities and states acrocss this country to the verge of bankruptcy. It is going to blow up in New York just like it did in California.

Their pay levels are soaring, they enjoy unmatched benefits, and they remain largely immune from layoffs, except for some overly publicized cutbacks around the margins.

To make matters worse, government employees—thanks largely to the power of their unions—have carved out special protections that exempt them from many of the rules that other working Americans must live by. California has been on the cutting edge of this dangerous trend, which has essentially turned government employees into a special class of citizens.

But the real scandal is a two-tier society where government workers enjoy benefits far in excess of those for whom they supposedly work. It’s past time to start cleaning up the mess by reforming retirement systems and limiting the public unions’ power. If we don’t, city and state financial problems will become insurmountable.

Jan 27, 2010, 10:38am Permalink
Gary Diegelman

Lets see. The city combines dispatch services, which by the way I see as a good thing,which is going to save money. The County picks up 2 dispatchers wages. The City gives up City of Batavia Fire Dept ambulance services which is going to save money. The City needs to raise taxes. GO FIGURE. Something wrong here. Maybe management.
They want a city/town merger? Yeah they want town tax payer money too!

Jan 27, 2010, 8:31pm Permalink
Mary E DelPlato

You can have all the city residents asking for them not to raise anymore but the few that are in control will. They will no questions asked. Someone has to feed the fat greedy pig!LOL
What a joke!!!!!!!!!

Jan 29, 2010, 10:39am Permalink

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