Start NOW!: October 2010

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Should Madison Alders Receive Full Health Insurance Coverage??

The City of Madison is considering offering the Common Council members full city health insurance benefits paid for by the City (taxpayer) at 25%, 50%, 75%, or 100%. Below is Mark Clear's proposal for the 2011 budget (We now know the % the city taxpayer will be covering):

2011 Operating Budget
Proposed Board of Estimates Amendments Amendment No. 7
Agency: Common Council, Supplemental Compensation
Page(s): 51, 13
Sponsors: Alds. Maniaci, Clear
Fringe Benefits $40,000 Total: $40,000
Levy Impact: $40,000

Provide funding for Wisconsin Retirement System pension benefits and health insurance coverage for alders effective for the Council members elected in the 2011 election. The costs above are calculated based on providing pension benefits for all 20 alders ($15,000) and health insurance coverage for 5 alders with the City (TAXPAYER) paying 75% of that coverage ($25,000).

For complete viweing of the 2011 Operating Budget go to: http://www.cityofmadison.com/comptroller/budget/2011/ex2011opbud.cfm

And don't forget to let your council member and mayor know what items are too costly or unnecessary.

The requirement for health insurance coverage being that the alders have to prove that they work 600 hours or more preparing for meetings, attending meetings, community events, etc. The average worker has to work at least 30 hours per week or 1,560 hours and full time employees typically have to work 2080 hours to be covered by their employers health insurance and pay 35-50% for the benefit. Again - the mayor and some council members think that the time is right to spend taxpayer money on a program that benefits those who already have jobs or self employed (Mark Clear) and have coverage, but, if the city's coverage is better and also includes the alder in the retirement services - what a sweet deal at a time when most of us are struggling to make ends meet. The burden of proof for working 600+ hours is going to belong to who?

Here is Mark Clear's proposal for the 2011 Operating Budget (I guess we know our answer now of the %):
Many alders DO work long and hard hours and it is appreciated by most - and we should offer something to those who don't already have insurance at a discounted rate of no more than 50%. If it exceeds this - we are paying too much. It is time to start sharing your feelings on the never-ending spending by this city's administration - AT THE BALLOT BOX next year for our mayor and some alders. We can not afford Mayor Dave and those on the council who push spending agenda items such as these (many of whom have been on the counsil 12 or more years!).

Questions the alders need to answer on the questionaire are following:

Q.1

Please list your name and district number

Q.2

As explained in my email that led you to this survey, alders would be available for health insurance, under certain reporting circumstances. Do you think you hit the 600 hour annually required to qualify in the Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS)? That works out to 11.53 hours a week in meetings (council, committees) and in meeting prep time (to include neighborhood and stakeholder meetings and not to exceed twice the hours spent in meetings themselves). *

Yes, I believe I spend at least 11.53 hours a week in various meetings and meeting prep.
No, I don't spend that much time
It's hard to tell, it fluxuates a lot.
I do not plan to be here for the next council term & cannot speak for my sucessor

Q.3

If you qualify for the 600 hours annually, would you be interested in getting health insurance through the city? *

Yes!
Maybe, it depends on the premiums
No, I have another source
No, I don't think I'd meet the eligibility requirements in the first place/won't be here

Q.4

Part of our decision will need to be if alders are to receive insurance, at what level will the city participate. If you are interested in receiving insurance, and understanding that part of your paycheck will now go to premiums for insurance, please check all plans you would be interested in, so we may budget an amendment accordingly. *

Monday, October 25, 2010

This Is What Will Happen If You Don't Vote on Nov 2, 2010!!!!

Click on title and see our future!

Madison Common Council Walkout Shows Grade School Mentality

The "walkout/protest" to Ald. Thuy Pham-Remmele shows lack of good judgment and tolerance to issues that may have been important (and quite likely were) to Alder Pham-Remmele. It could be that some of the items Thuy added directly affected some of the alders who walked out and they did not want the item on the agenda. I sincerely hope that the residents of Madison take the time to look into council procedures and the rights of an alder that were thought to have been so disruptive. Some topics that may have been troubling and the GAG is always a good place to start: http://www.cityofmadison.com/election/candidateResources/campaignFinance/2009/2010.cfm
http://gab.wi.gov/campaign-finance/registration-local
http://gab.wi.gov/forms/campaign-finance
Remember to make your voices heard with your votes!!
In a rare if not unprecedented move, several City Council members left a meeting early in apparent protest of a colleague, breaking a quorum and ending the meeting with business still on the agenda.
The walkout occurred just before 10 p.m. Tuesday, while Ald. Thuy Pham-Remmele was asking questions on one of a series of items she had placed on an agenda for council discussion.
Pham-Remmele often places multiple items on the agenda for discussion. Otherwise, the items would be approved with others on a single vote.
Three of 20 council members had excused absences from the meeting, and when four others left, attendance fell below the 14 required for a quorum.

MATC deserves priority this fall

Once again the Wisconsin State Journal gets it wrong. What they left out is that the $133 million is only HALF of the project. The other will total over $300 million and will add more than $45-$75 to the average property taxes. Let's ask ourselves: "When will the reckless tax increases stop?!!

Recession, in election year, is driver of tight budget, officials say

5% in more property taxes in this tough economy?! This budget is so full of wasteful spending and does not cut enough - instead - it adds. C'mon Dave - who are you fooling????

In a tough economy and election year, Mayor Dave Cieslewicz's proposed $247 million operating budget for 2011 offers the fourth lowest spending increase in 15 years.

The 3 percent property tax levy increase — slightly more than the 2.9 percent disclosed by the mayor's office on Monday — is the second lowest during that period, but it will increase taxes on the average $241,217 home by $93.45, or 4.8 percent.

The tight budget for 2011 results from three harsh economic years, not politics, said Cieslewicz, who has not announced a decision on whether to seek a third, four-year term this spring.

The election "doesn't really enter into my calculation much," he said.

Veteran Downtown Ald. Mike Verveer, 4th District, partially disagreed.

"This is an election year budget. No doubt about it," Verveer said of the low spending and tax increases. "But one difference now, we are dealing with a real recession in our community."

Small tax base, new costs