Runaway expenses in Perry Township
I just scanned the expense report for Perry Township and the payroll summary dated April 1 to May 14. The health insurance cost for this period for six employees, $13,153, is what jumped off the page. If this amount is consistent for the entire year, it would be approximately $192,045. The excessive cost to the taxpayers is because this is full coverage for the employees and their families. With the exorbitant health care and prescription costs, it is only reasonable to demand that employees share in the cost.
An additional astonishing figure was the secretary’s salary for this same period, which came to $3,563. At the reorganization meeting, the hourly wage for the secretary was set at $15.25/hour, and if you call the township, the message on the answering device states that the hours are 7:30 a.m. to noon. If you take $15.25 and multiply it by 4.5 hours per day and multiple that by 25 days, it is less than half of this salary. At the reorganization meeting, there was no motion for an assistant secretary as was the case in the previous years.
The salaries paid by the taxpayers to the supervisors, road masters and employees are considerably higher than the salaries received by most constituents, especially senior citizens on fixed incomes. Most constituents would be envious of the lucrative benefit packages allotted to the employees of the township, and when asked to seek less expensive health care, we have been met with obstinate responses.
As a previous letter indicated the supervisors were not satisfied with two weeks vacation and demanded a special meeting by the elected auditors and only two auditors rescinded the two weeks and relented to give three weeks.
Apparently taxpayers in Perry Township are oblivious to what is happening or just don’t care due to the pathetic turnout at the polls, which came to approximately 26 percent. When you pay taxes, especially school taxes, and have never had a child in Pennsylvania schools, you demand the most bang for your buck, although my wife and I both went to local schools.
It appears that in local government, as well as national government that the voters respond more to the greedy and not the needy who may manage tax dollars more efficiently.
Ron Lemley
Mt. Morris