Tredyffrin Supervisors Raise Taxes Again! 12/15/08
The Good News First
Thanks again to Supervisor Olsen, the lone voice of reason and fiscal responsibility.
A Pen thanks the citizens who spoke against the tax increase at the meeting. About 15 citizens spoke in total. Four spoke in favor of increasing taxes, mainly because someone misinformed them about the police officer’s salaries being on the line – they weren’t. Eleven taxpayers asked the Supervisors not to raise taxes, and a few had excellent suggestions to help the Supervisors reign in the spending.
The Bad News
In spite of so many citizens speaking against raising taxes on 11/17/08 and 12/15/08 the Supervisors (except for Paul Olsen and Bob Lamina) turned a deaf ear. Looking back, it’s not surprising. Supervisors in the last three meetings have indicated that they do not want to reduce your tax burden, because they do not think it is high enough yet. Most Supervisors suggested budget increases when the conversation was about decreasing it. The only one speaking against the majority was Supervisor Olsen. Unfortunately, Supervisor Lamina attended by spotty phone connection from the Middle East.
This tax increase is the second in two years, and it’s only the beginning. Supervisor Kampf reported that if they waited to raise taxes, they would be “forced” to raise them 50% in one year. His projection assumes no improvements in the economy. So, think of this 2.4% as a warm-up for tax increase season, or maybe last year’s 3.3% was the warm-up, and we’re in the midst of an uncontrolled spending spree.
At the beginning of the discussion the Supervisors agreed easily to remove plans for Westover Park from 2009′s budget. Then they overrode concessions made at the 11/17/08 meeting in a stunning blind-side to voters who thought the Supervisors would try to be fiscally responsible. Voting in favor of restoring Cost of Living Increases (COLA) and Longevity Bonuses: Supervisors DeHaven, DiFilippo, DiBuonoventuro, and DeFeliciantano. Voting against: Supervisors Olsen, Kampf, and Lamina. So:
- TT Employees will receive COLA for 2009. Yes, they were reminded by a citizen that even Gov. Rendell has denied state employees a COLA for 2009, but that did not matter. Yes, they will receive a 3.5% inflation adjustment when there is negative inflation.
- TT Employees will receive Longevity Pay, too. (That’s the non-merit based bonus, that we’re not supposed to call a bonus (Shhh!). It’s given to TT employees who don’t get fired that year.) Hard to believe Supervisors who tell us our employees are underpaid.
Moments of Interest…
When Supervisor DeHaven lifted up his 3-ring binder (appearing to be 2-inches full of budget information), and explained that he didn’t know how to cut anything from the budget; it was too complicated for him. Supervisor DeHaven, please consider not running for re-election. Your primary job as a Supervisor of a $37 million budget is to find the fat and trim it.
The set-up: At the 11/17/08 meeting, Supervisor DiBuonaventuro told us that he would forgo his $3,000 stipend from the township for 2009. He wanted to set an example for all the other Supervisors, encourage them to do the same, and encourage TT Manager Gleason to voluntarily give up her salary increase, and ask her employees to do the same. Flash forward to 12/15/08, when a knowledgeable citizen reminded the Supervisors that if they all gave up their $3,000 stipend, the township would save $27,000. Supervisor DiFeliciantano fumed at the citizen asking him “Would you like to donate $3,000 of your money?” and finished with “I am offended!” Perhaps Supervisor DiFeliciantonio would like to make a donation to TT to cover all of the deficit spending?
Please contact your Tredyffrin Township Board of Supervisors and make them aware of your concerns. (If you click on the link, then click on the Supervisor’s highlighted name, their email address will show in your email application.
UPDATE:
Here’s another community going through the same thing.
-A Pen
