PENSION REFORM SOUGHT...VOLUNTEERS WANTED FOR BATTLE OF BAND...MORE ROAD REPAVING

PENSION REFORM SUGGESTED—BASE PENSIONS ON BASE SALARY, NOT OVERTIME

One of the reasons why NY is facing budget problems is because of pension abuses. I am sending the following letter to the entire Westchester delegation to the NYS Legislature. Would welcome your feedback on the suggestion.



A report by the Empire Center for New York State Policy indicated that statewide, 1,348 municipal retirees have pension benefits of more than $100,000 a year. 25 Westchester employees are among the top retirees who earned the highest pensions in the state of New York. Your article reported that the NY State Attorney General’s office is looking into pension padding- a practice that uses overtime to boost salaries so public employees can receive higher pensions.

A suggestion that could eliminate this kind of abuse. Employee pensions should be calculated on the BASE salary, without including overtime. This would discourage abuses and might discourage employees who are ready for retirement from seeking additional unnecessary overtime. If less senior employees in all governments are used for overtime it would also be much less expensive for the local governments.

Eliminating overtime abuses would reduce the cost of government without impacting vital services.

PAUL FEINER

Greenburgh Town Supervisor



BATTLE OF THE BANDS—VOLUNTEERS WANTED---The farmer’s market officially opens on Saturday morning. A battle of the bands will take place from about 11 AM to 2 at DeSanti Plaza (across from the Hartsdale train station). Seven bands are competing in the contest. You can vote for the band of your choice. One condition: you have to pay to vote. You have to pay $5 per ballot----with the donation going to AFYA, an organization that is helping victims of the Haitian earthquake. We need volunteers to help encourage people to buy a ballot and to make a donation to AFYA. If you have the time on Saturday and want to help a worthy cause please e mail student intern Moriah Trenk at mftpiano@aol.com or call her at 725-0200. We also will be selling raffles –with the proceeds going to AFYA. Lots of prizes.



MORE ROAD REPAVING TO BE DONE THIS YEAR---The Town Board will amend my proposed capital budget. The Board will be approving the expenditure of $1.5 million dollars towards road repaving. The Board expects to vote on the 2010 capital budget on Wednesday evening.