September 29, 2009
REPUBLICAN ALDERMEN BERNACKI AND SALVIO GIVE BACK FIVE PERCENT (5%) OF THEIR COUNCIL SALARY TO CITY; MAYOR STEWART APPLAUDS THEIR COMMUNITY SPIRIT
Common Council Minority Leader Louis Salvio and Assistant Minority Mark Bernacki have donated back to the City five percent (5%) of their $3500 Common Council salaries back to the City in recognition of the difficult financial times New Britain faces this budget year.
“Due to the economic downturn and City residents’ inability to absorb property tax increases, we are asking City employees for financial givebacks. I felt that as City leaders, Council members should also provide givebacks to help out during difficult financial times”, said Alderman Bernacki. “As a small business owner, I would NEVER ask for my employees to sacrifice their pay yet exempt myself.”
Alderman Salvio concurred, “Although $175 (5% of $3500) is not a lot in terms of the City’s almost $217 million budget, Alderman Bernacki and I feel strongly that the burden needs to be shared by all, and that Common Council members need to lead by example.” Salvio continued, “The Republican Council members did propose cutting the Common Council budget by 5% to pay our fair share, but the proposal was shot down by the Democratic Council majority.”
Mayor Timothy Stewart applauded the leadership of the two Council members. “Aldermen Salvio and Bernacki continue to step up to the plate and do the right and fair thing for New Britain’s taxpayers. I commend them for their efforts, despite naysayers on the Council, to keep City finances sound, and in this instance they have truly, ‘put their money where their mouth is’.”
Stewart, Salvio and Bernacki called upon other Council members to join them to demonstrate to City employees that the Council realizes the sacrifices that must be made by leaders, employees and taxpayers in these trying financial times at the local, state and national level.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
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13 comments:
Of course the council Democrats voted the proposal to cut their own paychecks down, they are only out to get whatever benefits they could get for themselves and everyone else be damned.
Aldermen Bernacki and Salvio are setting an example by taking a 5% cut in their alderman's pay. The Democrats should do the same. This should not be considered a political move.
Aren't the aldermen you are asking to give back 5% of their salary some of the same ones who didn't pay their property taxes until you embarrassed them by reporting how they were tax delinquents?
The part that angers me is that they are getting $3,500 a year. Heh! Come on. Some of these people are no shows and do nothings except what John McNamara tells them to do.
Kudos to Salvio and Bernacki. How about all of the Department heads who live out of town? How about the mayor?
You want them to give back some of their pay and pay their taxes too??
All of the City's Department Heads have taken a wage freeze and most of them have not had a raise in years. Management has set the example for the rank and file. As for the Mayor, he only gets a raise once every two years after an election.
How will Catanzaro be able to pay his taxes if you make him give back some of his council salary, not the huge city salary he gets as a full time city employee, just the council salary?
Personally Mr. Salvio and Mr. Bernacki should leave well enough alone the issue of a 5% cut. The Democrats will make a negative spin
on the issue as usual.
Alderman Salvio and I proposed a 5% across the board cut in all city departments, including the Mayor's office and Common Council in May. Additionally we stated since the Mayor and City Council were asking for concessions from City employees we felt it was appropriate to give a concession of our own. A 5% cut in our pay.
The democrats disregarded our request and the budget was passed early June. I followed through with my commitment to return 5% of my pay in July. I don't know where this "5 weeks" spin is coming from.
Now we are being accused of voting for salary increases? When? The last City Council raise was in 1999. I was the only council member that voted against the 1186 contract because I didn't think it was appropriate for one union to get a raise while asking for budget cuts from the entire City and the Mayor was asking ALL City unions for concessions.
As a small business owner I would never cut my employees pay without me FIRST taking a cut.
Mark Bernacki
NEW BRITAIN: Democratic Town Chairman John McNamara criticized Mayor Stewart for being “hypocritical” in his call for New Britain common council members to return $175 each in annual pay to help the city save money.
The position of the Mayor and Alderman Salvio and Bernacki is the height of hypocrisy as the concept of shared sacrifice has not reached the mayor's office, stated McNamara.
On The New Britain Democrat Website 09/30/09 Dem Chairman McNamara stated that getting $175 back from city council members is good as far as it goes, but Mayor Stewart should join the council in giving something back when the vast majority of New Britain residents are absorbing property tax and fee increases.
Democrats will never give back one thin dime. They are the party of "ME, ME, ME."
Don't people understand that ALL, repeat, ALL tax increases and fee increases go into effect only IF the City Council votes FOR it?
13 democrats, 2 republicans on the Council. What are the democrats trying to say?
Where are the spending cuts? Where are the givebacks?
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