Front Page  »  

Taxpayers to fund $2.4 million giveaway to county employees

November 30, 2014

christmas moneyBy KAREN VELIE

San Luis Obispo County Supervisors are slated to vote Tuesday on a $2.4 million payment to employees described as an offset to rising health care costs. The proposal comes a week after the board voted to raise a variety of public fees.

In the consent agenda item (items to be passed without discussion), county staff requests that every full-time county employee receive a $1,000 payment while part-time employees will receive a prorated amount. The county employs between 2,400 and 2,500 employees.

In the staff report, Human Resources Director Tami Douglas-Schatz says that department savings have led to reserves which can be passed to the employees through the proposed one-time payment.

If approved, the taxable but non-pensionable funds will be dispersed to county employees regardless of whether they utilize county provided health care plans or when they began working for the county. The employee can then use the funds for whatever they want including travel and Christmas gifts.

The proposed giveaway was brought forward by Douglas-Schatz before receiving approval by Board Chair Bruce Gibson. County Counsel Rita Neal also vetted the expenditure which was added to the agenda the Friday after Thanksgiving.

Nevertheless, the California Constitution forbids gifts of public funds by state, county or city governments except to orphans, abandoned children, families with a disabled unemployable father, blind, handicapped, and the institutions serving them, according to Article XVI, Section 6. The law bans governments from dispensing money without receiving a public benefit.

In several cases, government funded cash bonuses to 10 year or longer employees have been deemed in court a public benefit as the bonuses incentivize seasoned employees to continue working for the government.

If Tuesday’s resolution is passed, county taxpayers could file a suit to recover the funds spent or to block the county controller from disbursing the funds.

Like CalCoastNews on Facebook.


Loading...
Subjects:             
Related:


51 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Just one more example of those in elected office plainly telling the rest of us to ‘go fly a

kite’ – we are in power and we will do whatever we feel like doing – damn the rest of you

poor tax paying citizens. Where else, except in government or educational jobs, are

there so many perks? Can anyone give one example of a ‘private industry’ job that gives out $1000 to offset health costs? But when it is only tax payer dollars – why give a damn.


The only viable option left is to take careful note of this – write in down someplace –

and when these egotistical elitists come up for election – vote them out, as in O-U-T.


This county needs many more examples of what took place in Arroyo Grande.


0

Lets get ready for the next deficit and bailout.

That is “Government Budget Deficit & Emergency Bailout”


0

I am convinced the government is biggest problem we have. At all levels it is corrupt, wasteful, and secretive. These bast**ds know we are starting to pay attention to what they are doing and they don’t like it!


0

This is a highly irregular practice for any government body. No doubt the county figures this is a cheap way to foster goodwill without actually giving the employees a pensionable wage increase.


0

You got to hand it to the public sector union bosses…they have done a good job of shielding their members from the financial harm the rest of us has dealt with since 2009. I guess our options are few but I say stop the payments until the economy turns around. That may give them some incentive to work harder towards that goal. I’m sick of watching my state falter economically.


0

Shhhhhh! This is on the consent calendar where things that are generally non-controversial pass without discussion.


Just in time for Christmas.


0

How sweet it is. Thank you Jackie Gleason.


Just give it away if you have a reserve account and if not just raise your fees. Keep the employees happy at all cost. We the taxpayer are paying for all of this. While the benefits and gifts go out, our wallets get thinner and thinner. Our health benefits are also going up but no one is paying for our cost increase.

I hope we the taxpayers and most important of all the voters remember this in 2 years when we will get another chance to clean house like Arroyo Grande just did. The entitlement era needs to come to an end.


By the way Merry Christmas to all of you county employees from we the taxpayers.


0

They call them “Public Officials” I call them Communist.


I heard the government is the people, for the people, and by the people.

That is a crock of bull except during election ads and budget deficit bailout.


0

get elected feel the love


0

“get elected feel the love”


That is a LOL ie different kinds

Brown nosers, business, lobbyist, special interest

Nothing but love all around , but where are the ordinary everyday common voters at? They are here on CCN!


0

YOUR TAX DOLLARS AT WORK!


0

Wow. No concept.


0
1 2 3 4