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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.

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Karen, what about the cost of living increase being given to all employees retro back to 7-1-14 except for line staff? Did you hear anything about this?


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The rape and pillaging of the tax payers continues –


Obama’s executive order will enable hundreds of thousands of low-income illegal immigrants in California to apply for Medi-Cal, California’s version of Medicaid.


California pushes to expand health care to those spared from deportation but uninsured.

Obama’s executive order to spare some immigrants from deportation has galvanized Democrats, immigration groups and health care advocates in California to push for expanding health coverage to a segment of the population that remains uninsured.


The state is expected to spend more than $17 billion of its own money on the program this year, up 3.5 percent a year ago, according to the Legislative Analyst’s Office.


http://goo.gl/wjb8Sz


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I consider this Waste, Fraud, and Abuse.


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So, next year at budget time, the budget should be reduced by $2 million dollars across the board affecting all departments.


Or, is the County now playing a shell game whereby departments inflat their budgets so there is excess which is then dispersed to the employees to cover their increased health coverage. How about sharing this with property tax owners as our taxes go up.


When did it become standard government procedure to offer bonus’ for government workers doing your work? Did they forfeit anything to get these bonus’ or is this just anything diamond in the pin?


If employees don’t like their pay, retirement package, paid sick and vacation days, training, deferred compensation, etc. go get another job!


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Don’t forget the Mil these fools gave for the bob jones trail this adds up to 3.4 mill these morons could have fixed our roads and bridges with. Seems odd the county hasn’t had the money to maintain the Cayucos pier but now they have excess to throw away. These people need to be held accountable,do we need a citizens oversight committee to keep watch on these fools.


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Yes, it IS time for an oversight committee! It just is time….how do we make that happen?


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So much for contributing to the success of our community.


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These people in Gov. work in a TOTALLY DIFFERENT reality than the rest of us. It is time for WE the PEOPLE i.e. taxpayers, to say………..ENOUGH!!!


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“Federal Reserve does a pretty good job of keeping us going down the middle of the road and out of the ditch.” – Yes. I’m not debating the usefulness of current monetary tools (though I do think they could be improved upon). I’m simply saying that there’s no legitimate practical reason why taxpayers should owe private institutions $1+ for every $1 printed – especially since we are no longer on the gold standard, and $ can essentially be printed at no investment on the part of the private institutions who benefit. I think we mostly agree. I’m just trying to stress the point that it is in the interest of the taxpayer to federalize the fed.


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sorry, i meant for this post to be a response to zaphod.


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Apparently, the ruling elites have decided that our county employees are a fine bunch of freeloaders.


Why are our county employees getting totally a free ride when everybody else is having to pay for their retirement and healthcare.


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ruling elites duh! duly elected executing duty.ruling elites hah!we could use some do you actually know any?


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Those who make the rules, make the rules to benefit those who make the rules.

The rest of us are on our own.


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