Chemung County Politics Open Chat

[KarenK 512]

I'm probably going to have the unpopular opinion here, but I don't' necessarily disagree about the full-time positions getting a raise/paid.

I also believe they all deserve to be paid something.  Those jobs are a lot of extra work.  Some of those folks (not all) l also have full or part time jobs they have to do plus family so a position on the legislature does take away from other things.  Sure, doing one's civic duty is great but that doesn't mean you don't deserve to be paid for the work that gets put in.  Running for office isn't that different than applying for a job.  You make your case, give your qualifications and then your are hired.  In this case by alot of people.                                                                                                                           I've seen the dollar amounts and it's not that much for the work that goes in & the disrespect they receive whether warranted or not.  Social media has somewhat turned them into targets.

Now that they have term limits starting, perhaps there should be a salary associated with the 4 year term.  This is the dollar amount for the 4 years, take a lump sum or divide it over your tenure.  Whichever, but it is what it is.

The full-time elected officials certainly deserve a paycheck and a raise.  It's their full-time job. They don't have another one.  I work full time, and I expect a raise every year, elected or not.

One thing I do disagree with is the forever benefits and insurance.  They should not have health insurance for the rest of their lives just because they worked a 4 year term as an elected official.

[MsKreed 1,621]

1 hour ago, KarenK said:

I'm probably going to have the unpopular opinion here, but I don't' necessarily disagree about the full-time positions getting a raise/paid.

I also believe they all deserve to be paid something.  Those jobs are a lot of extra work.  Some of those folks (not all) l also have full or part time jobs they have to do plus family so a position on the legislature does take away from other things.  Sure, doing one's civic duty is great but that doesn't mean you don't deserve to be paid for the work that gets put in.

I agree that all elected officials, of course, deserve compensation....and the full time jobs are in a different category than the Legislature.

Even moreso because of the fact that the full time officials don’t get to vote on their raises. The Exec at least has veto power “if” the Legislature doesn’t override it.

But the Sheriff and Clerk don’t even have that. They’re similar to appointed department directors. Decisions on their salaries are completely in the hands of someone else.....without even union negotiating power.

[Adam 545]

11 hours ago, KarenK said:

The full-time elected officials certainly deserve a paycheck and a raise.  It's their full-time job. They don't have another one. 

except the Exec/deputy got 15.3% and 21.1% increases last year respectively, and given that 33 governors make less than moss, and close to 30 make less than his deputy, and bigger counties pay their execs less( monroe comes to mind) combined with decreased revenues, the ridiculous amounts of monies bled into the arena AND an increase in our property taxes Mr. Moss is WAY out of line. and 7% of his previous raise was approved by the Legislature, so him winging about how THEY got 3% last year is just plain bullshit no matter how you cut it.

[Chris 3,379]

On 12/8/2024 at 10:02 AM, KarenK said:

I'm probably going to have the unpopular opinion here, but I don't' necessarily disagree about the full-time positions getting a raise/paid.

I also believe they all deserve to be paid something.  Those jobs are a lot of extra work.  Some of those folks (not all) l also have full or part time jobs they have to do plus family so a position on the legislature does take away from other things.  Sure, doing one's civic duty is great but that doesn't mean you don't deserve to be paid for the work that gets put in.

I don't entirely disagree. However, don't run for the position and then once in there, rely on it as your income or make stupid statements about it being a "paltry" sum. You knew that when you ran.

 

[MsKreed 1,621]

At tonight's Legislature Meeting  they voted on a Resolution for Legislative salaries, and a "Local Law" for other elected officials and appointed officials.

I don't understand why one is a resolution and one is a law....but here's the votes:

Yeas: Sweet, Brennan, Burin, Stermer, Drake, Smith

Nays: Morse, Saglibene, Donovon, Palmer, Pickering, Chalk, McCarthy, Strange, Margeson

Failed

Yeas: Morse, Saglibene, Sweet, Brennan, Donovon, Palmer, Pickering, Burin, Chalk, Stermer, Drake, Smith, Strange, Margeson

Nay: McCarthy

Passed

Edited December 10, 2024 by MsKreed

[Adam 545]

while glad to see majority of Legislators have scruples and voted down their increase, it is disappointing to see the raises approved, at least, for the exec/deputy exec. he keeps bemoaning how Leg got 3% last time around, but fails to mention his 15 and her 21 percentage increases the year before!

Moss has been such a disappointment as the Executive and frankly while im not thrilled with attitudes of a few Legislators; he has increasingly shown himself petty and authoritarian in his approach to just about anything requiring cooperation

[Chris 3,379]

Kudos to @Lawana MorseMorse, Saglibene, Donovon, Palmer, Pickering, Chalk, @Bill McCarthy Strange, and Margeson for their votes on the legislative raises. 

My guess is the approval of the exec, sheriff, etc. salary was politically or otherwise necessary to get the budget done and avoid a pissing match between the branches of government. 

[KarenK 512]

2 hours ago, Chris said:

Kudos to @Lawana MorseMorse, Saglibene, Donovon, Palmer, Pickering, Chalk, @Bill McCarthy Strange, and Margeson for their votes on the legislative raises. 

My guess is the approval of the exec, sheriff, etc. salary was politically or otherwise necessary to get the budget done and avoid a pissing match between the branches of government. 

I don't disagree with how that was handled. Not so much the actual dollar amounts, but the differentiation between full time and part time jobs

[Chris 3,379]

I don’t think these guys get it.

It’s not about the dollar amount so much as it is the optics of raising taxes and giving yourself a raise at the same time.

And of course here comes the tired old argument from one of the guys who’s been on the taxpayer tit far too long already:

Quote

“Fair compensation isn’t just about paying us. It’s about ensuring we are working for you and not for outside incentives and distractions,” Brennan added. “It’s about attracting qualified diverse leaders who can focus entirely on serving their constituents, not scrambling to make ends meet elsewhere.”

 

[Adam 545]

14 hours ago, Chris said:

It’s about attracting qualified diverse leaders who can focus entirely on serving their constituents, not scrambling to make ends meet elsewhere.”

 

Quote

If we undervalue ourselves as legislators in the long term, then we’re setting the stage for those who don’t need the salary being the only ones available to serve"

Well Joe, i can think of no one better to serve the public than someone who has no financial incentive to do so                                                                                                                                  As to your concerns about making ends-meet: WEAR A DAMN CONDOM!

[Adam 545]

as for Mr. Margeson:

Quote

"because it does seem like the media in the community picks up on items that really don’t make much sense. I mean, you’re looking at a significant budget, a lot of mandated that we don’t collect for. It’s scary. So, I appreciate everything that you’ve said, and Brennan also said a lot of good things. Again, we get picked on because we are the ones who finalize the vote, and I guess people like drama. I don’t know, I’ve been beat up all week, so I’m just used to it by now. It’s either this or something else that I’m doing so I’m used to it.”" 

 for many taxpayers, it has zero to do with drama, but the fact that you are forcing( not asking) us to pay out more from our resources while taking even the smallest % of that for yourselves, between that and the incessant cheerleading and financial blood-letting for the Arena...you and many others deserve every "beating" you've gotten thus far and any future ones until some true financially responsible decisions get made

[MsKreed 1,621]

9 hours ago, Adam said:

for many taxpayers, it has zero to do with drama, but the fact that you are forcing( not asking) us to pay out more from our resources while taking even the smallest % of that for yourselves, between that and the incessant cheerleading and financial blood-letting for the Arena...you and many others deserve every "beating" you've gotten thus far and any future ones until some true financially responsible decisions get made

Agreed.  

It seems like Margeson had the same 'transition' as Moss.....lot of arrogance and lack of transparency showed up once their titles were upgraded. 

 

Outside of elected offices, few (if any?) jobs anywhere in the country allow someone to decide entirely for themselves what salary that someone else is going to pay them. 

The rest of us can make demands and threaten to quit, etc......But we sure don't get away with disrespecting our employers by whining that we're getting "beaten up" if our employers want to have a critical conversation about our performance or ask us to report on their productivity or explain their actions. 

[Chris 3,379]

12 hours ago, Adam said:

If we undervalue ourselves as legislators in the long term, then we’re setting the stage for those who don’t need the salary being the only ones available to serve

One shouldn't seek public office because they "need" the salary in the first place. That's not "serving", that's a job.

[Chris 3,379]

You know, it's glaringly obvious that the county government is completely broken and in need of an overhaul. With the exception of a couple people like @Lawana Morse and @Bill McCarthy the entire lot needs to go. 

The good 'ol boys' network in this county continues to f--k things up, year after year, decade after decade. And it's often the same names or groups attached to the problem. 

[Chris 3,379]

 

[KarenK 512]

21 hours ago, Chris said:

You know, it's glaringly obvious that the county government is completely broken and in need of an overhaul. With the exception of a couple people like @Lawana Morse and @Bill McCarthy the entire lot needs to go. 

The good 'ol boys' network in this county continues to f--k things up, year after year, decade after decade. And it's often the same names or groups attached to the problem. 

That's why we have term limits now.  My biggest question is what happens when these guys terms are up?  No one seems to want the jobs.

[Chris 3,379]

4 hours ago, KarenK said:

No one seems to want the jobs.

Oh I have no doubt someone out there wants the job.

[MsKreed 1,621]

4 hours ago, KarenK said:

No one seems to want the jobs.

The legislative seat seem to be consistently contested races. 

I don't think there were any uncontested legislative races in 2022. Even if some districts don't have primaries, there's been a candidate from the other party.

In my district, Lawana Morse faced two candidates in the rep/con primaries, then defeated the dem candidate.

[Chris 3,379]

This whole thing is absolutely childish and leaves me very disappointed in people.