June 19, 2018
METHUEN, MA — As Methuen suffers through the worst budget crisis it’s seen in years, two departments lie at the center of the city’s fiscal woes: the school department, already $4 million in debt from this past fiscal year, and the police department, whose contracts will cost the city more than $1 million in raises.
While the School Department has fallen into debt mainly due to special education costs, the police contracts, which city leaders say they are unable to afford, are the result of poor negotiation on the city’s part, officials said.
City Auditor Thomas Kelly and Mayor James Jajuga said Friday the contract negotiated under former Mayor Stephen Zanni included language that never should have been approved because of the exponential increases in salary it afforded all 96 officers, plus the chief.
“I don’t know how this got to the point it got to,” Jajuga said. “I spoke to Tom Kelly about it, and Tom said, ‘I was never asked to really analyze it, when I did I said there were problems and I was ignored.'”
The city’s five captains stand to gain the most from the contracts. One police captain, who currently earns $157,052.16 with ancillary benefits included, will earn $440,735.42 next fiscal year if the contracts are honored — a raise of 180.63 percent, according to data provided by Kelly.
This is an excellent example of Unions negotiating with City employees. Both sides are employees of the party they want money from. If the Administration, like in Templeton is supporting increased pay as a method to increase service you know you'll end up with neither!
ReplyDeleteTime for real management that benefits the taxpayer instead of off the back of the taxpayer.
No one asked "just where is the money coming from" ? This kind of reminds me of the "Superior group" voting to fix Scout Hall ! Simple fact was there was no money in the budget to do this, and no money to maintain it after it was done ! The Town Report states the sale of t shirts was going to find this project. Someone ask our TA how that is working out. No problem, no money, just jack up the tax rate ! Think about it, just what do you get for your tax dollars ?
DeleteScott Walker is that you ? Get your tri tipped hat on .
ReplyDelete“ you shouldn’t do math on tv “ yes .. one should not
ReplyDelete