Cut Off Severance for Elected Officials

It is clear that the special interest group favored by those in county management is still county management itself. The saga of the hidden perks, thanks to county management, is an issue that seems to be enjoying everlasting life. These perks, remember, were taken under the table in lieu of pay increases to avoid public scrutiny and to make the compensation paid to county management appear less than it was by almost half.

Caught with their hands in the public purse, and faced with the resulting public outrage, the county managers agreed to give up their hidden perks (but only after a threatened lawsuit) in return for a very generous 30% pay increase. There is one perk, however, that has been tantamount to taking a beef bone away from a junk yard dog: severance pay.

Let’s name names. Elected officials who have already walked out of office with your tax dollars in the form of severance pay and the amounts received by them are: Sheriff Gillespie ($72,158), Auditor Norm Hawkes ($71,120), Supervisor Madge Schaefer ($16,384), Supervisor Dougherty ($48,514) and Assessor Sandford ($37,132).

Those still in office who will receive severance pay, and the amounts for which they are scheduled, are as follows: Dist. Atty. Michael D. Bradbury ($67,175), County Clerk Richard Dean ($55,912), Treasurer Hal Pittman ($26,585), and Supervisors John Flynn ($40,307), Maggie Kildee ($40,509), Susan Lacey ($39,937), Vicky Howard ($8,535) and Maria VanderKolk ($9,235).

By what stretch of the imagination should elected politicians receive severance pay, or any type of longevity pay for that matter, when they are simply being voted out of office or resigning? If this abuse of the voter’s trust angers you, please phone these self-serving government officials at their county offices and insist that they sign a waiver agreeing to give up the severance pay.

FRANK PERNICE

Newbury Park