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City Council passes fiscal year 2004-05 budget
Andrew Walters
Issue date: 4/21/04 Section: News
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The Macomb City Council continued to hear citizens' concerns about the fiscal year 2004-05 budget before adopting the financial plan Monday night. Macomb resident Dominic LeFante opened the meeting by expressing his displeasure with the $171,000 increase in this year's budget on health care for city employees and their families.
"Before you vote to adopt this budget, let's be fair to the people who pay these bills," LeFante said.
LeFante said the proposed increase is far more than necessary considering the difficult economic times in the community. He said that many residents in Macomb are unemployed or barely managing to afford their own health care. According to LeFante, this sort of expenditure on city health care is an unnecessary perk city employees should not enjoy at the benefit of the taxpayers.
"I propose that this organization appoint a committee to look into this before adopting the budget," LeFante said.
LeFante added city employees are granted higher-priced health care than employees of comparable public-sector institutions such as Western Illinois University.
"You can say all you want that prices have gone up, but this is not (consistent) with community standards. Let's make this equal to community standards."
After LeFante expressed his grievances, Fourth Ward Alderman John Maguire said the city fully researched the matter and is paying the lowest possible rates available. He added that of the 19 health insurance provider bids the city received, the $171,000 increase was the smallest.
"I feel that we did a very good job in shopping for insurance and only seeing a 21 percent increase," Maguire said.
Mayor Mick Wisslead concurred with Maguire and said the city employs a number of people in high-risk professions, such as firefighters, police officers and operators of heavy machinery. According to the mayor, this is the primary cause for the increase.
"We got a pretty good deal on the health insurance we got," Wisslead said.
"Before you vote to adopt this budget, let's be fair to the people who pay these bills," LeFante said.
LeFante said the proposed increase is far more than necessary considering the difficult economic times in the community. He said that many residents in Macomb are unemployed or barely managing to afford their own health care. According to LeFante, this sort of expenditure on city health care is an unnecessary perk city employees should not enjoy at the benefit of the taxpayers.
"I propose that this organization appoint a committee to look into this before adopting the budget," LeFante said.
LeFante added city employees are granted higher-priced health care than employees of comparable public-sector institutions such as Western Illinois University.
"You can say all you want that prices have gone up, but this is not (consistent) with community standards. Let's make this equal to community standards."
After LeFante expressed his grievances, Fourth Ward Alderman John Maguire said the city fully researched the matter and is paying the lowest possible rates available. He added that of the 19 health insurance provider bids the city received, the $171,000 increase was the smallest.
"I feel that we did a very good job in shopping for insurance and only seeing a 21 percent increase," Maguire said.
Mayor Mick Wisslead concurred with Maguire and said the city employs a number of people in high-risk professions, such as firefighters, police officers and operators of heavy machinery. According to the mayor, this is the primary cause for the increase.
"We got a pretty good deal on the health insurance we got," Wisslead said.
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