Republican Gov. John. Kasich wants to max out Ohio's rainy-day budget fund. He also wants to tweak withholding tables so that slightly less Ohio income tax would be withheld from Ohioans' paychecks. For example, annual withholding for an Ohioan earning $50,000 a year would decline about $45 - or less than $1 a week. What would make such moves possible is Kasich's stewardship of Ohio's budget, which is balanced and running a modest surplus. And Ohio's "rainy-day" budget savings account, which held just 89 cents (that's not a typo) when Kasich took office in January 2011, now totals about $2.7 billion. But what makes Kasich's proposals bad ideas is this stark fact: Compared to 2010, Ohio's local governments - counties, cities, villages, townships - have lost more than $1 billion a year in state aid in inflation-adjusted terms, as of 2017, according to Policy Matters Ohio, the policy research organization. And it's clear that those savings (to the state treasury) have helped pay for … [Read more...] about Gov. Kasich should share Ohio’s surplus with local governments: editorial
Local governments
New law caps ‘golden parachutes’ for local government leaders
A new law signed by Gov. Bruce Rauner this week limits the amount of severance local governments can pay to outgoing employees and prevents payouts for any employee fired for misconduct. Democratic state Sen. Tom Cullerton of Villa Park sponsored the Government Severance Pay Act, calling it "common-sense reform." The new law caps severance pay at 20 weeks of an employee's salary. "Handing out golden parachutes to discredited public officials is theft and this law will put a stop to it," he said after the governor's signing.Suburban taxpayers are often hit hardest with this practice. When town, school, park or other local government boards butt heads with administrators who have years left on contracts, the two sides sometimes will settle for six-figure payouts to end the relationships. Agreements often include confidentiality clauses that leave taxpayers in the dark about why the employee was sent packing.The Daily Herald documented several of the severance deals in the past year … [Read more...] about New law caps ‘golden parachutes’ for local government leaders
These N.J. residents feel they don’t have a voice in their local government
By Steve Strunsky | for NJ Advance Media Eager to boost their representation in local government and share in Asbury Park's development boom, activists from the shore resort's predominantly African-American west side want voters to decide whether to split the city into three wards that would each elect its own city council member. "When you have a ward council person, you can sit down and say, 'These are the things we want, and this is the way that we can make those things happen,'" said Tracy Rogers, a spokesperson for the group, which calls itself the Committee for a More Fair and Equitable Asbury Park. Currently, the council consists of five members, all elected at-large, or by a city-wide vote, to four-year terms, a system approved by voters in 2013 following the recommendation of a local charter study commission. Two members are designated mayor and deputy mayor. Members of the council rejected the fairness group's premise that the west side has been neglected, insisting they … [Read more...] about These N.J. residents feel they don’t have a voice in their local government
Rauner, Sanguinetti honor examples of efficient local governments
Twenty examples of local government consolidation across the state that saved taxpayer money and improved efficiency were recognized Tuesday in Hoffman Estates by Gov. Bruce Rauner and Lt. Gov. Evelyn Sanguinetti. The Hoffman Estates Police Department was the host and one of the honorees, as one of 10 members of the Northwest suburbs' Joint Emergency Management System. related advertisement JEMS Coordinator Mick Fleming said the project was thought up some years ago in recognition that many emergencies, including major storms and other natural disasters, don't adhere to municipal boundaries.Since then, the members have built on their successes and learned from mistakes, going far beyond the basics in preparedness efforts, Fleming said. Among the work already done is figuring out how all the members can continue to operate even when their own facilities are also affected by an emergency."We continue to seek new ways of increasing our resilience," Fleming said.One of the … [Read more...] about Rauner, Sanguinetti honor examples of efficient local governments
6 CNY county employees among highest-paid local government workers in Upstate NY
By Ben Axelson | [email protected] | Posted July 23, 2018 at 08:10 AM | Updated July 23, 2018 at 08:15 AM Rick Moriarty | [email protected] FULL RANKING: 40 highest-paid county, city and town employees in Upstate NY, from DAs to doctors Local government employees in New York State must report their income to the New York State and Local Retirement System. The Empire Center reports on that data every year, and the most current report on the 2016-17 fiscal year shows us, among other data points, the highest paid workers in every county, city, town and village the state. Six employees among the 40 highest-paid in Upstate NY work in Central NY's counties and cities, according to a ranking from NYup.com. Take a look below. #37 Dr. John B. Bezirganian 2016-17 pay: $184,300 Employer: Tompkins County Position: Doctor at Cayuga Medical Center-Ithaca #33 Jon E. Budelmann 2016-17 pay: $186,415 Employer: Cayuga County Position: District Attorney #32 Brian M. Durant 2016-17 … [Read more...] about 6 CNY county employees among highest-paid local government workers in Upstate NY