It’s time to put a cap on benefit packages for local elected
positions, and to make sure lifetime benefits are not in the
equation
When it comes to serving on a governmental board or agency, benefits shouldn’t be the incentive for service. That’s doubly true for boards that are the equivalent of a part-time job, as is the case with most local boards.
We want residents to serve on local school boards, city councils, water district boards and the like because they’re passionate about their communities and the issues, not because they want the health insurance benefits.
This issue recently came to the forefront after former San Jose City Council Member Linda LeZotte demanded lifetime health benefits after eight years of service on that panel.
We second Gilroy City Council Member Russ Valiquette’s assessment of that demand: “Give me a break, she needs lifetime psychiatry,” he said. “Of course you are going to attract all kinds of people based on the perks, but those are the type of people you don’t want running for office.”
Governmental agencies must balance real budgets, and expensive perks make that job much more difficult and aren’t in the best interest of taxpayers.
We don’t have a problem with benefits, but believe the amount any agency spends should be capped somewhere in the neighborhood of $300 a month or $3,600 a year.
However, a review of local agencies shows the benefits packages are much more generous than that.
Gilroy taxpayers currently spend about $10,000 per year per council member for benefits.
Gavilan Community College Trustees can elect to take benefits that cost taxpayers up to $15,000 per year per trustee.
The Santa Clara Valley Water District spends between $6,000 and $22,000 per board member per year on benefits.
Taxpayers need to express their disgust with the idea of lifetime benefits for elected officials, and the tide of more expensive benefits needs to be stemmed. And certainly the benefits should end when the official’s term ends, no ifs, ands or buts about it.
Serving as a school trustee or city council member is a big commitment of time and energy. We don’t mind fairly compensating folks while they’re serving, including a reasonable amount for health benefits in line with private sector part-time jobs.
But when governmental agencies cry poor while they’re handing out fat benefits packages to elected officials, it’s time for taxpayers to say loudly, “Enough.”
If we don’t, we have only ourselves to blame for the fleecing we’re allowing to occur.
