Monday, September 29, 2008

Town salaries on the web

Curt Brown has a post at his blog and points to a listing of all the town employees and their pay for FY08. He asks for your comments ...

...at his blog and I'd like to know what you think too. But please let's not get personal. If you want to refer the list, would you please use the person's title and not their name. There's a big difference between Bill Trimble is not worth what they pay him, and the Select Board member is not worth what they pay him. Or how can a patrolman make $100K, not how can Patrolman Trimble make $100K? I think you can see what I am saying here.
I have not had to delete very many comments in the history of this blog, but I can. Please keep it to positions, and not to people.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Just came from Curt's blog and people seem really mad that this information was posted. Why? As long as the numbers came from the town what's the problem? Since there is a constant cry for more money, the taxpayers should know where their money is being spent so they can better judge whether or not they want to give more. If people really feel salaries are not too high then why should there be a problem with posting them? Wouldn't they want this information out there to reassure the voters?

Anonymous said...

I have a probem with listing total money earned in a year as "salary". For example a police officer with a base pay of 47,800 who works 20,000 in overtime and road construction is listed at a salary of 67,400. This is misleading to say the least. Show their salary and overtime separately to give voters the proper information on which to judge.

Anonymous said...

you wont see that from the standard times. I have no problem showing the salaries as long as the breakdown is included(retirement, stipend , buyout ,overtime ,etc...) The standard times would have you believe this is just flat salary. That is what people are upset about. This is seen as "stirring the pot" to divide the town again like they did last year and sell more papers. I wish I had a bird so their paper would be of some use.