Amherst Town Hall, in the morning
Every city and town in the state should do this so a) employees could compare their salary with comparable communities to see if they are being fairly compensated; and b) taxpayers, who pay everybody's salaries, could decide for themselves if people are fairly compensated.
I do have a Public Documents request in with the Amherst Regional Public Schools (their total salary expenditure will be a lot larger), made at the same time as my request to the town, but -- to be fair -- HR director Kathy Mazur was going on vacation, so a subordinate is going to get me the data ... eventually.
Best if I don't look-
ReplyDeleteMany of us don't have the salaries and non stop pay increases of those *we* pay through our taxes.
Soes the BID know there is a concert at Mullins on Sept 13th?
Hopefully Eric Church doesn't have a large following as traffic will be a mess downtown!
At least it's a Thursday.
ReplyDeleteBut then we do have that "Thirsty Thursday" thing to contend with.
University Drive, Triangle street and Amity Street will all still be open.
ReplyDeleteWell if the private sector needs to pay more to cover the cost of infrastructure, as Obama suggests, than those paying taxes should be able to vote on a pay raise on those supervising the projects!
ReplyDeleteAfter all, WE build the roads, shouldn't we have a say in how it is built?
Least it doesn't shoe overtime....
ReplyDeleteOur town employees are a bargain compared with our school system! They also get information very quickly upon request and help to solve problems.
ReplyDeleteYou did vote. You voted to elect representives called the School Committee.
ReplyDeleteWe can cut most of those salaries in half and people will be lining up to fill the jobs. no wonder our taxes are out of control.
ReplyDeleteI propose that we cut all of those salaries in half - I am certain that filling the jobs will not be a problem with our current unemployment rate. people will line up for the cushy town jobs. it is no wonder our taxes are out of control.
ReplyDeleteI understand that town employees work for the public and are paid through taxes. I also understand that this is public knowledge, BUT WHAT GIVES YOU THE RIGHT TO PUT THIS ON YOUR BLOG THIS IS PEOPLES PERSONAL INFORMATION. Looking at other public and state officials trying to find their years wages is hard due to the fact they are released every so many years. DO NOT WORRY LARRY I SERVE EVERYONE IN THE TOWN OF AMHERST BUT YOU. I STRESS THE YOU.
ReplyDeleteOldest saying in journalism: "The people's right to know."
ReplyDeleteI thought only the pay range, not exactly what people are making is public information. How did you get that report, which I believe is supposed to be confidential?
ReplyDeleteI do work for the Town, but am glad I am not on that list. I've already had a disgruntled neighbor say that I "eat at the public trough." I agree that upper administrators seem to be paid too much, but those salaries are reported in the newspaper.
Go to bostonherald.com if you want to see any state payrolls or pensions. It has been there for years. This is all public money, so it ain't personal.
ReplyDeletePosting this information without a job title associated to each of the names is so clearly a violation of privacy and borders on malice. It's as if you are casting aspersions on these folks who, like anyone else, saw a job posting, applied for it, interviewed, and found employment.
ReplyDeleteThis list is meaningless unless you have intimate knowledge of what each of these people do professionally. Such small-town pettiness is this blog. It is not in the name of journalism that you post this "data," Larry. You are aiding and abetting people's distrust not only of gov't, but their neighbors.
You sound like NBC and their idiot excuse for not live streaming the Olympics 24/7: People needed help "interpreting" the raw data.
ReplyDeleteYou underestimate my audience, as did NBC with all of America.
I don't underestimate your "audience's" ability to interpret fiscal information, but unless I am provided with a list of job titles against these salaries, how would I begin to know which are planners, which are IT folks, administrators, etc. You are providing ammunition to those who have personal grudges against individuals who work for this town. It seems that you despise nearly everyone, that none of us live up to your standard of ethics or competence and that we're all out to steal your money. Or so it seems. And looking sideways at a FLAG even riles your petty anger. I feel sorry for you.
ReplyDeletePlease do us a favor and publish every record of yours which is deemed public. All of them, then remove the plank from your eye.
If you don't like people knowing what you make, then take a job with the private sector.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, I will be publishing the Amherst Regional Public School system payroll information on Monday.
Bring on the planks.
Then again maybe not?
ReplyDeleteYeah, I'm sure upper management read of your great concern and decided not to turn over the public documents ... even though the town (who also has an attorney) turned them over post haste.
ReplyDelete