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Messages - Mummy
271
« on: February 28, 2008, 02:01:20 PM »
Answer to Karen's question which came up during my writing to the previous question.
No ONE is being eliminated from the current health insurance plan. The employee has a choice to pay for the spouse if they indeed have a spouse! This concept is new to the Town of Fairfax but has been around for over ten-years in the business world. This is not a punishment to the workers but a good business choice for the Town of Fairfax. Every employee has a choice to add their spouse to the health care insurance through payroll deductions! Instead of the Town of Fairfax (TAX PAYER) covering the cost, your spouse the employee will pay for it at the plans already reduced rate which is a BONUS!
272
« on: February 28, 2008, 01:48:54 PM »
Sounds like you have LITTLE information on this subject. Let me try to bring you up to speed on this topic which is new for the Town of Fairfax BUT has been exercised for YEARS in the business world.
The Town of Fairfax (TAX PAYER's) pay for the employee's health insurance which is an A PLUS plan (BLUE CROSS & BLUE SHIELD) and this plan also covered the spouse at 100% no employee contribution! Now the Town of Fairfax (Tax payer's) will continue the 100% coverage but "if" you want a spouse the employee will have to contribute via payroll deductions. I think that is what you suggested and that IS WHAT THE Town of Fairfax has proposed! It is a FAIR and reasonable suggestion.
I for one applaud the selectboard for acting on this item. It would be careless and rectless of them NOT to have suggested this during this recession year! Good for you, reaching out to understand the issues at hand! Do you have BLUE CROSS AND BLUE SHIELD healthin insurance?
273
« on: February 28, 2008, 09:53:46 AM »
This is not about job performance or the value of an employee which has been proven by the rate of increase to pay over the past years!
The issue is:
This type of policy is not offered in todays work force to receive a 100% health care coverage even for the employee who is valued, does not exist today in the work force. This current policy which the TAX PAYER pay for is an A PLUS policy! It requires a minimal out of pocket expense from the employee. Do you have any idea how many TAX PAYERs here in Town who have a 100% two person health care plan OR who have NO COVERAGE AT ALL?
Bob you were an IBMer, does IBM cover 100% of you and your spouse health care coverage?
Does IBM have the same wonderful health care coverage that they had 20-years ago? How long AGO did IBM change their health care coverage in regards to spouse? This town has waited much longer than anyone else to make these types of changes. This is a painful decision with a years notice given.
Did IBM give you a YEARS notice or were you notified to make a choice within 30-days with these new changes?
Hopfully our national election this year will solve some of these issues.
274
« on: February 17, 2008, 02:29:23 AM »
As I recall some 8 - years ago at a School Board meeting the average income in Fairfax was $55,000 which raised much discussion that night from the School Board Directors to the presenters. It was disclosed that Fairfax has MANY professionals living here with good incomes. Do you have any idea what the AVERAGE income in Fairfax is now?
It seems $47,000 per year is...well...LOW for todays income unless you are living on a Disability or Retirement income which will help a few families and most likely the elderly. How does this help the average family living in Fairfax? We all know that the income of $47,000 would not qualify a family to purchase anything here in this town.
Although, I am pleased to see some movement in this area, so THANK YOU for the tiny start!
275
« on: February 17, 2008, 02:12:31 AM »
Under the LEAF plan the only way there would be a Homestead tax would be if the community voted to spend more than 85% of the previous year's statewide school spending. If this plan was in place last year, the homeowner you describe in Fairfax would have had no Homestead tax at all. The only way taxpayers would pay more than the 85% is if there was a vote to that effect by the community. Local voters, not the state, would make the decision. And they wouldn't be forced into an artificially high tax rate due to the CLA.
If the taxpayer owned Non-resident property, like a camp, a business, or land not contiguous to his Homestead, then there would be tax on that property at the current rate of $1.36. We are not making a change to the Non-resident property.
LEAF as we have drafted it would cap property taxes for Vermonters with income under $47,000, so that municipal and education tax cannot exceed 5% of this income.
This is the provision of existing law referred to as the "super circuit breaker" and it would remain in law. We are very concerned about allowing Vermonters to stay in their homes and hang onto their land. That's one of the reasons for the legislation.
Remember that the Ed Fund would no longer pay Special Education, Early Education and Technical Education, the money for these programs would come from somewhere else.
The LEAF plan is a framework. There are still some holes in it, but this is the general idea:
*spending decisions get made by locals, including the Homestead tax rate
*Sp Ed, EEE and Tech Ed are no longer paid by the Ed Fund, they are responsibilities shared by all Vermont taxpayers
*Non-resident and 'other' Ed Fund sources stay in place
Hope this helps.
from, Carolyn
276
« on: January 10, 2008, 03:49:47 PM »
We should all keep in mind to begin with the end insight! Things to consider immediately....
Can we afford a Community Center?
Can we afford to maintain this Community Center?
How many of us think our TAXES are too low here in Fairfax? FYI, the price of gasoline last year was a lot less than the price of gasoline this year and our Town Budget will reflect this change in gasoline come this July 2008.
These are just a few thoughts that truely need to be thought of BEFORE to much longer. Just thinking ahead!
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