Here & There Column 5-3-11

Compromise Worked This Time

Kudos go out this week to both the Liberty PBA and to Liberty Mayor Richard Winters and the Village Board for what certainly can be considered a compromise which eliminated three proposed layoffs in the police department.
The Village of Liberty was facing severe budget problems (as most municipalities and school districts are) and Mayor Winters had made it very clear that in looking at a large budget deficit there was no way under the current economic conditions in Sullivan County that he was going to pass a proposed 21 percent raise in taxes onto village taxpayers.
Proposed cuts in the police budget had included cuts resulting in eliminating the police department's two detectives as well as a sergeant.
It is never an easy task preparing budgets in today's economy but compromise, consolidation and job losses are the theme of the day in all municipal and school districts this year.
This time at least in the Village of Liberty compromise and concessions from the PBA kept the detectives and sergeant from losing their jobs.
We give a big pat on the back to the Liberty PBA and their concessions which included foregoing the raises due them this year, plus stipends for various extra skill sets, plus a raise in monies provided for uniforms and equipment, incentives given to those using the least amount of sick time and working 12-hour shifts instead of 8-hour shifts.
The concession keeps all present officers employed and gives Liberty Village taxpayers less than a 1 percent tax increase.......a win-win situation for everyone.