Guest Commentary
It's business as usual during county budget time
By WINCY WALKER Jasper

It's budget time in the courthouse and some elected officials are again hollering, "Gimme." District Clerk Linda Ryall and County Clerk Debbie Newman have asked for a five percent pay raise for their employees - but a $5000 raise for themselves. Oink!

Seems shortly after their reelection, Ryall realized passport applications were "up" either 300 percent or 500 percent, (she doesn't really know!) and Newman discovered there will be a presidential election in 2008, plus all those applicants for passports needed birth certificates from her office.

They think they're entitled to more money. Last year they complained about their insurance - they had a $50 co-pay for a specialist instead of the $25 co-pay they had before. OINK!

The best paying jobs in Jasper County are with governmental entities. The very best seem to be in county government. What these county employees need most is a dose of the real world. Based on the salary sheets for 2007, requested from the county auditor, most shocking is that county employees have base salaries equal to or greater than most people in the private sector.

How many times have you heard how underpaid they are? Not so! No business in Jasper County could survive paying benefits county employees have.

(Why is Frank Williams paid $7,241 to be South County Veterans Officer? Are there no vets in North County?)

All employees - PLUS their dependents - have health insurance paid by taxpayers. First six months of 2007, 133 employees with 188 dependents, had received over $597,000 in health insurance benefits - $1.2 million for the year.

The insurance is one of the most discriminatory things I've ever seen. It's amazing they've gotten away with it.

Two employees side by side doing the same job; one gets benefit of $4,311, the other married with kids gets benefit of $11,838, or $7,527 more. Isn't that discrimination?

In addition, employees have a lot of other benefits. The annual cost to taxpayers for these elected officials - County Judge Mark Allen - $98,718

Commissioners Shofner - $75,736* Parker - $79,418 Stark - $76,395

Moss - $80,079

County Clerk Debbie Newman - $52,275*

District Clerk Linda Ryall - $57,651

* No spouse on insurance

Why are taxpayers paying for health insurance for the spouses of some of these people?

I'm lousy at math, even with a calculator, but I figured the 80 spouses @ about $4,830 each, totals about $386,400 this year.

As county judge, Mark "Laptop Computers" Allen is responsible for the county budget. That's a scary thought!!! The commissioners approve the budget.

Allen campaigned as the "law enforcement" candidate. The $386,400 saved from insuring spouses would provide the sheriff the money to put much needed law enforcement officers on the roads. We don't need "spousal maintenance," we need law enforcement officers.

The trough is about to run out of slop! What are they going to do when property can't be reappraised and tax rates can't be raised? Will they have a five-year estimate of the cost of the budget they pass?

It would be a nice change if the people in charge of the budget suddenly realized they are supposed to be working for the public and not an entitlement program for themselves and their friends. But this is Jasper County where we have a well earned state-wide reputation to uphold - of making poor decisions and irresponsible spending by county officials, enabled by ignorance and apathy of voters.