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NORTH WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. In a close vote, the North Castle Town Board approved a new town employee benefit package that will slash benefits for current employees and retirees.
The plan was approved in a 3-2 vote at Wednesday evening's regular Town Board meeting at the North Castle Community Center.
The new benefit plan could save North Castle as much as $17 million in the long run, Town Supervisor Howard Arden said. But board members Stephen DAngelo and Michael Schiliro voted against the plan, pointing to its negative effects.
I cant vote for this and tell someone whos 90 years old that starting on Monday they need to send the town a $62 check every month, DAngelo said. Because they cant afford to pay that.
Under the approved package:
For current employees, the plan will require a 15 percent monthly premium payment for individual or family medical, dental and vision insurance plans as of July 1. On July 1, 2013, that premium payment will rise to 30 percent.
For retirees, the package will eliminate dental and vision plans and require a 15 percent monthly premium for medical and prescription drug plans.
For current and former elected officials, it eliminates all medical insurance benefits as of July 1. Elected officials may participate in the insurance plan by paying 100 percent of the cost.
The new plan applies only to employees or retirees of the town who are not union members.
Armonk resident Kerry Lutz compared town employees who collect benefits at taxpayer expense to parasites. This is the kind of madness that taxpayers are facing, Lutz said. Theres a limit to the taxpayer generosity.
Town Board member Diane DiDonato-Roth said she supported the plan because of flaws in the previous plan that allowed short-term workers to get long-term benefits.
There are some town employees that worked here for five years and they received free health care for the rest of their lives, DiDonato-Roth said.
Schiliro opposed the package, saying it would make it difficult to attract future employees, especially to the town supervisor position.
With the supervisor, I do think that position should qualify for health benefits because it is a lot of time, he said. And how do you attract the right person for that job?
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