It is good that the village and its AFSCME-represented village employees have come to agreement on a new three-year contract. The raises are properly modest given the times we are all enduring.
Our concern is on the health insurance front where employees gave no ground on their contributions to the rising cost of this vital benefit. Depending on the health insurance plan they choose, employees will again pay 10 or 12 percent of the premium cost. Sure as premiums inevitably rise that 10 percent portion might increase a bit in absolute dollars paid. But until public employees begin to pay a higher percentage of the overall cost – something in a range that at least touches the pain private sector workers are feeling with their contribution levels – then there is an unfair divide that taxpayers are left to bridge.
