Forestport Tax Payers,
It has become clear that the Town of Forestport is in a “budget league of its own,” when compared to nearby municipalities.
And it’s inescapable that we Town Board members must “play” with this budget in doing right by our taxpayers.
As you all know, I do not avail myself of the Health insurance or the retirement, so my compensation consists of two salaries, the total being approximately $23,634.
The town’s Supervisor salary is $15,194, and the Chief Budget Officer position I hold is $8,440.
If I took the family health plan, that would add approximately $13,885 for a total of $37,519.
Now add in the retirement of $4,419.55 for a grand total of $41,938.55.
If you subtract my annual salary without benefits, you will see that I work for $18,304.55 less than the previous Supervisor.
Now add in his deputy Supervisor’s (who was not on the Town Board) salary of $2,000 plus health care cost of $8,784 for a grand total for the supervisor of $52,722.
This means that I am running my office for $28,304.55 less than the previous administration.
The Town Board is living in that house also. The Town Board members receive $6,338 per year plus (if you are taking the single health coverage) add another $8795.52 making the total $15,133.52 per year.
Add in retirement of $1,185.20 for a grand total of $16,318.72 per year.
Multiply that by 4 to represent all four part-time board members for an annual total of $65,274.90.
Now if the next Supervisor does things the way the previous one did, the total annual salaries to the Board could be $117,996.90—about twice the amount of any town on the list of 12.
Our Town Board members receive $2,680.96 more annually than Board Members in the Town of Webb, which has six times the annual budget of Forestport and some expansive committee requirements.
Forestport is at a tipping point with bloated departmental budgets, healthcare and retirement costs.
I will be asking our board to start with getting their house in order by cutting the cost of the Town Board first, then working through the budget together to make sure our employees, electees and appointees get a fair shake, as well as the tax payers.
I want this process to be extremely fair and transparent.
Thank you,
Parker Snead
Forestport Town Supervisor
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NOTE: Additional budget and salary comparisons can be found at townofforestport.org