WCA wants county health pay plan OKd

Feb-05-10, 03:15 PM

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The head of the Westchester County Association is asking county lawmakers to approve a plan that would save the county about a million dollars a year in health care costs.

County Executive Robert Astorino proposed last month that all non-union county managers pay 15 percent toward health insurance premiums.

“We believe that the county executive’s proposal should be implemented immediately and does not require any study,” said William M. Mooney Jr. at a Friday news conference outside of the Westchester County Office Building in White Plains. “The legislature simply needs to react and take action to demonstrate to the county taxpayer that their efforts to provide taxpayer relief are sincere and they’re willing to be part of the shared sacrifice that they all talk about.”

Mooney said the WCA launched a Call to Action Committee, a group of business leaders who will monitor government spending.

Board of Legislators Chairman Ken Jenkins, D-Yonkers, this week outlined plans to form a Special Committee on County Health Insurance Contributions to analyze ways to cut costs while still providing affordable health care to county employees.

“The legislature fully supports the concept of employee contributions,” Jenkins said. “However, in the search to pass off much-needed tax relief to residents, the county board must act responsibly by reviewing every possible angle of such a complex issue.”

In response to the WCA call to move swiftly, Jenkins stated, “The Legislature fully supports the concept of employee contributions. However, in the search to pass off much-needed tax relief to residents, the county board is required to act responsibly by reviewing every possible angle of such a complex issue. The taxpayers in this county want real savings, real innovation, real service improvement, and more value for their tax dollar. Now is the time to think critically about how we spend our money within county government and this legislature takes that responsibility seriously. It’s the board’s fiduciary responsibility to conduct the due diligence necessary to deliver real savings to our residents without exposing them to potentially damaging legal concerns. We have a legitimate opportunity to create a comprehensive and thorough plan and it must be done expeditiously.”

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