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http:// --> Ashland, Oregon HOME Valley & State Sports Nation & World Opinion/Editorial Classifieds Business Columnists Local Issues Obituaries Weather Archive Revels Etcetera Backpage Hot Topics Most Viewed Forum Photo Galleries Video Readers Polls O-Zone Online Games Movie Preview Special Sections Real Estate Guide Menu Guide Shakespeare Subscribe Contact Us Rate Card Place an Ad Top Galleries: January 22, 2007 Health insurance vs. salary By Vickie Aldous Ashland Daily Tidings Ashland is one of only eight Oregon cities that give their city councilors and mayors health insurance, according to a 2006 League of Oregon Cities survey. Of those eight, three allow their elected officials to choose between having health insurance or a paycheck. Giving Ashland's councilors and mayor that choice would be one way of offering the option of a salary without costing the city more money. The city is already paying a sizable sum to provide health insurance with dental and vision benefits. Of the six-member city council and the mayor, only Councilor Alice Hardesty opted not to receive the benefits. She said she has her own health insurance. Three people receive single-person health insurance that costs $5,290 per year; two receive insurance for themselves and one additional family member at a cost of $10,798 annually; and one receives full family coverage that costs $14,842 each year, according to Human Resources Director Tina Gray. The cost of single, two-member and family insurance could be averaged to offer a salary of $10,310 per year, or health insurance. That approach would also provide a more equal benefit. Although Councilor Russ Silbiger said he is not in favor of paying city councilors, he noted that those with family insurance receive a larger health insurance benefit than single councilors. "One of the idiosyncrasies of health benefits is that they are not equal," he said. Additionally, councilors who receive health insurance from an employer and forgo city insurance get no benefit, while someone who works for himself or herself and otherwise would pay for insurance out-of-pocket receives a sizable benefit. The current council does not have any members who are taking employer-based health insurance. Councilor Cate Hartzell could receive insurance through her job with the state. But she worked for a nonprofit when first elected to the council, took city insurance at that time and has continued with city insurance. Hartzell said she would be interested in looking into whether offering a choice of health insurance or a salary would be more fair than today's system. "One of the values I hold true is equity. If there's a need to make it more fair or equitable, I would be willing to discuss it," she said. "Over the years, it hasn't been equitable." Staff writer Vickie Aldous can be reached at 479-8199 or [email protected]. Current Comments: I think, as Ms. Hartzell would do, we should demand an immediate stop to payment of insurance benefits so we can ask hundreds of inane questions and spend huge amounts of time just talking to decide if we should really offer it Yes the job takes a lot of time but that means that you will get truly committed individuals running for office knowing they are doing it for NO personal benefit. I say drop ALL pay and benefits NOW. $350 is virtually meaningless and need not be spent! Yeah! - Ashland, OR - January 22nd, 4:36 PM This explains why we get so many flakes, errr I mean "organic farmers" and "consultants" on the council. They do it for the health insurance. Here's an equal benefit, don't insure them at all. With the rising cost of health benefits it's ridiculous to be only one of the eight cities in the whole state offering it. They should absolutely not be allowed to vote themselves a raise or health benefits. Put it to a full city vote, with discontinuing it as an option. You've got to be kidding - Ashland, OR - January 22nd, 4:37 PM So Cate Hartzell doesn't care enough about the city of Ashland to sign up for health insurance through her work. She'd rather have local taxpayers foot the bill, with money that could be used instead for city services -- or to pay down AFN debt. There's a message here about fiscal responsibility and how she thinks about the city budget. We're paying at least $5,000 for her insurance that could go to better things. Allen Baker - Ashland - January 22nd, 5:58 PM Does health insurance pay the prescription cost for the medical marijuana of one particular councilor? just wondering - Disney-Ashlandia - January 22nd, 7:53 PM I employ over 100 people, and know that you should not receive full-time status without benefits. Full-time status means you work a documented 40-hours per week. Also, Allen - you have to be joking me that the few hundred a month paid to Cate Hartzell's healthcare would help the AFN debt.... Think much bigger than this my friend. Josh T. - Ashland - January 22nd, 8:26 PM Josh -- Passing up a $3 latte won't pay a $1,000 credit card bill. But if you show that discipline for a year, you're almost out of hock. The real message here is that $5,000 does matter, especially if you waste it time after time after time. Maybe we can buy $5,000 worth of library books, or set up a $5,000 fund to help pay for humane dog fencing. Put the whole council's insurance bills together and you can buy a unit of affordable housing. Better? Allen Baker - Ashland - January 22nd, 10:53 PM why don't the councilors shut up and let the folks we ALREADY pay to manage the city do the jobs they were hired for? Council wouldn't be a full time job if Hartzell-Navickas-Hardesty would quit flapping their jaws over every stupid idea that comes into their minds. We could shorten meetings by 75% if Bullock, Lang, Swales and Hopkins moved. I am still in for $10 towards a one-way ticket. enough - ashland, or - January 23rd, 7:02 AM Josh, an average of $10,310 is spent on insurance for the 6 people. That equals $61,860 per year for insurance that many Ashlanders cannot afford at all. Sure that money will not pay off AFN, but it is obscene that some Ashlanders who don't have insurance are paying this money so these six can have it. This money can surely go toward needed city services. Navickas and others want to add another $150K in sallary to the bill so they'll not be so inconvenienced! Can you say "RECALL"? DPB - Ashland, OR - January 23rd, 7:44 AM Well, at least someone in this town under 65 has the luxury of health insurance in 2007! Everybody that pays City property taxes should get a family health policy too! It would be the one city program that my family needs. Certainly before Police, AFN, parks and rec; I'd like every Ashland resident to have health insurance- yes, including our councilors! Pretty hard to govern us working class if they don't have to work, if they are set up with health insurance which is only a memory for us Working Class - Ashland - January 23rd, 11:08 AM Leave a Comment: Advertisement: Advertisement: Paid Advertising: Debt Help Inkjet Printers Payday Loans Free Ringtones Debt Consolidation Water Filter Security Systems Debt Relief Advertisement: Copyright © 2007 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers. All Rights Reserved. Del.icio.us