SUNBURY - Northumberland County elected officials said Thursday a proposal earlier this week to significantly lower their salaries is "ridiculous" and shows a total lack of respect for the duties they perform.
Meanwhile, Commissioner Stephen Bridy maintains his motion to reduce the salaries by 25 to 50 percent - which was tabled Tuesday for further research - was made so elected officials can lead by example by taking pay cuts during tough financial times.
He also favors cutting salaries because he considers some of the elected positions part-time, including commissioner.
Register and Recorder Mary Zimmerman, who has worked in the office for 30 years, said, "If they lower the elected officials' salaries to $18,000, everyone else in the offices would be making more than the elected official. Who would run for office at that salary?"
She added, "Nobody knows the duties of this office better than me and it really upsets me that Commissioners Bridy and (Vinny) Clausi claim we're never in the office. I think the proposal to lower salaries is ridiculous. They are creating so much stress by doing this to us. Why are they doing this? I just want them to stop and allow us to do our jobs."
Zimmerman, who earns an annual salary of $57,396, said row officers have not received a pay increase in eight years.
'Absurd'
District Attorney Tony Rosini believes cutting salaries would be "absurd."
He said 65 percent of his $172,271 salary is paid by the state, which sets his salary based on the county judges' salaries. Rosini makes approximately $1,000 less than the county judges.
Rosini said, "Unlike the commissioners, the row officers are full-time positions and their responsibilities and duties are consistent with the salaries they are earning. We couldn't get competent people to run for these offices if the salaries were cut to $18,000."
Sheriff Chad Reiner, who took office 9 1/2 years ago at age 24, added, "Being sheriff is a full-time position. I have many duties and don't just sit behind a desk from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. every day. I often work after my normal hours serving PFA orders and assisting other law enforcement agencies. I put my life on the line every day. In this position, you're not dealing with society's best."
Reiner, who said he loves his job and is proud and humbled to serve as sheriff, said, "I think reducing salaries would promote absent leadership. I would be making about $8.25 per hour with an $18,000 salary. My part-timers get $12 per hour and my full-time deputies receive $16 per hour. It's difficult now to get good candidates for public office. Who would run for $18,000? I have a family of four and I know I couldn't make it with that salary."
Reiner earns an annual salary of $53,834.
He said, "Every four years, the people evaluate my performance. I hope to be sheriff when I'm old and gray."
Treasurer Kevin Gilroy, who is in his first term, stated, "You get what you pay for. I come to work every day and I don't appreciate Clausi and Bridy trying to make themselves look good at the expense of others who come to work every day. They (commissioners) should have their pay cut in half because they only work part time."
Gilroy, like many other county employees, said morale is at an all-time low.
"There are many good people working for the county and this harassment by certain commissioners must stop," he said. "I get paid for 33 hours per week, but I actually work more than that every week. I'm just sick of all the lies being spread by Bridy and Clausi."
Gilroy's annual salary is $53,834.
Longtime Coroner James F. Kelley, who also earns $53,834 per year, said, "We are all professionals who chose the respective offices we hold. Claims being made that we are career politicians are not true. It's not fair for the commissioners to arbitrarily cut our pay."
Kelley said he has no clue why Bridy proposed the cuts and remains upset that he had to read about the motion in the newspaper instead of being notified in person by one of the commissioners. "Out of respect as fellow elected office holders, I think the commissioners owed it to us to call beforehand about this issue. This has happened with other matters in the past as well," he said.
Controller Tony Phillips and Prothonotary Kathleen Strausser, who is not seeking re-election, reserved comment about Bridy's proposal. Phillips earns an annual salary of $56,676, while Strausser's salary is $57,396.
'Take a pay cut'
Bridy defended his recommendation to cut the salaries.
"This isn't spite work," he said. "I spent $40,000 on my campaign, which was the second largest amount next to Mr. Clausi. Who stands to lose more than me? But I feel the time is right to do this because I feel it's important for the leaders of our county, including the commissioners, to take a pay cut."
Bridy accused many row officers through the years as being career politicians.
"These are public service positions," he said. "People get in the system and milk it. Everyone over the past 30 years has taken turns sitting at the trough and getting fat."
The commissioner said reducing the salaries of elected officials also would generate a significant savings in pension payments.
Bridy said the commissioners are authorized to set the salaries of elected officials, but can only reduce them to certain amounts according to the county code covering fifth-class counties.
The commissioner said the earliest the salaries could be reduced is 2014, which is one year prior to the next election for the commissioners. He said a special public meeting advertised at least 10 days in advance in the newspaper must be held between 6 and 9 p.m. to vote on the issue.
According to information provided to Bridy by assistant solicitor John Muncer, commissioners, who currently make $61,000 per year, could have their salaries cut to $21,000.
The sheriff, treasurer, controller, register and recorder and prothonotary could have their salaries reduced to $19,000, while the coroner's salary could be reduced to $14,000.
Bridy said he would not be in favor of cutting the salaries to the lowest possible level, and sticks by his original recommendation to cut them by 25 or 50 percent.
Clausi indicated at Tuesday's commissioners' meeting that he would support cutting the salaries. Before the issue was tabled, Commissioner Richard Shoch said he would vote against it because the matter just surfaced at the meeting.