The Myth of Fixed Costs
Throughout the debate on the budget and the override, we’ve been hearing a lot about “fixed costs” and that these costs are the reason we need to pass such a large override. The problem is much of what is being included in “fixed costs” isn’t really fixed at all. Costs like pensions and health insurance are very much able to be restrained. Unfortunately, they simply haven’t been.
As stated by the Citizens for Limited Taxation:
Ever skyrocketing, budget-busting public employee benefits — despite economic cycles — have caught in the craw of their employers, we the taxpayers. Commonly termed “fixed costs,” as tax-and-spenders prefer calling them, can no longer hide behind that ambiguous term. We’ve all learned what “fixed costs” mean: The public employees’ gravy train at taxpayers’ expense.
No one should support an override until something is done to curtail the increasing costs of the generous pension and health plans given out by the town and the B-R Regional School District. If we pass an override while doing nothing to curtail our spending in these areas, we will simply need to pass another override in a few years.
According to the BRRSD’s own numbers, “fixed costs” have gone up by 129.3% over the past 7 years. The Town of Bridgewater has experienced similar increases. That is simply not sustainable, and they are not doing anything to curb this outrageous budget-buster. Instead, they are coming to the taxpayer with their hands out. What’s worse, they are actually pretending that they won’t be asking for another override in a few years. However, with rising costs like those, we all know that they will have to do so.
Very few of the taxpayers in Bridgewater have a health plan that requires a mere 12% premium contribution coupled with low co-pays. This is the benefit that town employees and BRRSD teachers receive. So, why is it that the taxpayers are required to fund such generosity? Not only that, but the Town and the BRRSD pay lifetime health costs for retirees. I don’t know of any private sector firms that offer such a benefit anymore. General Motors and Ford did so, and those insurance and pension costs crippled both companies. It doesn’t work in the private sector and we shouldn’t be funding these exorbitant benefits in the public sector either.
On June 16th, Vote No on the override and send a message to our town officials that we demand reforms before being asked to foot the bill.