Policy Is Important
As we address current and proposed city policies over the next several months, the over-riding consideration and our primary focus is the issue of fairness - fairness to the Berwyn taxpayer and property owner.
Bankruptcy proceedings will provide an ideal opportunity for the residents of Berwyn to also change the structure of city government to assure that Bankruptcy is never again necessary.
The following suggestions are open for discussion. Your comments and your own suggestions are welcome.
1. Balanced Budget:
For reasons stated on the "Home Page", we feel that it is essential that Berwyn adopt a policy of living within a balanced budget. This can be achieved by ordinance and/or referendum. Living under the rules of a balanced budget will bring an end to an era of debt, deceit and dishonesty where funding the operation of city government is concerned.
2. Residency Requirements:
9 out of 10 city employees do not live in Berwyn. A residency ordinance requires city employees to have a stake in Berwyn by residing in Berwyn. This is especially appropriate for first responders. First responders to the
emergency needs of Berwyn residents should live in the city they serve.
3. Rescinding Contracts Based On Fraudulent Negotiations
Negotiations that provide city employees with unprecedented pension windfalls and other extravagant benefits must be investigated. As we examine what your elected officials have done while you have not been looking, you will be asked to answer the following question: "WOULD YOU HAVE VOTED TO DO THAT?".
The issue of rigged negotiations raises a serious fairness, ethical and
abuse of power issues. City employees who are also union members
negotiate on both sides of the table. The results of those "negotiations"
are thick with conspiracy and collusion to defraud Berwyn residents and
taxpayers. The rich benefit programs are entirely inappropriate and utterly
laughable.
4. Open and Transparent Government
When our policy of open and transparent government becomes the law of the City of Berwyn, it will raise transparency in government to an entirely new level.
a. The video recording of all union contract negotiations for publication on
the city website.
b. The immediate publication of all correspondence including but not
limited to, written email and other digital correspondence between
union representatives and those who represent the city.
c. The video recording of all negotiations, arbitrations or other
hearings regarding all GRIEVANCES filed by any person employed
by the City of Berwyn including the immediate publication of the
GRIEVANCE itself and all correspondence, including but not limited
to, written, email and other digital correspondence relating to any
such GRIEVANCE.
d. The monthly publication on the city's website of total pension
contributions by each individual city employee along with the projected
retirement benefits each will receive if retirement were to occur at age
50, 55, 60 and 65.
e. The monthly publication on the city's website of the number of sick
days, personal days and holidays to which each employee is entitled
and has taken along with the value of those days and the amount of
education reimbursement received by each employee for the last 20
years.
f. The publication on the city's website of all documentation relating to
claimed overtime for which an employee has been paid and the
amount of such payments including lump sum payments for the years
beginning in 1970 going forward.
g. The publication on the city's website of the amount of gas paid for by
the city (either at the city's gas pump or otherwise) for each elected
and appointed public official.
5. Independent City Management and Non-Partisan Elections.
These issues are the "Achilles Heel" of the Berwyn machine politician. Their
hysterical efforts to defeat any attempt to install either of these common
policies are both pathetic and entirely entertaining. On this website we will be
discussing (at length) why it is important to install both Independent City
Management and Non-Partisan Elections as permanent city policy.
6. Massive Overhaul Of Berwyn's Housing Policies.
(More To Come)