Commissioners: It’s our money, not yours!

It appears our commissioners haven’t accepted the fact that they are employees of the taxpayers of Buncombe County.

Their travel allowance was just reduced from $650 every two weeks to $320 every two weeks, which is still unacceptable. Chairman Gantt wants the commissioners to be paid for the average miles they travel “as long as it’s not too far out of line.” He also stated, in an interview, “the new allowance might not cover the cost of going to the many events the commissioners feel pressured to attend."

Hello! A mileage log pays for all their trips, even the 200 to 250 meetings he said he attends each year. They should be paid for the exact number of miles they travel; no more, no less. That would be acceptable. They are exhibiting pure selfishness and greed.

In the last two years, the commissioners have received a total of $214,500, or $42,900 each in travel and technology allowances! For the next two years, even with the recent reduction in allowances, they will still receive $89,700, or $17,940 each. These are perks, not salaries, and this is still unacceptable.

There are many upcoming political conventions and meetings, which some or all of the commissioners will be attending, and gas and plane fares will be exorbitant. We must see frugality in the commissioners’ expenditures. And we must see fair and honest reporting of, and payment for, the actual expenses. My suggestion is to post online every meeting any or all of the commissioners attend. And they get paid by using a mileage log.

— Peggy T. Bennett
Leicester

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4 thoughts on “Commissioners: It’s our money, not yours!

  1. artart

    I wonder how many of the so-called meetings Commissioners say they attend are really no more than a partisan event to bolster their own re-elections? Even the President’s partisan political events are not paid for by the taxpayers, but by the Democratic National Comittee. How can anyone trust any politician to be honest? All “expenses” of all our Commissioners must be reimbursed based upon both the actual cost and the actual need for a Commissioner to be there for the interests of all the taxpayers of Buncombe County. If we don’t start holding these people accountable at the local level how in the world are we ever going to get state and national office holders to truly recognize and act like they are the employees of the people, and listen to us instead of they thinking we need to listen to them?

  2. BigAl

    “That’s right. Your own money is being used to re-elect politicians you disagree with.”

    TWICE, if you are forced to pay union dues.

  3. Just Me

    Why not just pay $.50 or $.60 cents per each documented mile like pretty much all other employers would? Most employees must track their own mileage if they want a mileage reimbursement. If they have a phone or laptop or internet, they have some documentation or agreement with their employers about the use and payment of these items for personal vs. business use. Why wouldn’t Buncombe county keep just as careful track of reimburseable expenses like most businesses and agencies, including outside organizations that receive County money, would?

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