By Audrey Levine Staff Writer
In the wake of the state’s budget problems, one resident is wondering if Manville officials would take a page from Florida officials and cut their own salaries.
At the May 12 Borough Council meeting, resident John Mehalick questioned whether the council would consider reducing salaries from its current $6,000 for council members and $8,000 for the mayor in light of all the necessary budget cuts the state has introduced.
”The borough doesn’t have a lot of revenue, and it depends on the taxpayers,” he said in a separate interview citing the fact that the council members and mayor received a raise in salaries from $5,000 and $7,000 respectively, in December. “They should take this into consideration when they accept raises and spend money.”
Mayor Lillian Zuza said in a separate interview the way the borough’s $13.7 million budget will look in August will depend on the money given to the municipalities by the state. She said the council is looking into ways to cut back on spending, but cannot make any final decisions until the state budget is approved.
”Everything hinges on what the state gives,” she said.
The borough stands to lose $214,000 in state aid if the current proposed state budget is approved.
In speaking to the council, Mr. Mehalik said Florida’s Gov. Charlie Crist has frozen municipal salaries in all boroughs of the state, including for municipal judges, lawyers and building inspectors.
However, according to an article in the St. Petersburg Times in April, the planned budget only reduces state lawmakers’ salaries by 5 percent, while some salaries, such as state troopers, are increasing. The budget does not outright cut municipal salaries, but does cut funds for other services throughout the state.
As for clerical and other workers, Mayor Zuza said salaries cannot be cut because they are union workers and the borough is bound by contract to pay a specific amount.
Several of the council members said that reducing their salaries would not necessarily help the budget in the long run.
”For the amount of money we make, I don’t think it will make much difference,” said Councilman Stephen Szabo.
Councilman Ed Komoroski estimated that about $40,000 is paid in total to the council members and mayor on a yearly basis, which equals about $10 per year from every household in town.
Still, Mr. Komoroski said, the salary covers gas and other expenditures while the council members perform their duties for the town, including traveling to meetings and events.
”I’m not doing this for the money,” he said. “But would people really notice the $10 over the course of the year?”
