| Davis Asks for Immediate Release of Village Health Care Plan Premiums before the April 7th Election |
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Davis asks for Immediate Release of Village Health Care Plan Premiums Before April 7th Election
Menomonee Falls - Village Presidential Candidate Jefferson E, Davis today asked for the immediate release of the Village's Health Care Plan Premiums before the April 7th Village President Election in Menomonee Falls.
The Davis for President Volunteer Campaign has also submitted a formal Open Records Request of the Village Manager and Village Attorney.
Davis is opposed by Village Trustee Randy Newman for the open seat due to the current office holder stepping down after 4 years.
In asking for the immediate release of the Village Health Care Plan Premiums before the April 7th Election Davis said,
"The voters have every legal and ethical right under State Law and Village Resolution to know what the Village's Health Care Plan Premiums are before the April 7th Election for Village President so they are able to make an informed decision as to which candidate will have the taxpayer's best interest at heart and which candidate has the more extensive background and track record for exercising leadership for keeping health care costs down.
The taxpayers of Menomonee Falls currently pay a minimum of 92.5% for the majority of the Village Employee Health Care Plan which translates into millions of dollars each year out of their pocket and very little cost to the employees.
If the taxpayers are picking up the bill, then they need to know what their cost is so they can make an informed decision before they vote on April 7th.
We know the monthly family plan was a little over $1,100 a month or $13, 512 a year under the former benefit analyst in 2005 when the Village Board always made that information available to the public.
My opponent was part of a group that fired the Village's Benefit Analyst in 2006 due to what the Village Manager said were for "pure political reasons" after the analyst had a stellar track record of lowering health care premiums on average of -1.7% for two years in a row (2004-05) that saved taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars and for that he was fired by the Village Board.
According to a Village Employee who recently confided in our Campaign, the current monthly family plan premium is $1,700 or nearly $21,000 a year giving the employees very little input, options or hope from management or the Village Board.
If this is true and the only way to find out for sure is to have the Village Manager and Village Attorney release the records to the taxpayers, which they are legally and ethically entitled to, that means health care costs for the taxpayers of Menomonee Falls have gone up on average almost 14% a year since my opponent has been on the Village Board.
That is unacceptable and the taxpayers deserve better than to have a Village Board that just rubber stamps the renewals and doesn't explore options and cost saving ideas like health saving accounts, cost sharing alternatives and wellness measures which will lower health care premiums substantially and save the taxpayers a lot of money without compromising benefits.
My opponent and I both work in the health care business and have a track record that voters in Menomonee Falls can examine before they vote to decide which Village Presidental Candidate will work to lower health care costs and save the taxpayers money.
My record is clear on this issue. I voted to lower health care costs for a two year average of -1.7% in 2004-05 that reversed a pitiful trend of nearly 18% increases for 5 years in a row ('99-'03) that saw the tab for taxpayer's go from about $1.1 million to nearly $2.5 million for the Village's Health Care Plan Premium.
Unfortunately, those huge increases for health care costs appear to be back in vogue with the support of my opponent over the last 4 years of his time on the Village Board.
The taxpayers deserve better and with my background, track record and leadership they will."
Davis and others have been asking for the Village Health Care Plan Premiums for nearly 2 years now and the Village Manager and Village Attorney have refused to do so. It is hoped that those records will be released as is required by State Law before the April 7th Election.
The Davis for President Volunteer Campaign is hosting 3 Voter V.I.P. (Voter Input Program) Meetings at John Harbor's Public Coffee House in downtown Menomonee Falls (N88 W16521 Main St.) as follows:
Saturday, March 21st and 28th 9:30-11:00 A.M.
Wednesday, March 25th 7:00-9:00 P.M. {{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{
March 19, 2009
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