A ballot question appearing on Allegheny County voters’ ballots Tuesday asks whether County Council members should be allowed to receive additional taxpayer-funded benefits.
Former County Executive Rich Fitzgerald tells KDKA Radio explains what a yes and no vote would mean.
If you vote YES, county councilmembers will be able to have personal staff, compared to the current shared staff. It would also allow them access to more benefits, including healthcare, fringe benefits and more.
It would also allow members to establish district offices.
A NO vote would keep the status quo, the existing restrictions on county spending for those resources would remain in place.
The policy, established in the late 1990s, restricted council members from receiving pensions and other benefits.
“It was set up to have a full-time County Executive and a part-time County Council, 13 by district and two at-large,” said Fitzgerald. “They were going to have shared staff and it put some limitations of expenditures for things like healthcare, pension, pay, etc.”
Fitzgerald says the current policy also prevents council members from having district offices, similar to those used by state and federal lawmakers.
