Comments on: Shaw responds to Sun Article this morning on 980 WCAP http://www.dracutforum.net/2008/11/15/shaw-responds-to-sun-article-this-morning-on-980-wcap/ Providing information, news and discussion about Dracut, Massachusetts and its local community. Fri, 19 Mar 2010 21:46:59 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Michael H. http://www.dracutforum.net/2008/11/15/shaw-responds-to-sun-article-this-morning-on-980-wcap/comment-page-1/#comment-15902 Michael H. Sat, 15 Nov 2008 20:38:54 +0000 http://www.dracutforum.net/?p=1704#comment-15902 I honestly believe that Dracut needs to do away with this stipend for elected officials. It is an expense to the taxpayers that we do not need. The way I look at it is simple. You volunteer yourself for what I call community service when you put yourself in a race to hold a public seat. It is called giving back to the community. “A volunteer is someone who works for free for a community or for the benefit of natural environment primarily because they choose to do so.” Receiving this stipend is another form of payment for your services. If you volunteer I would think your payment would come in the form of sense of satisfaction that you are doing something for your community. That is just my opinion. Here is the other kicker. In the private sector you would need to work no less than 32 hours per week in order to be considered for this benefit. Why is it fair that these people who volunteer their time and not even put in nowhere near 32 hours a week be eligible for such a benefit? We got people out there that are having a hard time finding jobs that will give them enough hours to make them eligible for health benefits when the state mandates that everyone must have insurance. I understand Warren feels he deserves it, but volunteer is what he decided to do. It is not just Warren though. This stipend needs to be erased off the books and Dracut should follow the lead of other towns that are doing the same thing. Economic times are pretty tough and there is no end to the road we are travelling coming up. If we are going to look at cutting cost, this is and should be the first to go. Does WCAP offer you these benefits for the part time hours you put in? I honestly believe that Dracut needs to do away with this stipend for elected officials. It is an expense to the taxpayers that we do not need. The way I look at it is simple. You volunteer yourself for what I call community service when you put yourself in a race to hold a public seat. It is called giving back to the community.

“A volunteer is someone who works for free for a community or for the benefit of natural environment primarily because they choose to do so.”

Receiving this stipend is another form of payment for your services. If you volunteer I would think your payment would come in the form of sense of satisfaction that you are doing something for your community. That is just my opinion.

Here is the other kicker. In the private sector you would need to work no less than 32 hours per week in order to be considered for this benefit. Why is it fair that these people who volunteer their time and not even put in nowhere near 32 hours a week be eligible for such a benefit? We got people out there that are having a hard time finding jobs that will give them enough hours to make them eligible for health benefits when the state mandates that everyone must have insurance.

I understand Warren feels he deserves it, but volunteer is what he decided to do. It is not just Warren though. This stipend needs to be erased off the books and Dracut should follow the lead of other towns that are doing the same thing.

Economic times are pretty tough and there is no end to the road we are travelling coming up. If we are going to look at cutting cost, this is and should be the first to go.

Does WCAP offer you these benefits for the part time hours you put in?

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