Andover Taxpayers Ready
to File When the town of Andover signed a contract with the teachers union agreeing to pay 65% of health insurance premiums they had no idea that Mass General Law capped the maximum contribution for any city or town at 50%. Or did they? With the Teachers Union President Tom Myers filing a grievance demanding that the town pay 90% of teacher health benefits and the town already paying more than allowed by law, a group of taxpayer are saying that they have finally had enough. A "ten-taxpayer lawsuit" has been drafted and signed by concerned residents who say that a judge must force Andover officials to act fiscally responsible and pay no more than the 50% mandated by law. Massachusetts General Law Section Chapter 32B (http://www.state.ma.us/legis/laws/mgl/32b-7.htm) states: "With respect to any period of insurance which is in effect for an active or retired employee and dependent there shall be withheld from each payment of salary, wages, other compensation, pension or retirement allowance, subject to the provisions of section nine A, fifty per cent of the premium for the insurance of the employee and his dependents and the governmental unit shall contribute the remaining fifty per cent of such premium." Since the town has never voted to accept the waiver section (7a) of MGL, Chapter 32b, (which would allow the town to contribute up to 90%) the request of Myers and the teachers union seem more than absurd but a "slap in the face to the taxpayers of the town." So says one of the authors of the ten-taxpayer lawsuit, who asked not to be identified until next week when court actions will be filed and official press releases will be issued. The town did accept the waiver of the 50% cap in 1978 (at town meeting) for retirees but not for active employees. In the mean time the town signed a contract with the teachers union promising to pay 65% of health benefit premiums while the teachers would pay 35% and yet, the teachers union still isn't happy that they are skirting the law by a full 15%. A meeting is being held tonight to determine next step in the process and at least one school board member said that he believes the union's greed is going to cost the teachers more in the end than if they had been happy with and accepted the 65% offered in the contract. Tom Myers (who is infamous for refusing to stand for the pledge of allegiance in his classroom) is president of the teachers union and has complained in his grievance that the teachers were being denied their "fair share" of benefits. But the draft of the ten-taxpayer lawsuit says the town "breached fiduciary duties to the citizens of Andover" by not adhering to the strict letter of the law in chapter 32 B. "We expect the judge to issue writ of mandamus and order the public officials of this town to discharge their duties as public officials and comply with the law" one of the signers of the lawsuit said. We are in tough financial times and it is irresponsible for the teachers union to be asking for 90% when they are already getting much more than their 'fair share' of the benefits allowed by law. This is greed plain and simple, if they want to put this before town meeting then fine. But that is the only way they should be getting more than the law allows," he said. |
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