Indianapolis Council Members Abandon Plans To Receive Health Insurance

Sponsors of a proposal to provide City Council members in Indianapolis, USA, up to $18,000 in city-funded health insurance benefits are withdrawing the ordinance after hearing strong public outcry this week. Council members reviewed the proposed ordinance for the first time at their meeting Monday. Five residents, including three former council members, spoke against it.

On Tuesday, Councilman Kevin Rider said the five sponsors agreed to withdraw the ordinance. "Based on public reaction at this time, we felt we should listen, and we're going to move on."

Council members John Accetturo and Eric Seidensticker both said they opposed the idea on principle. As written, the ordinance would have made City Council members eligible for medical, dental and vision insurance plans through the city's employee health-care account, which has a balance of about $2 million. The city funds 86 percent of the account, while employees pay 14 percent a year.

Some residents said the benefits would be out of order. "By looking at the people in front of me, we don't seem to have any problem attracting qualified candidates, so the question is, 'Why health-care benefits? Why now?' " resident Bob Jochum asked as he addressed the council Monday. "Many people throughout our economy would simply be delighted to have a part-time job that provides health-care benefits."

The city would have paid up to $18,000 a year in premiums for council members on family coverage, the most expensive. That would have made each official pony up about $3,000 a year. The benefit is available to full-time, but not part-time, city employees. Council members earn about $15,600 a year and are considered part-time.

Others questioned whether it's appropriate for the council to give itself a benefit that would more than double members' annual city compensation. "Being a city councilor is a public service, in my mind," said Sue Potasnik, who served from 1980-88.

"It's a sad and disappointing commentary on what serving as a Carmel city councilor has become when, after four months in office, some of you are proposing . . . (to) in essence double the financial award that you get, and you are just a part-time civil servant.

"These types of actions are what reinforce the taxpayers' view that politicians are self-serving."

Still on Tuesday, certain council members said they also received dozens of e-mails in opposition to the proposal.

During Monday's meeting, no council members defended giving themselves benefits on the city's dime. Luci Snyder said the concept is generally acceptable because other communities, such as Indianapolis and Noblesville, do so.

Snyder also said the point of raising the issue was to discuss it and come to a compromise, such as offering benefits to council members but requiring them to pay the full premium, or putting the practice in place for future councils -- two measures she said she supports.

"People shouldn't get annoyed because somebody brings up a topic," she said. "It needs to get to committee and get chopped up."

Rider said the proposal wouldn't make it to the finance panel, where it was sent on Monday. He spoke to council President Rick Sharp and Snyder, head of the committee, about taking it off the table before the May 15 meeting. Jochum said he was pleased to hear the council withdrew the ordinance. "They had the courage to do the right thing," he said. "They listened -- that's encouraging."

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