13 finance committee meeting from which Greenwald was absent, Ellis suggested the commissioners consider eliminating the salary for controller – previously reduced from $10,000 – because he felt the position itself no longer carries the same checks-and-balances intent it was imbued with under the township charter.The Mercantile Tax (MT) is assessed on all retail and wholesale related business activities while the Business Privilege (BPT) is assessed on all other business activities. Finance officer Ruth Damsker has held the position since 1991.ĭuring a Nov.
The township has paid the controller, a board-appointed position responsible for overseeing township expenditures, an annual salary of $10,000 since 1990. Commissioners Thomas J.Ellis and Jeffrey Muldawer were absent.
The motion passed, with only a simple majority required. Commissioners Greenwald and Swavola voted against it.
“I don’t think it’s an undue burden to some of the residents of the township, an additional 27 cents,” Greenwald said.Ĭiting a desire to reduce any tax increases the board is likely to adopt with its 2002 budget, Commissioners Harvey Portner and Charles McKeown both voted in favor of eliminating the controller’s salary, as did Commissioner Robert Gerhard. He said cutting $5,000 from the budget will only save Cheltenham Township tax payers 27 cents each, and considered the move a “foolish thing to do.” Prior to voting against it, board President Paul Greenwald read several passages from the 1976 Cheltenham Township Charter, noting that the position of controller is required in that document. The Cheltenham Township Board of Commissioners voted 3-2 Tuesday night to reduce the salary for the township controller from $5,000 to $0, essentially relegating the duties of Cheltenham financial watchdog to a township employee who will accept the responsibilities without a pay raise.
0 kommentar(er)
