On January 23, 2018 the Wichita County Commissioners Court voted to end an almost 20 year program for some of the most dedicated county employees. The court voted 3-2 to stop paying a portion of healthcare benefits for employee dependents. This decision will lead to a pay cut of almost $7,000 per year for those employees whose whole family has coverage. There are currently only 27 county employees left in this grandfathered-in program.
As I sat in the meeting listening to our commissioners debate this issue, I was astonished at disregard from my opponent about what essentially invalidates a contract with employees. The very definition of “grandfathered-in” is to be guaranteed exemption from future changes. This decision not only de-values the employees and their family members who will be directly affected, it gives the impression that the Commissioners Court does not honor their commitments. At a time when they are already struggling to maintain employment in some vital positions, like in the jail, who will want to work for Wichita County?
I do not support the decision that was made. It falls on the Commissioners Court to balance the budget, and while I know that isn’t an easy job, there is no need to pull the rug from under loyal employees to cover the gaps in other areas. The yes vote from my opponent shows that he would rather make budget cuts that hurt other employees than to make any sacrifices of his own. Another option would have been to phase out the program over five years to soften the blow. Instead, my opponent was adamant about ending the program in one fell swoop. This was a program that could have been honored without hurting the budget because the money was already allocated for the purpose–especially as commissioners continue to spend thousands of dollars on brand new tractors, unnecessary projects in the courthouse, and personal mileage reimbursements for in-county travel.
Wichita County deserves better. As your county commissioner, I will work hard to achieve a balanced budget without taking away the hard earned, much needed benefits of the county employees. I will be transparent and open in my decision processes. I encourage you to contact your commissioner and let them know how you feel about this decision. You can find their contact information here: http://www.co.wichita.tx.us/Commissioner/
