Posts: 1,581
Threads: 26
Joined: Jun 2007
David, if looking for the very specifics to account for each penny, you really need to do a public record request and have an accountant standing by. What I did was take the total health care entitlement participants across all areas; active, retired, statutory, etc. That gave me a per participant yearly/monthly employer contribution amount. I took the percentages enrolled in each plan. That gave me a ballpark number of participants in each plan type. Using the published rates per employer contribution of each plan, it generally comes out to the 42 mil.
Now, the cost per plan is set, so there is no playing with that. What you need is the exact number of covered participants for Hawaii County, if single, family or what, and which plan they are on. Using the information from the public records request, you can use the published rates from EUTF and get the County’s cost that month for health care coverage.
Since coverage changes from time to time (someone gets married and now add their spouses) or employees leave or change status, and this is the proposed budget based on a potential increase in rates, not the current published rates, you won't get a down to the penny balance, but it will be within a reasonable projection.
Posts: 2,014
Threads: 46
Joined: Jun 2003
Sorry Bob, apparently I'm not able to make myself clear, either to you or others. I'm not interested in accounting for the pennies. But I am interested in trying to learn what a particular line item pays for. There's little point in discussing whether an item is $40M, $20M, or $80M. By themselves those numbers have little meaning. Perhaps I'm jaded by my own comptroller/budget days. IMHO if one doesn't know the rationale behind the numbers, then one can't argue the numbers. Money pays for things. Those things may be man-hours or man-years, miles of road paved, kilowatts of electricity used, equipment purchased, gallons of fuel used, etc. Those things are quantifiable and have an associated cost. Budgets are built based on knowns and best guesses based on knowns. Shouldn't take a records request, should be a document that is a part of the budget summary.
In the matter of employees perhaps the 2,200 is a good number as pertains to authorized spaces (not faces), but if the reality is 200 unfilled vacancies that stay unfilled then the budget is artificially bloated nearly 10% in all expenditures related to those 2,200. - Mayoral slush fund??
Hopefully, this is understandable.
David
Ninole Resident
Ninole Resident
Posts: 1,581
Threads: 26
Joined: Jun 2007
David, the cost will be what the cost is. Regardless of what's in the budget, cost for this item has to be paid by the County. If they budget too little, they will need to take that money from another program to pay the bill. If they budget too much, they will only pay what is due, nothing more. Since there are many factors that can change the amount due, the budgeted amount will never match the final cost at the end of the fiscal year. What I just wrote, is not so much for you, but for anyone else reading this.
But, I see the direction your going. Ideally they would have used good numbers, have guestimated potential changes in coverage based on historical data, and have a good grasp of premium changes based on historical data. So, if all goes well, they will be right about even with their budgeted cost and the final cost. Since changes in employment, coverage, or dependent care could add or subtract millions each year to the budget, I suspect that coming within $3 million of the actual budget is a very good estimation on the part of those estimating cost.
If they underestimated, they will have to find that money somewhere as the bills come due. This probably would come from cutting back on another budgeted amount, using reserves, or borrowing the short fall from somewhere. That means they probably will go crying for higher revenue (increase taxes) the next year.
If they overestimated, they will have extra money. Since this expense is not a dedicated fund, the excess will go into the general fund as unspent money. I believe this is what has raised your eyebrows. If they grossly inflated the budget, they will be collecting based on a false need that they know will be returning money to the general fund to be used for something they decide to spend it on.
So that raise a question, all the Council and agencies have to do is over estimate; increase revenue to match the budget; have an excess that they use for purposes that would have raise a stink had they put it in the budget. They could fund a pet project with it. Or, they can simply decrease revenue needs the next year (fat chance) and claim they are good fiscal custodians of the people's money by saving X dollars and that's why they deserve re-election. Of course the truth is they just over estimated.
Interesting item you raised. [  ]
Posts: 2,014
Threads: 46
Joined: Jun 2003
WOW, sounds pretty sloppy to me. I'd say we need a requirements driven budget process.
David
Ninole Resident
Ninole Resident
Posts: 81
Threads: 3
Joined: Mar 2009
Your not supposed to be able to figure it out. It is an ambiguous segment of " let's screw the general public with huge premiums and terrible service , but take care of the government workers, because they are nice enough to keep our competitors out of Hawaii"
Posts: 2,402
Threads: 145
Joined: Apr 2005
And that kids is the absolute truth of the matter. The public is not meant to understand it, and it is purposefully constructed to keep it that way.
mella l
NO, really? Assume the best!
mella l
Art and Science
bytheSEA
Posts: 1,581
Threads: 26
Joined: Jun 2007
I understand it.
It's the same as any other budget, be it a single person's budget or a large company's budget. I think the issue is that the budget being proposed is a compilation of many budgets pulled together to form the consolidated County proposed budget. But you don't see all those smaller specific agency/department/project/program budgets so it appears confusing. If all those were available as part of the consolidated fiscal year budget, it would be 1,000 times as big and confuse most even more.
But, as a resident, you have the right to see that information. You just need to ask. May I suggest you ask for the information and if something is strange in it, raise your hand and ask the question.
As for the health care budget, it is what it cost. They can't flub it unless they have phantom participants. The amount is audited to ensure the County is paying the posted premium rates based on participants and the coverage they selected. This is probably the most transparent item.
Posts: 81
Threads: 3
Joined: Mar 2009
Bob Orts.........what is transparent is that the County health care premium is out of site because of the fact that they can only get coverage from a limited number of carriers, due to the stupidity of the State legislature. Then, of course, the County gets the coveted Carte- Blanche coverage so infamous and costly that every Hilo High School graduate strives to get it along with the traditional job-for -life that Hawaii County offers. That is, unless they can get a State job.....now that's even better and costs the taxpayers even more !!!!
Posts: 81
Threads: 3
Joined: Mar 2009
Just so everyone gets it ......take a look at this article, especially the last few paragraphs regarding taxes:
http://www.starbulletin.com/news/2010031...onomy.html
That's the States story
Now read this recent letter from the Mayor of Hawaii County:
http://www.hawconews.com/hawaii-county-n...sions.html
If after reading this you think that your taxes will go down, the budget is realistic and roads are going to built in Puna in the near future then, the vog is getting to you.
Posts: 1,581
Threads: 26
Joined: Jun 2007
quote:
Originally posted by Punatick
Bob Orts.........what is transparent is that the County health care premium is out of site because of the fact that they can only get coverage from a limited number of carriers, due to the stupidity of the State legislature. Then, of course, the County gets the coveted Carte- Blanche coverage so infamous and costly that every Hilo High School graduate strives to get it along with the traditional job-for -life that Hawaii County offers. That is, unless they can get a State job.....now that's even better and costs the taxpayers even more !!!!
Can you translate that into english?
|
