Need a car? Get a job with the Town of Islip!

[PeteT]

The Public Employment Relations Board ruled yesterday that Long Island town's 20 year history of providing take-home cars to employees should be treated as an accepted long-standing business practice and while not specifically in labor or employment agreements - it's an accepted fringe benefit of having the job.

Understood, I accepted my job knowing that there were some perks, stock options, health insurance, vacation tme etc - and that taking those away would impact the total value of my compensation package... But these are public servants, and elected officials should never have let the distribution of town assets go so wide.

I can totally understand that the town supervisor needs a car, and probably his team of executives. But does a custodian? a computer programmer? clerical workers?

I'm totally sad for these employees who had the gift, and had it taken away like an Indian giver...... But still in this time of economic disaster - our government needs to be the first to tighten it's belt....

What do you think?