Longevity Bonuses in Portage Might Become a Thing of the Past

Portage might drop longevity bonuses. (Portage Daily Register, 8/17/2011)

Excerpt: The city's Human Resources Committee on Tuesday recommended the city stop awarding employees longevity bonuses.

The perk, given annually to city employees after they have served three years, starts at $75 and increases by $25 with each additional year of service.

"As we get tighter and tighter with the budgets, we are going to have to make reductions somewhere," said Common Council member Michael Oszman, a member of the committee.

Full-time employees who have been receiving the payment would be partially grandfathered in under the new plan. They would continue to get a payment each year, but the amount would be capped at its 2011 level.

A few part-time employees that receive the payment, however, would only receive the payment one more time under the plan.

No new employees would start receiving the bonuses, meaning that they would eventually be fully phased out.

By the time I left Middleton, my longevity bonus was 4% of my annual salary.

Other Wisconsin county and municipal budget news.
Declining property values pose a challenge to Columbus budget development.  (8/24/2011)
Whitewater council looks at 0% tax levy increase.  (8/24/2011)
Janesville residents asked to make tough choices in online budget scorecard.  (8/24/2011)
Village of Darien officials ask for input on 2012 budget.  (8/24/2011)
City of Marshfield has some wiggle room in its 2012 budget development.  (8/24/2011)
Soglin on 2012 Madison budget:  "Every service we rely on is vulnerable".  (8/23/2011)
With a ballooning budget deficit, Marathon County considers a tax increase.  (8/23/2011)
Sheboygan's Strategic Fiscal Planning Committee to determine what city will look like.  (8/19/2011)
Brown County Exec looks at same tax levy, impact on services to be determined.  (8/18/2011)
City of Shawano wrestles with $128,000 deficit.  (8/16/2011)
Possible double whammy for Shawano City-County Library.  (8/15/2011)
Portage County Executive looks to "create a bridge to a new design, a way of functioning on less".. (8/15/2011)
Antigo cuts fire, police positions.  (8/15/2011)
Adding up the budget numbers in the Fox Valley.  (8/14/2011)
Sauk County officials ask for input.  (8/12/2011
Marathon County ranks services to address $500,000 budget shortfall.  (8/12/2011)
City of Beloit faces a challenging budget process.  (8/8/2011)
Fond du Lac city manager sez Governor's tools not enough to offset cuts.  (8/2/2011)
Manitowoc mayor asks department heads for 10% budget cuts.  (8/2/2011)