Taxpayer scrutiny demanded

Omaha World-Herald, Neb.: Government employees deserve proper pay and benefits, but taxpayers are understandably demanding scrutiny of the details. Nebraska provides two recent examples. One involves county governments; the other, the state government.

World-Herald reporting recently explained that the Sarpy County government is unusual in covering the entire costs of health insurance for two dozen top managers, some of whom make more than $100,000 a year. Families are included in the coverage.

In contrast, a survey of 17,000 health plans nationwide showed that 72 percent of public and private employers now split the cost of health insurance premiums with their employees. World-Herald reporting also noted that “the survey indicated that 92 percent of the plans require employee contributions for family premiums.”

The World-Herald article explained, too, that “statewide, taxpayers in at least 75 of the state’s 93 counties pick up the full tab for elected officials’ health insurance premiums. Nearly half of the counties also pay full premiums for those officials’ spouses and children.”

Such generous insurance provisions may have received little notice in the past, but given the current stresses on taxpayers, it’s appropriate to shine light on these matters.