"It's the climate of government," Zapotosky said of the increases. No, Vince, it's the climate of tax-and-spend liberals like you, and of overpaid, unneeded government employees who cost the taxpayers dearly with annual raises, health care, and fat pensions.

A 3 percent raise for employees? In this economy? Gee, I didn't receive a 3 percent raise this year, but then again, I'm not an overpaid government employee who receives an annual raise no matter how good or bad my performance is. 3 percent? What is the inflation rate this past year? Zero? Isn't BIG GOVERNMENT wonderful? Don't you wish we ALL could work for BIG GOVERNMENT? Then we could participate in "a $494,000 increase in health insurance premiums and an increase in the ... county's pension fund." But then there wouldn't be anyone to pay our salaries and pensions!

I would like to direct my comment to the person who wrote that we are overpaid, big government. I am greatly offended by their comments. If I were to get the 3 percent raise it would be .27 cents and hour. If they think that is big money, I would like to know were they live. If I am overpaid, then, why does the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania believe me to be poverty level and provide me with food stamps?

Please, next time you decide to comment on an article, make sure you are informed not MIS-informed.

I would also like the opportunity to respond to the wonderfully misinformed opinion of one citizen who has graciously given us the information that they are not “big government” and can OBVIOUSLY not have the facts straight being that they are not involved directly and are subject to much hearsay.


I am a county government employee and would like to say that I am poverty level. I do get food stamps and financial assistance from the state. I go to work every day and have yearly evaluations on my performance and have consecutively throughout my employment been providing my county government with a level of work that meets and exceeds expectations as the past evaluations have shown. I would also like to state that my current salary is surpassed by many individuals that work in our popular retail stores and gas stations. I, like many county employees do have a second job just to make ends meet. I don’t drive a fancy car or have a big house, nor do I think that others should stereotype me because I am lucky to have a job in the current economical state.

If one looks at the estimated budgets of our close-friend Green County they would see that the requested financial amount for the 2010 year is largely over what our “overpaid government” has requested for us in Fayette County. I would lastly like to state that Green County is a smaller county than Fayette. Perhaps we just need help prioritizing so that we can become “overpaid government employees” that some people are quick to accuse us of.