Amherst Town Board rejects raises

AMHERST, N.Y. (WIVB) - In Amherst Monday night, the Town Board rejected a recommendation by Town Supervisor Barry Weinstein to give lawmakers and department heads a raise.

Dr. Weinstein would not have given himself a raise, but the two-percent pay hike would have bumped up the salary of board members by $500 to $2,600.

Board member Mark Manna said, "In addition to that, each council members has health care, which costs taxpayers about $8,000 a year, and then there's the state pension they're entitled to. So the compensation is more than fair. And to vote yourself a raise in these economic times is not the best public policy."

Board members last got a raise in 2004.