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County bonus checks going out today

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By Aimee Jones (528)

As of Thursday, June 14, 2012
© Copyright 2013 Rockdale Citizen

CONYERS -- Rockdale County employees are set to receive a $1,000 bonus today, but the amount they get to keep will be a bit less.

The checks employees receive will be reduced by the amount withheld for Social Security and retirement. However, no state or federal taxes will be withheld and employees should be prepared to report the bonus income when they file their individual tax returns, said Tonya Parker, director of Community Affairs and Innovative Programs with Rockdale County.

In May, county commissioners voted to give all full-time employees who have worked for the county for at least a year a one-time $1,000 bonus. Part-time employees who worked more than 20 hours a week in fiscal year 2011 will receive $250.

Prior to the vote, Commissioner JaNice Van Ness expressed reservations about the bonuses. She said she was concerned that the move was more of a "Band-Aid" that would serve to temporarily "appease" county employees. She said employees and taxpayers would be better served with a long-term plan to address employees' pay.

Chairman Richard Oden and Commissioner Oz Nesbitt voted in favor of the measure, saying it would boost morale.

According to an email sent by Finance Director Roselyn Miller, general full-time employees will receive today checks in the amount of $913.50; full-time public safety employees will receive checks in the amount of $873.50, due to higher retirement contribution; and regular part-time employees will receive $235.88, according to an email sent to certain department heads and elected officials on June 5.

"We want to maximize the psychological impact on our 'one-time payment,'" Miller stated. "We did this by skipping withholding federal and state income tax on the payment, thereby making the take-home portion appear as large as possible."

Sam Smiley, who is a candidate for Post 1 on the Rockdale County Commission, referenced this email during the BOC work session on Tuesday.

He said Van Ness' characterization of the bonuses as an appeasement did not go far enough.

"I would add another word: deceiving," Smiley said.

He said the way the commissioners handled the bonuses was merely giving county employees "a false sense of security" when "Uncle Sam will come later to take it away."

Nesbitt said he felt confident that employees will be happy with the bonus, and expects most will take it straight to the bank.

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Comments

BOCWatch 11 months, 1 week ago

For those that would like to see the original letter from Roselyn Miller to these select department heads and elected officials will find it here:

http://bocwatch.org/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=836

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acetw2000 11 months, 1 week ago

SOUNDS LIKE VOTE BUYING TO ME THEY MUST BE VERY CONCERNED FOR THERE JOBS AND AFTER THE ELECTION AND THE WORKERS GET A BILL FROM UNCLE SAM MAYBE THEY WILL REALIZE THAT THEY WERE SUCKERED I HOPE THEY ARE SMART ENOUGH NOT TO FALL FOR THE VOTE BUYING STAY TUNED

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ctownslimm 11 months, 1 week ago

Am I missing something? I don't know why this is such a big story. I have seen more than one article about it. Is it just pre-election antics trying to get votes? DO they not deserve bonuses? I am trying to read between the lines but I don't get why yearly bonuses need this much coverage.

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Frustrated 11 months, 1 week ago

This letter shows the REAL face of the people running our county. "Let's make them think they are getting REAL bonus but not take out taxes so they will have to pay more at the end of the year." Guess they think the employees are in dire enough need that they will be so appreciative they will just take it and not question the real motive. Its election year folks!

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pressman7 11 months, 1 week ago

Were you ever in a union, when "they got you a small percentage raise" then went up near that same percentage on your union dues. I was.

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BOCWatch 11 months, 1 week ago

Video of the public comments section where I brought this out is now at the following link:

http://bocwatch.org/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=836

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heresyafacts 11 months, 1 week ago

"maximize the psychological impact" -- that statement sums it all up. This entire plan, allegedly concocted by Miller based on a magically appearing 'overage' was nothing but a move by a corrupt BOC to buy votes from county employees.

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VPublicola 11 months, 1 week ago

Bonuses are usually treated as supplemental income and taxed at a flat percentage rate. The IRS has a flat withholding fee for it that can range based on total income, but is often between 25 and 28 percent of the bonus. This requires the employee to withhold that much for taxes in addition to common state-based withholding requirements. The County should provide a 1099 form to the employee at the end of the tax year for bonuses $600 and greater. However, employers are not required to submit a 1099 if an employee's bonus was less than $600, though employees must claim the income at the end of the year. This effort, in my opinion, is disingenuous by Chairman Oden, Commissioner Nesbitt and Finance Director Roselyn Miller as an orchestrated effort as described in Ms. Miller’s email, “to maximize the PSCHYOLOGICAL impact of our “one-time payment” (read bonus). We did this (meant intentional) by skipping withholding Federal and State income tax on the payment, thereby making the take-home portion APPEAR as large as possible.” The county should have withheld these taxes as a service to county employees and thereby simplify the employees tax preparations for tax year 2012. Instead, county employees will need to personally withhold the taxes that should have been taken out so they don’t find themselves at odds with the IRS or Georgia Department of Revenue for tax year 2012. Those county employees who are receiving less than $600 will need to be even more diligent since they will not be receiving a 1099 at the end of year, which could serve as a reminder to report this income during tax preparation.

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BUBBA 11 months ago

I have revieved a bonus from a company here in rockdale once every three months that was more than this. No taxes with held no ssi or anything and when I filed at the end of the year it was hardly noticed. The amount of my return was lower but that was ok as I didn't have to PAY at the end of the year. Nost people look at thier tax return as a savings instead of a bill due and expect a return so a little less in the return shouldn't hurt them. I have allways had my money with held at a rate that was the bare minimum so I either got back less than 500$ of had to pay 500$ or less. I never have liked letting the government have money I needed to make it through the year. So to all those who say this is wrong poo poo to you they will never notice the tax as much as they will the bonus.Oh if you get money back from the irs in excess of $1000 you are probably having too much taken out every week. Your money would be better served in a place collecting intrest.

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heypastorbob 11 months ago

County Commissioners vote buying $1000 per county employee. Sounds like they all need re-elected. My property values have dropped over 75% since they were voted into office. Thank you for the gift of being upside down in my house for the first time in over 20 years of ownership. You can count on getting my vote, when pigs fly!!!

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wonderwhy 11 months ago

There wasn't any thing additional in my bi-weekly deposit last Thursday.

Am I missing something here or is the work of the Deputy Coroners in this county just a figment of my imagination? Who does the BOC think tends to the county's dead? A Deputy Coroner is required to be on-call seven 24-hour periods per month. My math equates that to 38.7 hours per week on an average; in some circlles these are full time hours. Whenb one adds the mandatory 24 hours of recertification classes each year it is over 40 hours.

Who do you think determines the manner of death through investigation? Who do you think places that decedent in a body bag and arranges transportation to a funeral home or autposy? Who do you think makes themselves available for that family who has to deal with something they are no prepared for?

Besides being the lowest paid at $300 a month we are unrecognized for a so-called bonus plan by the county where we work. Thanks so much for your consideration. I'll keep that in mind in the coming months.

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angrygirl 11 months ago

To my knowledge there were employees that did not receive bonuses because they are out on leave (maternity, medical, etc.) Due to this they did not receive checks on Friday because their cases have to be investigated. First of all these people are not cases they are employees and due to them being out on medical leave they should not be penalized because they are out. They are still active full-time employees in good standing with the county and should have received their bonuses just like the other county employees. Before these checks were issued the they should have verified all employees that was not receiving live checks at the time was in good standing with the county and would be returning back to work. No one can control if they are out on medical leave because they had a baby or the doctor put them out for various reasons. So now these employees have to wait to see if they are eligible for bonus pay. How is that fair? I don't agree with this and feel that they should receive their monies just like everyone else. Its obvious they need it, HELLO they are out on disability with limited pay or no pay at all.

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heresyafacts 11 months ago

There's a lot of "should've"s in this whole thing. Should've excluded employees who've had raises. Should've excluded those who make more than $50-60k a year. Should've deducted the taxes rather than leave them in, even if it didn't have the same 'psychological impact' as a larger amount. Should've, actually, not done this bonus thing at all -- because taxpayers are going to pay for it, as well as departments who will be asked to slice more out of their budgets in the coming year.

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