April 4, 2026 Newswires

Auburn mayor, councilors ending their eligibility for city employee health insurance plan

Robert Harding, The Citizen, Auburn, N.Y.The Citizen

AUBURN — For years, the mayor and councilors could sign up for the same health insurance plan as Auburn's city employees.

With the city facing a $5 million budget deficit and the possibility of employee layoffs, the City Council will take action to end its eligibility for the perk.

Auburn City Clerk Chuck Mason, who presented the City Council's budget on Thursday, said the mayor and councilors have been able to receive city employee health insurance since at least the 1990s. If they don't join the plan and have coverage elsewhere, they are eligible for a $4,000 stipend.

No current members of the City Council are covered by the employee health insurance benefits, according to Mason. Auburn Mayor Jimmy Giannettino, along with Councilors Christina Calarco, Terry Cuddy and Dr. Rhoda Overstreet-Wilson, have outside jobs. Councilor Craig Diego is a retired corrections captain and owns a barbershop.

"It's just something that's happened for decades," Mason added. "It goes all the way back to the years when health insurance really didn't cost a lot of money. But in today's world, with the high cost of the health insurance plans, we're going to take the opportunity to eliminate it completely."

The proposals outlined by Mason would end the council's eligibility for the benefits. It would also eliminate the stipend for being covered by a non-city plan, saving the city $20,000.

The Office of Mayor and City Council's proposed budget totals $176,307. It would be reduced to $150,087 under the potential budget scenarios that would slash spending by 8 or 11%. Additional savings would be achieved by cutting $2,500 from the office's services budget line and $1,500 from travel, training and professional development. The funds for the latter are used by council members to attend the New York Conference of Mayors' legislative meeting.

The salaries for the mayor and City Council would remain intact. The mayor is paid $10,889, while councilors receive $9,073.

Mason also provided an updated overview of the city's budget process. Department presentations will continue through April. Beginning in May, the council will provide feedback on the budget.

One change is the addition of a proposed local law to override the property tax cap. The city would exceed its 4.72% tax cap in two of the three budget scenarios.

A final vote on overriding the tax cap would occur on May 28 — the same City Council meeting when a public hearing will be held on the proposed 2026-27 budget. The council is expected to adopt the budget at its June 4 meeting.