Our research has so far uncovered much unnecessary spending which results in taxpayers footing the bill by an increased tax this year that is sure to continue for the next few years, unless we get a handle on it now. This is a very important issue. The 150 county employees who plan on retiring one day, unaware that their retirement fund is paying a very high premium for services provided by their financial firm Merrill Lynch, who, by the way, were fired by Luzerne County. In today’s financial industry, fee’s can be very competitive and it pays to do research, especially if it hasn’t been done in the last 5 1 /2 years. Yes, that’s the last time this service was put out for bid, 5 ½ years ago. Why is that, I would like to know, especially when we found out that a local financial firm had stated that they could save them $36,000 a year in fees and the Retirement board didn’t want to be bothered. In a three year time frame, that would amount to a $108,000 savings. With our persistence, we encouraged John Tosi at Wells Fargo, the local financial firm, on our behalf, to make a more clarified attempt with regard to their investment structure and fees. Even though the amount being paid currently totals investment fees of $87,000 annually, and other firms capable of mirror imaging their current financial structure for a lot less cost in fees, the Retirement Board, who consists of 3 commissioners, the clerk and treasurer, refused on Tuesday, 5/19/09 at the Retirement Board Meeting, to address this savings. Those who allow injustice to happen who sit at this table, should be ashamed. We, the taxpayers voted you into office to look out for our best interest. You not only have an ethical obligation, but you took an oath in front our flag to do right by our country. The 30,000 residents of Wyoming County are sure to feel the effect of a continuous tax increase, and we speak for all of them when we say, we work too hard for our money for you to foolishly spend it just because it’s not yours. Furthermore Retirement Board, you have a fiduciary responsibility to us, and if you are exercising the prudent personal rule, which means treating the money as if it were your own, we doubt that any of you would pay this amount out of your own pocket. Let us remind you that your position is an honor and privilege, and you should conduct yourself with the utmost respect for the welfare of the people, if not, then you should resign.