AFTER THE PRESENTATION BY THE TRIBAL COUNCIL AND THE MANAGEMENT TEAM OF THE MOHEGAN SUN CASINO, TRIBAL MEMBERS WERE ALLOWED TO ASK QUESTIONS.
THE FIRST TRIBAL MEMBER, CAME UP TO THE MICROPHONE, AND ASKED IF THE TRIBAL COUNCIL WAS GOING TO TAKE PAY CUTS. THE MEMBERSHIP HAD BEEN TOLD IN THE MEETING THAT THE TRIBAL COUNCIL WERE REDUCING THEIR SALARIES TO WHAT THEY WERE PAID IN SEPTEMBER, 2008 (THE COST OF LIVING INCREASE). IT IS BELIEVED TO BE TWO AND A HALF PERCENT (2.5%).
IN RESPONSE, BRUCE "TWO DOGS" BOZSUM INFORMED THE TRIBAL MEMBER THAT THE TRIBAL COUNCIL WERE ROLLING BACK THEIR SALARIES TO THE SEPTEMBER, 2008 SALARY LEVEL.
THE TRIBAL MEMBER LOOKED OVER AT MITCHELL ETESS, AND SAID THEY ARE TAKING A TEN PERCENT (10%) PAY CUT. THAT IS WHEN BRUCE "TWO DOGS" RESPONDED, "I HAVE EIGHT MOUTHS TO FEED."
HE THEN STATED, SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT, THAT HE DOESN'T MAKE ANYWHERE NEAR WHAT THE EXECUTIVES AT THE CASINO MAKE. HE STATED HE MAKES ABOUT THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS ($300,000.00) A YEAR. AND THAT NEW TRIBAL COUNCILORS START OUT AT AROUND TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS ($200,000.00).
THE TRIBAL MEMBER THEN SAID SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT THAT WHAT THE TRIBAL COUNCIL MADE WAS AN UNGODLY AMOUNT. MY IMPRESSION WAS, HE FELT THEY WERE NOT WORTH IT. HE TOLD THE COUNCIL THAT WHAT HE WAS SAYING WASN'T PERSONAL, BUT HE FELT COMPELLED TO SAY IT.
THE REALITY IS THAT IN SEPTEMBER, 2008, THE CHAIRMAN WAS MAKING, ACCORDING TO PUBLISHED REPORTS, $308,000.00 PLUS OTHER BENEFITS. (CELL PHONES, FIRST CLASS AIR TRAVEL, LIMOUSINE RIDES, CREDIT CARDS, HOME SECURITY SYSTEMS, ETC,). SO TAKING THE COST OF LIVING OFF HE IS STILL MAKING $308,000.00 A YEAR. IF HE DID WHAT THE CASINO EXECUTIVES DID TAKE A TEN PERCENT PAY CUT IN HIS PAY IT WOULD BE A REDUCTION OF $30,800.00. BOZSUM WOULD MAKE $277,200.00 A YEAR..
IF EACH TRIBAL COUNCIL MEMBER TOOK A THIRTY THOUSAND DOLLAR PAY CUT THAT WOULD BE A SAVINGS OF ABOUT $270,000.00 (THE COST OF ABOUT ONE TRIBAL COUNCILOR). IT COULD SAVE MAYBE TEN (10) TRIBAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES FROM LOSING THEIR JOBS.
HOW DID CHAIRMAN BOZSUM PAY HIS BILLS ON WHAT HE WAS MAKING, WHEN HE WAS IN CHARGE OF THE CULTURAL DEPARTMENT? HOW MANY MORE TIMES IS HIS INCOME NOW, THEN IT WAS THEN? IT IS THE TRIBE'S RESPONSIBILITY TO TAKE CARE OF HIS EIGHT MOUTHS? I HAVE BEEN TOLD THE EIGHT MOUTHS DON'T EVEN LIVE WITH HIM.
IN MY OPINION, IT'S ANOTHER CASE OF THE TRIBAL COUNCIL NOT BEING WILLING TO SACRIFICE FOR THE MOHEGAN TRIBE. THEY WANT TRIBAL MEMBERS TO TAKE CUTS, BUT NOT THEMSELVES.
THIS IS THE SAME THING THEY DID, WHEN THEY TOOK AWAY FREE TICKETS TO TRIBAL MEMBERS (TRIBAL COUNCILORS AND COUNCIL OF ELDERS AND RETIREES STILL KEPT THEIR FREE TICKETS). THE TRIBAL COUNCIL THEN GAVE EACH TRIBAL MEMBER AN ENTERTAINMENT CHECK WHICH THE TRIBAL COUNCIL AND THE COUNCIL OF ELDERS AND RETIREES ALSO GOT.
SO AT THE END OF THE DAY, THINK WHAT BRUCE "TWO DOGS" BOZSUM SAID, " I HAVE EIGHT MOUTHS TO FEED." DOES HE CARE MORE ABOUT HIMSELF THEN THE TRIBE? ARE THE TRIBAL COUNCIL AND ELDERS MAKING THE SAME SACRIFICES THAT TRIBAL MEMBERS ARE BEING ASKED TO MAKE? SHOULD THEY SACRIFICE LESS THEN THE CASINO MANAGEMENT AND EXECUTIVES? SHOULD WE (TRIBAL MEMBERS) REMEMBER THIS AT ELECTION TIME? WHAT DO YOU THINK?
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3 comments:
At least when Bobby Soper was pressed he had a good answer (transferable skills). What is Bruce's market value anyway?
Let me add that Bruce is an excellent dude and does represent the cultural side very well (not counting that ridiculous film last year). But his market value is probably much less than $300k/yr.
That is something... Some Tribal Members were thinking the same thing this winter when they could not afford oil heat and had to risk a house fire using a kero heater... OR when they had 'mouths' to feed before the children moved out, during the times they lived on family couches or in campers... all because of a disability that didnt allow them to make more income and the entire time the Tribe was telling them they didnt need a bigger Percap. Well, they WERE grateful with the Amount of money they gave out... Perhaps The leaders should be too, for the eight mouths and all... I believe that 300,000 goes alot further than 30,000 a year? Perhaps some people are just more HUMBLE than others?
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