Many were left scratching their heads earlier this week – especially Brocton officials – when it was revealed the municipality of about 1,480 residents had the highest average pay for its employees in a Western New York village.

According to the report from the Empire Center for Public Policy, the 13 workers average a salary of $45,118. Some may say this is not a big deal, but the above-average pay is a reflection of what has been going wrong – for decades – in Western New York.

While businesses and residents have cut back – or left the region – area municipalities have gotten fatter. Pay and benefits for workers increase annually – and those are not Albany edicts, but locally negotiated contracts.

Brocton, which many would say is missing only tumbleweeds, is not a growing community and will not be anytime soon. The high cost of its work force, however, is not the full story as the Empire Center points out.

“It is important to note that the (salaries) do not include pension contributions, health insurance, and other fringe benefits, important elements of compensation that can easily amount to 30 to 40 percent of salary costs,” the Empire Center reports…..

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