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Tonight's Agenda has several items of interest but one, to which I have commented on in the past, is up for discussion--Commission salaries. This was included in the agenda by our Finance Director, Steven Carr.
What our Charter says on the subject is: The City Commission may determine the annual compensation of commissioners by ordinance, but no increase in compensation shall be adopted more frequently than every two (2) years. It has been years since the commission got a raise.
Per the Finance Director's recommendation of a separate Ordinance regarding commission salaries, they will also be entitled to medical insurance and a cell phone. If they wave the communication device, they will get an additional $100 per month.
They already have health insurance coverage.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know that Peter T. felt that way about the comm and mayor not getting paid, but I feel the same way, if they want to volunteer for these political roles then maybe they should not be paid at all, it might minimize all the craziness of politicians to a large degree. I think nowadays, our elected officials at all levels, local to federal should be treated this way too, in fact, to cut down on all the lobbying, corruption, ineffectiveness of government, I think it should just be mandatory that all of us as citizens should be called to serve in short terms a year or two to serve at many levels local to federal (i.e. Senators) we should not be paid, only paid expenses for food, travel and lodging of we need to travel for our position. The elected officials will never vote for term limits and there is just too much corruption, lifers, and ineffectiveness in government nowadays, so I agree, they should not get any pay at all, they are part time volunteer positions that are there to represent the people, not special interests, this might cut down on all the problems with our government and politics. Take the money out of the system, instead of them being elected, it could be a random draw for who will serve this year, I am sure these folks would care more and vote more for the people, elected officials running for office always have egos and agendas, they hurt our government and dumb it down. We all deserve better, if I run for an elected office here ever I will do it for no pay. Volunteerism needs to be promoted more in our society.
ReplyDeleteI believe that they should be paid a reasonable salary plus expenses. If you dissolve the salary altogether, you might end up with all retirees or just the wealthy running for office. The electees represent the middle working class, the biggest voter block so therefore we need to be able to have an opportunity to choose the middle class as our representatives. Most in this category must work for a living. They have mortgages, car payments, etc. just as we do. Poverty wage salary in Lake Worth is unfair particularly when they have 80-90 meetings a year plus all the other work that they do. Just my opinion.
ReplyDeleteLet's see... at least a couple of your preferred candidates didn't pay their mortgages at all, resulting in foreclosures, negativley impacting Lake Worth property values, another got her house on a government handout and now rents rooms out to pay her mortgage and has never worked a legal day in her life, one openly brags about not working in over 3 years, yet another is independently wealthy doesn't need to work and probably doesn't have any mortage.
ReplyDeleteThis is equivalent to you complaining about the filth and the overall state of the illegal hiring hall, which mirrors the filth and overall state of most of the city, then annointing the commission that has ignored the filth and blight at the hall and in the city for 4 years as "the best commission ever". It makes no sense.
Please read your opinions prior to posting them.
Just my opinion.
You are making a lot of assumptions based on? Don't come over here without giving your name when you resort to personal attacks and offering your bull shit for the rest of us. I don't know anything about anyone's personal life. As far as foreclosures, over 2,000 people got in trouble with that in Lake Worth from what I have been told. I can tell you have little empathy for very many people and like to kick someone when he's down.
ReplyDeleteThe salary is low, the meetings are long and many, the challenges are great and the population is un-appreciative.
ReplyDeleteIf you don't want the job, don't run for office.
If they want to live on a little bit of money, so be it. Thsi is nto a wealthy city like pb gardens but our commisisoners have to put up with nuttiness here that is beyond imagination. This alone deserve more money.
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