One surefire way to attract a lot of votes is to tell people elected officials are paid too damn much. Everyone will buy that. No matter how meager the salary, you can claim it's excessive or that now is not the time. Long Dem Lamont McClure, in what sure looks like vote pandering to me, is attempting to roll back modest raises for the next Executive, Controller and Council in Northampton County. And guess what? He's found an ally in Lehigh County's Republican Commissioners.
In an email blast straight from Lehigh County's GOP HQs, Republican Commissioner candidates solemnly pledge to reject a previously adopted payraise. Never mind that the payraise went through committee, first reading, and second reading with public input and discussion. It was certainly no midnight deal. One commissioner did say it would look bad on a mailer. So like Long Dem Lamont McLure in Northampton County, all of the Republican Commissioner candidates in Lehigh County - even the incumbents - think a raise is just horrible.
If salaries set in 1978 in both counties are adjusted just for cost of living, Northampton County Council members would receive $13,025 salaries instead of the current $7,000. Salaries for the next council members will increase to $9,500. Lehigh County Commissioners would see a salary increase to $8,141 from the current $6,000. They've given themselves a $1,000 raise.
Commissioner candidate Tom Creighton piously decries "the use of gimmicks and one-shot deals," but his payraise rejection is nothing more than a political stunt.
Let's be honest. You get what you pay for, and we are paying for political hacks. If the idea is selfless service, then why are these candidates collecting any salary at all? Why don't they take vows of poverty, abstinence and obedience while they're at it?
I see it as a grab for power the same as the refusal to install a camera. Doing things like offering competitive salaries only attract more qualified interest, as would letting people see what goes on. As long as there is no financial gain and people can't see what is going on, LongDems like McClure assure their positions. I know people who sell shoes that make more money than our Controller. We're only talking about a budget of $350 million, it's like we need good people to manage it.
ReplyDeleteThis might work for Lehigh County, where the Council has a reputation for being reasonable and professional, but if McClure and the Norco circus try it, it will just create more problems for the LongDems in the election as people will point out the obvious inconsistency of voting for an Exec pay raise (which I think is really McClure's focus) to reward McHale whose LongDems were so sure of her win, and doing a 180 so quickly after she lost to punish Stoffa. In addition, people will start bringing up McClure's approval of the $800,000 paint and carpet job for Council Chambers and the $1.8 million extra he wanted to approve for the IT contract, among other things. It's never good to make a big deal about saving a couple thousand when you don't think twice about wasting millions. People will bring it up. That's all I'm saying. If McClure and the Lehigh commissioners want to voluntarily give up their salaries, good for them. Give the money to Barron. He and the Exec work full time for the COunty, unlike the Council.
ReplyDeleteThe bottom line is if the Controller can make more selling shoes and money is his focus, let him sell shoes.
ReplyDeleteThere are plenty of talented people who would do the job.
I think the raise is fine, but the "we need it for qualified people", is insider bullshit.
This is very admirable. I heard that McClure convinced Angelos to reduce his fees and hourly rates because of the unemployment rate.
ReplyDeleteThis puts a proper focus on wasteful spending on salary raises, but why focus on this handful of people? The biggest problem are the government workers represented by 11 unions that ask for 10% raises each year. McClure brings up a good point. Reverse the salary raises of the unionized workers. No one else in the corporate world is getting raises nowadays. It's not fair. McClure is on to something. Bernie, what is his take on the union raises? I'd be interested to know.
ReplyDeleteMoney doesn't guarantee quality. At the local level, a higher salary might actually attract those who are in it for the money and benefits, rather than to serve the public.
ReplyDeleteWhat's wrong with rolling back a perfectly legal pay raise to reflect what Obama and Rendell have repeatedly called the worst economy since the Great Depression?
Were/are Obama and Rendell lying? Is the crisis not as serious as they've repeated ad nauseum?
Hats off to members of both local parties for showing a little leadership in the face of a crisis our state and federal leaders have made much worse.
10% of people are out of work. There doesn't seem to be any shortage of candidates for council at the current rate.
McClure is trying to imitate corporate strategy. When corporations lose money (which doesn't seem to be the case with the County, but I continue), they cut salaries, which recently happened in my company, a national corporation that suffered a 40% drop in sales internationally) To continue imitating corporations, I suggest that since you can't work for a corporation without a college education that Dertinger, McHale and Angle resign. In my company, an HR person walks up and down the aisles inspecting how everyone is dressed. I was sent home for having a tie that wasn't conservative enough. THere is no way a corporation would put up with Dertinger chewing gum during a meeting. In addition, attendance is mandatory in corporations. Council will have to actually attend all meetings and will be penalized for not doing so (as happens in corporations). You could never do and say the things that are said in a Northampton COunty Council meeting in the corporate world. THough McCHale would probably survive, Dertinger, McClure and Angle would have been fired a long time ago for shenanigans.
ReplyDeleteBernie - when the Stoffa Administration wants to get something done. They don't turn to Councilman Angle. They look to Lamont McClure. So, why are you always trying to stir up trouble between McClure and the Administration ?
ReplyDeleteThat's an interesting new spin. Just a few short months ago, McClure was railing that the Stoffa administration is incompetent. He backed McHale and even considered running himself. Now he's suddenly John Stoffa's pal? No, he's a realist who knows that the people chose Stoffa and have rebuked McClure's agenda. And now that the election is over, he is trying to roll back Stoffa's payraise. With friends like these ...
ReplyDeleteI suggest then you get Stoffa to go on record telling McClure he doesn't want his help . . .
ReplyDeleteStoffa won't do that. He'll take help wherever he can get it. He's a nice guy, unlike me. And it's true that McClure has been very helpful in recent weeks. But this is the same guy who spent three years sabotaging the administration at every turn. I'd need to see more.
ReplyDeleteDoes McClure want to help? Then he should withdraw his ridiculous rollback ordinance. If he feels he should not take the money, he does not have to do so.
The Stoffa Administration has been very pleased with Lamont McClure as Finance Committee Chairman. They are so happy to be dealing with him instead of Ron Angle.
ReplyDeleteIf you're gonna' lie, you should do better than that. It's mostly due to Angle's work that the bond rating went up.
ReplyDeleteSo someone who supported a candidate other than Stoffa is evil. Oh I forgot in the anti-democratic empire of Insanium ruled by O'Hater only his and his minister of Offensive Actions Herr Angle decide what you are allowed to do or not do.
ReplyDeleteMany have said you are nutz and you prove them right every day.
I did not say that. What I did say is that McClure is no friend to Stoffa, despite the recent praise. And he isn't.
ReplyDeleteMarc Grammes said it best. As for those Lehigh County Commissioner candidates pandering about a not taking a stipend for their service.."Stop the nonsense"!!
ReplyDeleteThere are more important issues to focus on like plugging a $12 million dollar hole in the budget and maybe keeping the unions in line!
The Commissioners get paid less than 1/2 of the lowest paid employee in the County by charter rule. That's 1/2 the pay of the poor guy shoveling manure at the zoo for God's sake!