December 26, 1997 in City

Extra Day Off Only Invites Cynicism Not Fair Government Workers Get A Break That Many Others Don’t Receive.

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Declaring federal holidays is not a task to be undertaken lightly.

The last time Congress decided to establish a holiday was in 1983 when Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday was added to federal workers’ calendar. That decision took years to debate and hundreds of thousands of tax dollars to implement.

No, awarding federal holidays is no snap decision - unless, of course, you’re a generous president infused with the Christmas spirit.

Today - as you’ll find out if you try to do business with most federal agencies - is a day off for them. President Clinton, following a precedent that dates back to Harry S. Truman, gave it to them.

Since 1952, each time Christmas has fallen on a Thursday, U.S. presidents magnanimously have extended the holiday to include Friday.

If Clinton wants to let federal workers know we appreciate their hard work, he’ll get no argument here. Unfortunately, his well-meant gesture invites cynical speculation that the ease with which he shut down government services shows they’re unneeded.

Meanwhile, many state and local government offices also are closed because employees have contracts that give them federal holidays off.

The collective impact of an extra federal holiday on the nation’s economy was estimated during the debates of 1983 at more than $5 billion.

Apart from the economic impact, and perhaps more significantly, Clinton’s order and its ripple effects generate inequality and divisiveness.

Some local workers (most Spokane County employees) benefit from Clinton’s order. Others (Spokane city employees) don’t.

And private-sector workers are bound by terms of their own bargaining agreements or the benevolence of their employers - who bear the cost without taxpayers’ contributions.

Among affected workers, Christians have an added day for their Christmas celebrations. Jewish federal workers get no consideration at all for Yom Kippur.

It’s time to break with Harry Truman’s tradition, and Clinton could lead the way.

If the president still believes federal workers deserve an 11th holiday each year, he should ask Congress to authorize a floating holiday that individuals could use at their personal convenience - without closing government offices.

, DataTimes MEMO: For opposing view see headline: They deserve day off

The following fields overflowed: SUPCAT = EDITORIAL, COLUMN - From both sides CREDIT = Doug Floyd/For the editorial board

For opposing view see headline: They deserve day off

The following fields overflowed: SUPCAT = EDITORIAL, COLUMN - From both sides CREDIT = Doug Floyd/For the editorial board

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