Pay Raises … For Some
Hmmm. Senate President Pro-tem Jerry Twiggs said the Legislature values its 14,000 state employees even though it decided not to give them a 2 percent annual raise. What with flood damage and falling revenues, there simply wasn’t enough money, you know. However, Twiggs and his Statehouse playmates do apparently value some state employees more highly - in particular, those who wait on legislators hand and foot at the Capitol, cooking their lunches, running their errands and keeping us commoners out of their chambers at certain times. That’s right: Earlier this session, both houses of the Legislature unanimously voted to award their staffers pay raises that climbed into double figures in some cases. Now, these employees are seasonal and don’t have job security. In some cases, they didn’t earn all that much. But the hypocrisy isn’t lost on the full-time state workers who will go without this year.
Sometimes, it’s good to be a poor host
Kudos to North Idaho College men’s and women’s basketball teams for winning their Region 18 tournaments at Christianson Gym Saturday - and qualifying for nationals, to boot. For the first time, both teams will be going to nationals in the same year, which says something for men’s first-year coach Hugh Watson and women’s coach Greg Crimp. Greg, of course, is in the second year of a second stint as head of the women’s program. Watson, who worked through some player discipline problems this year, was named coach of the year. Here’s hoping the good times continue at the national tournaments.
Rollin Putzier, R.I.P.
The last time I talked to Rollin Putzier he praised me for thinking more and more like a Democrat. He particularly liked my support of a short-lived Coeur d’Alene Indian Tribe proposal to take over the greyhound track. I told him I hadn’t gone soft at all. That he was wising up and beginning to see things my way. Now, he’s dead; you can cheat Lou Gehrig’s disease and its complications only so long. He had cheated the debilitating disease for decades. In fact, last fall, when healthy Democrats couldn’t muster the nerve to take on Republican Kootenai County Commissioner Dick Compton, Rollin shuffled forward. Rollin didn’t get The Spokesman-Review endorsement. But he did win my admiration. Here’s a man who graduated from law school in his 40s even though he couldn’t grip a pencil. Who raised a family anyone would be proud of. Who would call occasionally and tell me I was full of beans (my word, not his). He’ll be missed.
, DataTimes MEMO: D.F. Oliveria’s “Hot Potatoes” runs Tuesdays and Thursdays. You can comment on the items by calling (800) 344-6718 or (208) 765-7125, or by sending e-mail to daveo@spokesman.com.