Not much sacrifice

It is interesting to note how much our “public servants” are willing to “sacrifice” in poor economic times. While city employees will only get a portion of what their union contracts provided for this year, it is still an increase and it will be restored in future years.

It seems that government employees have become the elite. Not long ago the argument was made that salaries had to be raised to be equal to those in the private sector, otherwise qualified people would not be attracted to public employment. Why is it not true that when salaries are being cut in the private sector that the same reductions should occur in public employment?

Others, who pay the public employees’ salaries, are taking cuts in pay and are, in some cases, losing their jobs. Seniors, who have no union to represent them, will get no cost-of-living increase for the next two years and in fact will get less in their checks because of yearly increases in the Medicare premium that is deducted.

Should this situation be changed? Do our elected representatives have the will to change it? I think not.

Don Brockett

Spokane