Put wage data in context

I found the article on city pay on the Feb. 15 front page troublesome on multiple levels. While I realize that this information is a matter of public record, I am not sure what purpose is served in plastering total annual income in bold print on the front page, and ranking every subsequent source by income.

What is missed by the casual reader is the top earners were simply drawing on unused benefits at retirement. Further, the totals were inflated by overtime; time worked in excess of 40 hours that most certainly interfered with picnics, school functions, family time.

It is this supplemental income that helps drive the local economy. I want people who protect our community to make a good wage.

Spokane City Councilman Mike Allen says collective bargaining needs to be fixed. Collective bargaining is not broken, and the agreements reached are all a part of a give-and-take process. We cannot overlook the fact that in communities where collective bargaining has been limited or nonexistent, wages, benefits, and the standard of living force the median income down.

Using this logic, it would appear that Allen wants to drag everybody down, instead of raising the bar.

Dave Scoville

Spokane Valley