[Vision2020] (Fwd) Wrong about the City's pay plan--maybe not

[Mike Curley]

Priscilla:

You ask for ideas on where the city could communicate 
about important issues.  <color><param>0100,0100,0100</param>How about "an=
ywhere?"  This list 
is a decent place to start.   There are lots of listserves 
around town and the region.   Maybe the city could offer 
to provide information, notices,  etc. to listserves that 
request to be in the loop. If someone  takes the time to sit 
with you, why can't that individual (or others) take the 
time to  pass that information along to a broader group? 

The Daily News editorial for the weekend asked many  
"right" questions: 

	1.  What's the hurry.   

	2.  What is the long-term effect on city finances? 

	3.  What is the justification for comparing Moscow pay 
 to Spokane and CDA (and Nampa--Vera's column)? 


Although Vera's column was perhaps unnecessarily  
accusatory, and you can't verify her numbers, it doesn't  
mean that they were wrong or that we should dismiss her  
questions either. 

	1.  Will the City Supervisor's pay really be $96,000? 

	2.  Is the Lewiston city manager's pay $80,000? 

	3.  Is the pay so out of line currently that the increases 
 are justified in light of other city needs? 

	4.  Are retroactive raises appropriate? 

	5.  Should there be comp time buyouts and if so at  
what pay rate, current or the rate when the time was  
earned? 

	6.  Should the city provide a car to one employee (or  
more)? 

	7.  Are the "executive packages" appropriate and  
necessary? 

	8.  Regardless of the propriety of any specific proposed 
 raise, is now the time to implement it given the condition  
of the national, state, regional, and local economy? 


This is an issue that will affect all taxpayers for years to  
come.  Regardless of the forum, council members and the  
mayor should take some time to gather th<color><param>0000,0000,0000</para=
m>e questions,  
research the answers, and provide them.  The City held<color><param>0100,0=
100,0100</param>   
multiple public meetings to gather input on the 1912  
Center that was to involve NO public spending.  That  
could certainly be another avenue to explore for providing 
 information and seeking input on an issue that very  
definitely involves expenditure of public funds not only  
now but every year hereafter. 


I think, Priscilla, that you had nothing for which you  
owed an apology.  It is important that you spoke up to  
give voice to those of us who have sat back on the issue  
and just shook our heads. 


City Council members, Mayor--please slow down, defer this 
 issue until after the holidays, schedule some public  
meetings, and TALK TO US through this medium and  
others. 


Mike Curley 




On 15 Dec 02, at 18:50, Priscilla Salant wrote: 


<color><param>0000,0000,0000</param>To:             	<color><param>0000,00=
00,8000</param>vision2020@moscow.com<color><param>0000,0000,0000</param> 

From:           	<color><param>0000,0000,8000</param>Priscilla Salant <<ps=
alant@moscow.com><color><param>0000,0000,0000</param> 

<bold>Subject:        	<color><param>0000,0000,8000</param>[Vision2020] Wr=
ong about the City's 
pay plan</bold><color><param>0000,0000,0000</param> 

Date sent:      	<color><param>0000,0000,8000</param>Sun, 15 Dec 2002 18:5=
0:46 -0800<color><param>0000,0000,0000</param> 


<underline><color><param>0000,8000,0000</param>[ Double-click this line fo=
r list subscription options ]</underline><color><param>0000,0000,0000</par=
am>  



Visionaries, 


In response to my 2020 post on Friday, a city council  
member 

kindly spent time reviewing the pay plan with me  
yesterday.  

It's clear that I shot from the hip on this issue and didn't 

do my homework. 


I don't understand the proposal details or the City budget 

enough to say whether the plan is equitable and  
affordable. 

One thing I'm sure of is that this isn't about one 

particular person demanding higher pay, as Vera's Ink  
column 

so strongly stated. And I can't find where her numbers  
come 

from either. 


What I've learned from this whole episode is that our town 

needs a better way of talking about important and 

complicated policy issues in an informed way.  Maybe  
others 

have some suggestions. 


Priscilla Salant 




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