<html><body bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><div>It seems that our city council is almost always concerned about making budget cuts, except when it comes to . . .</div><div><br></div><div><a href="http://www.MoscowCares.com/062011_06_MayorCouncilSalaries.htm">http://www.MoscowCares.com/062011_06_MayorCouncilSalaries.htm</a></div><div><br><div>Seeya round town, Moscow.</div><div><br></div><div>Tom Hansen</div><div>Moscow, Idaho</div><div> </div><div>"The Pessimist complains about the wind, the Optimist expects it to change <span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); ">and the Realist adjusts his sails."</span></div><div><br></div><div>- Unknown</div><div><br></div></div><div><br>On Aug 4, 2011, at 17:01, Wayne Price <<a href="mailto:bear@moscow.com">bear@moscow.com</a>> wrote:<br><br></div><div></div><blockquote type="cite"><div>LEADING BY EXAMPLE! And what did we do here in Moscow? The City Council gave the city employees and themselves a raise!<div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana, sans-serif; "><h1 style="font-family: georgia, times, serif; font-size: 1.75em; color: rgb(52, 52, 52); margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; ">Nez Perce Co. commissioners consider taking a pay cut</h1></span><div><br></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(52, 52, 52); font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; ">LEWISTON - Faced with the prospect of not being able to afford future Jail bond payments, Nez Perce County commissioners say they are considering a pay cut to save taxpayers money. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(52, 52, 52); font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; ">The three commissioners met with a few department heads Wednesday afternoon to discuss the budget. Last week, commissioners asked departments to cut an additional $127,000. Chairman Mike Grow said rolling back their salary to what it was before the last increase is one way to take the lead in making the tough cuts. <br>"We thought that as leaders of the county we should take the first hit before we started having to make cuts anywhere," said Grow. "The first ones that ought to take the hit are the leaders."</span></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(52, 52, 52); font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; ">Auditor Patty Weeks said the cut would save the county approximately $8,700. Commissioner Doug Havens said the county is trying to build up reserves for those future jail payments. With the economy the way it is, he said they asked others in the county to take a cut as well. <br>"Though we haven't taken a final vote, it's something that we're considering for ourselves," said Havens. "And we thought we would offer it to the other elected officials as well, while we're having this budget crisis."<br>In response to the commissioners request, elected officials declined a voluntary salary rollback. Currently the commissioners face raising property taxes at least 2 % to make up revenue. Resident Jim Kluss attended the meeting and urged the county to make the budget work without relying on taxpayers. <br>"I think what I'm saying is representative of very many people who live in this county," said Kluss. "I don't believe it's at all unreasonable to work with a 0% increase in property taxes."<br>The final budget will be adopted following a public hearing on September 6th.</span></div></div></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><div><span>=======================================================</span><br><span> List services made available by First Step Internet, </span><br><span> serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994. </span><br><span> <a href="http://www.fsr.net">http://www.fsr.net</a> </span><br><span> <a href="mailto:Vision2020@moscow.com"><a href="mailto:Vision2020@moscow.com">mailto:Vision2020@moscow.com</a></a></span><br><span>=======================================================</span></div></blockquote></body></html>