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No Comments [ Add Comment ]'Public service,' for a price
Everyone
says they'd like to be paid what they're worth. As we look around, that hardly ever happens -- people are overpaid and underpaid in every field.
The same certainly can be said for government work -- especially when it comes to those serving on the Top of Utah's various city councils. The inconsistencies of local government pay for elected officials were placed in high-relief Wednesday in a story by Standard-Examiner correspondent Katie M. Ellis. Her survey of compensation for members of 30 city councils in Davis and Weber counties was a fascinating nutshell glimpse at the communities' conflicting philosophies.
The extremes are Huntsville and Bountiful. It's often said -- but rarely with sincerity -- by people who run for city council that all they want to do is help their community. Huntsville makes sure there's no debate about that claim, since it pays members of its city council $1 per year. As Councilman Jim Truett told Ellis, "Everyone who serves loves Huntsville. It's like it's your turn."
The people serving on the Bountiful City Council may be doing so for altruistic reasons, as well, but the blow to their bank accounts is somewhat softened by $1,454 per month in return for their time and efforts. For most people -- not necessarily those serving on the council -- that would be a good part-time job.
Every other city falls somewhere in between. The averages, according to Ellis, are $419 per month for each council member in Weber County cities, and $643 for their counterparts in Davis County municipalities.
For most cities, the salaries have inched up bit by bit over decades. Other city councils have voted themselves huge increases all at once -- like West Haven: City council members there just voted themselves raises from $450 per month to $1,260 per month, with retirement benefits. That's a 280 percent bump.
We're not about to say any city's wrong or right on the subject. Maybe the residents of West Haven, for example, fully support such a pay hike. Then again, most West Haven residents might be discovering the pay raise for the first time by reading these words; we'll find out the next time those incumbents run for re-election.
We admit, however, to great admiration for the Huntsville City Council and their $1 per year compensation. That's the very definition of the word "service" in our book. For them -- so far, at least -- they don't complain about the long hours and poor pay for doing the community's business. They ran for those jobs knowing they wouldn't be rewarded with dollars for the work they do.
Sadly, it is the custom among many politicians to beg voters for the job, then grumble about inadequate compensation after being elected until they've convinced their colleagues and the public to support an increase in compensation.
As we said, few people are paid what they're worth -- people are overpaid and underpaid in every field ... including city councils.
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