SHOULD THE CITY COMMISSION AND MAYOR BE PAID FOR THEIR SERVICE?
Volunteerism is an important part of our society. I for example, until this semester, have averaged 20-25 hours per week tutoring UTB/TSC students who have learning challenges. I have never been paid a penny, and do not expect to be paid a penny. Given the number of meals I have prepared for my students, I have actually loss money on the deal. I am not complaining, I am just speaking to the nature of volunteerism. Brownsville has thousands of volunteers who go unrecognized every day, as they should, because a true volunteer asks for nothing in return for their service.
Basically I do not trust people who volunteer and then complain or expect recognition. You either believe in your service or you do not. This post is about compensation for the city commissioners. This issue is not new. I can tell you that after it passed in Dallas, nothing, and I mean nothing changed, unless things getting worse counts as change. It is a myth that if you pay the city commission you will get a better grade of commissioners running for office. If you keep it as a volunteer position the good will still run. Can anyone think of when giving money to a politician made them more honest or competent?
I originally wanted to do some type balanced piece on this issue. I could not find anything on the internet which promotes the benefits of paying city commissioners. I then decided I had already posted my position on this issue in several pieces so it would surprise no one to learn I am opposed to compensating city commissioners, beyond health insurance.
An argument I heard in Dallas over and over again is, if you pay the city council-members, poor people will consider running for office. They may consider running for office, but they will not get elected. It takes an existing political machine to get elected, or someone with enough money to build a new political machine to get elected. The idea that the guy on food stamps will be able to get elected is an insult to our intelligence.
I grew up in a community which has a volunteer fire department. All over the US volunteer fire departments continue to operate. So why should we pay the city commissioners? How do our city leaders promote volunteerism, which reduces the tax burden on the people, when the city leaders are whining that they should be paid for what has traditionally been a volunteer position?
I could think of no worse time for a city commission to be pushing for pay. I understand the tax increases the people are facing are negligetable, but the average voter does not. They read in the paper their taxes are going up, and to them the world is coming to an end. In terms of taxes, they are facing a tax increase from appraisals, the city, and the county. Any city commissioner caught arguing for compensation will certainly be hanging themselves out to dry come the next election cycle they are up for reelection.
To be fair on this issue, I will post any argument which supports pay for the city commissioners. If people are worried about associating their name with the argument post it as anonymous. On the comments, for those of you who do not know, you can post a comment and then tell me not to post it. A lot of people communicate with me in this format. If you ask me to reject your comment because you are just communicating with me privately, I have no problem pressing the reject button.
3 comments:
There has been discussion in the past relating to the idea that "if we pay our officials for their service we will attract better and brighter candidates". Unfortunately it appears that over the past 10 or more years that the the candidates and elected officials have turn the positions into empty intellectual positions into egotistical tar pits. Likewise it is unfortunate that there are fewer willing candidates who value public service more than their own ego.
Perhaps an evaluation of what our founding fathers intended when they put in the pay and reimbursement policy in our original charter. I would walk carefully through the decision before changing the original document. We may end up funding the furthering of inflated egos with our hard earned tax dollars.
I say NO TO ANY COMMISSIONER getting paid they knew what the rewards were before they spent money getting elected they knew this was a glory positiob and if they cannot afford to pay for their glory get out.
Elliot Ness
The general consensus in the area is that the city commissioners should not be paid. I think the inability of this commission to work together for the betterment of the city has spoiled any hope of getting public support for any kind of increase in compensation.
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