Best Government Money Can Buy
Candidate for the Humboldt County Fifth District Supervisor position, Jeffrey Lytle, has proposed that his challengers agree to take a 25% cut in salary if elected. The position pays a whopping $70,000 a year.
Of course, half-decent housing in Humboldt County starts at $300K a year.
Hey, how about we reduce the cost of government even more, and outsource it to India! Or maybe to people in Chinese prisons.
Some of the main problems with starving government officeholders is that, 1) The people who will end up running are going to be wealthy or in somebody's financial pocket; 2) Those running, if elected, will not be able to devote the amount of time required to do the job properly, either leaving them doing a half-assed job, or at the mercy of information fed them by special interest groups.
The Humboldt County budget for 2005-2006 is $221.9 million.
Now it's not like Mr. Lytle is going to put $17,500 (or is he talking 25% of the after-taxes salary, which would make the amount even less) back in the government coffers. No, instead, he says he will donate that money to nonprofits of HIS choice. How nice. He's not even pretending to be interested in saving taxpayers money.
I, for one, want public officials that are given a decent salary, one that attracts some of the sharpest people around, not compensation so low that it limits service to the wealthy, invites corruption or promotes incompetence.
TLC
Of course, half-decent housing in Humboldt County starts at $300K a year.
Hey, how about we reduce the cost of government even more, and outsource it to India! Or maybe to people in Chinese prisons.
Some of the main problems with starving government officeholders is that, 1) The people who will end up running are going to be wealthy or in somebody's financial pocket; 2) Those running, if elected, will not be able to devote the amount of time required to do the job properly, either leaving them doing a half-assed job, or at the mercy of information fed them by special interest groups.
The Humboldt County budget for 2005-2006 is $221.9 million.
Now it's not like Mr. Lytle is going to put $17,500 (or is he talking 25% of the after-taxes salary, which would make the amount even less) back in the government coffers. No, instead, he says he will donate that money to nonprofits of HIS choice. How nice. He's not even pretending to be interested in saving taxpayers money.
I, for one, want public officials that are given a decent salary, one that attracts some of the sharpest people around, not compensation so low that it limits service to the wealthy, invites corruption or promotes incompetence.
TLC
posted by TLC's Place at 10:32 PM
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