Our View

Our View

Raises are nice, but there are limits to what can be done

While it can be perfectly understood the desire among city politicians, for political reasons, to want to dole out annual bonuses and raises to some 350 workers at the taxpayer cost of an estimated $500,000 but, the question we have is how is it being fiscal responsible when these very same politicians have been repeatedly told the money simply isn’’t there?

Bear in mind folks, this is in addition to the $270,000 these politicians have been told will be needed to cover the additional cost for employee health insurance that employees only pay $50 a month for.

The one West Memphis council member to show any fiscal responsibility in all this is Councilman Tracy Catt who pointed out that it will increase the city’s 2018 budget by a whopping $1 million.

“How are we going to fund it?,” asked Catt, who went on to say that he is not against considering raises, bonuses or picking up the additional cost of health insurance for city employees, but asked the logical question, “where is the money going to come from?”

No answer folks.

Contrary to Councilwoman Helen Harris’s ridiculous statement, “A lot of them (city employees) don’t make that much no way,” let us say city employees do make respectable salaries based on their jobs. These employees also receive better health insurance coverage at nearly no cost to them than just about anyone in the private sector and, Ms. Harris let us point out that these employees also received hefty bonuses and raises last year not to mention excellent benefits.

While Councilman Catt believes the proposed raises and bonuses will cost the taxpayers an additional $400,000 next year, City Treasurer Frank Martin said the cost would be closer to a half million dollars.

In all this back and forth discussion it doesn’t surprise us to hear Councilman Marco McClendon suggest bigger raises than what is being discussed rather giving a bonus because he ridiculously said, “what happens, they (employees) go Christmas shopping and then tomorrow it is gone. They get their next pay check and say look!, nothing changed.”

McClendon, who we doubt has any concept of balancing a budget, says he wants a four percent raise but doesn’t seem comprehend the fact just one percent will cost the taxpayers another $165,000 on top of the $500,000.

Prospective mayoral candidate and councilman Wayne Croom chimed in on the conversation and said confidently, “I HAVE A PLAN!”

Croom suggests dolling out incentive bonuses this year and three percent across the board increase to all of the 350 employees on the first of February next year.

At the end of the budget meeting, incumbent Mayor Bill Johnson’s proposal of handing out a three percent raises for all employees received unanimous support and, regardless of whether the tax dollars are available or not, these politicians will vote on his recommendation during the next city council meeting.

Budgeting tax dollars that are simply not available makes us wonder how Treasurer Martin will be pulling the rabbit out of the hat on this one. One thing is for sure, there will certainly be a lot of shaking the taxpayer’s piggy bank in order to pull this one off.