WSFA.com: News Weather and Sports for Montgomery, AL.Editorial: Pay Raises

Editorial: Pay Raises

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  • Friday, May 18 2012 7:20 PM EDT2012-05-18 23:20:53 GMT
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    If you text and drive it's a matter of WHEN and not IF you will be involved in an accident.  The odds are stacked against you when your eyes and hands are more focused on your cell phone than they are the other motorists on the roadways.

  • Tuesday, May 15 2012 7:20 PM EDT2012-05-15 23:20:31 GMT
    On our editorial suggesting that the governor raise taxes to fund Medicaid, we received these comments: "If the budget is passed at this severely cut rate, the shortage of physicians, hospitals, and clinics
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  • Tuesday, May 1 2012 7:20 PM EDT2012-05-01 23:20:35 GMT
    If your commute includes I-85 in the mornings I'm sure you've noticed men alongside the roadways picking up trash and road debris and thought to yourself "who would want to do that?"
    If your commute includes I-85 in the mornings I'm sure you've noticed men alongside the roadways picking up trash and road debris and thought to yourself "who would want to do that?"

  • Friday, April 20 2012 7:20 PM EDT2012-04-20 23:20:42 GMT
    For the next sixty seconds I want you to give yourself permission to push pause on whatever you are doing and listen and reflect for a moment. I did this recently after reading an article titled "Top five

  • Wednesday, April 18 2012 7:27 PM EDT2012-04-18 23:27:31 GMT
    Representative Christopher John England (Tuscaloosa) has sponsored a bill in the Alabama legislature that would allow convicted felons of drug crimes to receive food stamps under certain circumstances.

MONTGOMERY, AL (WSFA) - When the entire state of Alabama is being asked to do the same or more with less – wouldn't you think all state legislators would be willing to share in the sacrifice?  You would think.

This month most state lawmakers will receive a 1.5% percent cost of living increase.  On average this works out to $792 dollars annually in wages.  Some might say – this is not enough of a bump in pay to warrant discussion.  That is unless you were one of the state workers being laid off or one that will be told to take an unwanted unpaid furlough.

To be fair, the wage increases were voted on and approved and the lawmaker's have every right to them.  The problem is timing.  It's hard to fathom with teachers and state workers taking hit after financial hit and fast approaching and escalating budget issues in 2012 and 2013 that we are even dealing with this.  But we are.

There are times when you do the right thing and it's the wrong thing.  Accepting a raise in principle is not a bad thing.  How about this – why NOT accept the 1.5% increase in pay and get a raise in something else – constituent support and praise.

I'm Collin Gaston –those are my thoughts –I'd like to hear yours.

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