We Believe

Mayor Kris Ockomon’s plan to forfeit a 2-percent salary increase in 2009 for himself, department managers and elected officials is unselfish. However, the savings should be used to defray the city budget, rather than being used to bump up the 2009 raises of non-union city employees.

At first glance, the offer by city officials to refuse a salary increase is admirable. But when one looks closer at the offer, it’s obvious that these officials just don’t get it.

They don’t understand that their first responsibility is to the residents of the city and not to the people who work in the city building.

To review: Midway through August, Mayor Kris Ockomon and City Controller Karen Carpenter informed Anderson City Council that they, Street Commissioner Todd Leever and some other department heads would voluntarily forgo their annual 2 percent raise.

According to the city, if all 38 department managers and elected officials give up their 2 percent 2009 raises, it would save almost $45,000.

“I will decline my raise, and I will ask others to do the same,” Ockomon told the council. “In the scheme of things, it’s a great message to the public that we’re trying.”

But in the end, the message rings hollow. The money saved, you see, wouldn’t be used to shrink the city budget and save taxpayer money. Instead, the city officials propose that the money be used to bump the 2009 annual raises for non-union city employees up from 2 percent. The idea is to get their raises as close as possible to the 3 percent raise that union city employees will enjoy in 2009.

Now, we’re certain that some non-union city employees work very hard at their jobs and are deserving of a 3 percent raise. But we’re more convinced that the taxpayers of Anderson deserve a break from taxation. No matter how minuscule the savings to taxpayers would be, every little bit helps — and officials should be seeking to trim fat wherever they can.

On Aug. 18, The Herald Bulletin gave a Thumbs Up to Ockomon’s idea about forfeiting raises because it is “politically savvy and a decent thing to do.”

But here’s an even better idea: Why doesn’t City Council freeze pay rates for all department heads, elected officials and board members in 2009 — and use the money to defray taxes? Now that would be sending a great message to the public.

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How much they make

Salaries in 2008, according to the City of Anderson, of three city officials who have vowed to forego their 2009 raises:

Controller Karen Carpenter: $85,000