Larry Slagle took a 3.55% pay raise as a member of Massillon City Council this year.
It was automatic. It was unvoted.
The elected officials get a raise every year.
It is automatic. It is unvoted.
The city workers received a pay freeze, and a reduction of benefits.
27 lost their jobs because of the horrific state of our city's finances.
The city workers, at least those not in a union, were ordered by council, including Larry Slagle who voted in the affirmative, to pay 15% of their health care premiums.
We believe city workers, just like workers in the private sector, should pay part of their health care.
We do recognize this results in a decrease of their take home pay, and is essentially a pay cut.
This pay cut was supported by Larry Slagle, who took a raise for himself.
He froze the pay and cut the benefits of the worker bees.
And took a raise for himself.
And he is not ashamed.
“(We) have been told we should be ashamed because we have not given back our pay raises,” Slagle said at the close of Monday’s council meeting. “First of all, I’m not ashamed of that at all" (The Independent, May 9, 2012).
Last year's Larry Slagle vowed to examine the ordinance that gives members of city council automatic, unvoted pay raises for life.
"In 2011, Slagle vowed that he would examine the 1995 ordinance that establishes the pay-raise mechanism for the 14 city employees, which includes council, its president, the auditor, treasurer, law director and mayor" (The Independent, May 9, 2012).
And after thoroughly researching the issue, Councilman Slagle decided the elected officials of Massillon were "dramatically underpaid."
The members of Massillon City Council make $7,823 dollars per year for this part time job.
In North Canton, they make $4,800 per year.
In Louisville, they make $3,000 per year
Regardless, we agree people are not getting rich serving on council.
We do, however, take exception to the "we deserve more" argument on several fronts;
Firstly, Slagle knew what the salary was when he ran for the office and was elected all of six months ago.
We assume no one forced Mr. Slagle to run, and that he did so of his own free will.
Secondly, we challenge Mr. Slagle to find another governmental body where the elected officials get an annual, unvoted pay raise every year, for life.
Annual. Unvoted. Pay raise for life.
Good Luck!
Thirdly, being on council is a part time job.
$7,823 dollars for 52 Monday night meetings.
That's $150 dollars per meeting.
A part time job.
We ask this question. If annual, unvoted pay raises for life is such a fine idea, why not give the worker bees what you got?
This solution would end any and all labor strife within Massillon City government forever.
Give the workers the same annual, unvoted pay raise for life deal that you have.
No more contract negotiations.
No more bargaining.
No labor-management impasses ever.
Give them the same raises you get.
Instead of a pay freeze this year, they would get your 3.55% raise.
No you say?
Then you are a hypocrite.
What's good for the goose should be good for the gander.
And if you can't see the absurdity of freezing, cutting, and laying off the workers while you yourself take a pay increase, then your grasp on reality is tenuous at best.
Either treat everyone the same, or repeal the automatic raises.
Be consistent.
We realize you aren't getting rich on $7,823 dollars a year.
But you chose to do this, and this is not your full-time vocation.
Under your watch, 27 people just lost their full-time vocation.
And guess what?
It isn't anyone else's fault that you got your hand caught in the cookie jar.
It's on you.
And when you and your colleagues were "showin' tough love," and "cuttin' to the bone," it is disingenuous that you impose sacrifice on others while you take a pay increase for yourself, regardless of the amount.
No, you are not getting rich doing the job.
But your decision to take the raise, under the present financial circumstances facing the city was your choice.
And if you are "not ashamed" to take the raise, then you should not be angry when it is pointed out that you took the raise.
You did.
You took it.
You made a choice.
You knew the ramifications.
Accept the responsibility and quit looking for scapegoats.
If you have an issue with anyone, it is with the man in the mirror, and with no one else.
