DECEIT: Distrust alive and unwell

Kudos to The Press for your recent editorial titled "Deceit leads to distrust." Our elected officials continue to mislead us (the taxpayers) with obfuscation and vague statements. Your editorial points out the misleading statements made by the city concerning pay raises of city employees. Only by your forcing the city to disclose the facts about the pay raises are the taxpayers made aware of what is actually going on. I am not saying that pay raises may not be warranted in some cases. I just ask that everything is above board and honest. Present the facts to the citizens and taxpayers and let us decide what is justified or not.

Your editorial also mentions how North Idaho College seems to be hiding the facts concerning pay raises and bonuses for the president. I don't understand how a public employee (college president) is given a pay raise plus $3,500 for retirement when she has given notice of leaving in a year. The Press editorial of June 24, 2011, very well reported on the NIC president leaving and the thousands of dollars going to be spent for a replacement.

Thousands of people are out of work, families are really hurting and yet we see public employees continuing to get pay increases disguised as "adjustments." Yes, deceit does lead to distrust.

JOSEPH L. FOTI

Dalton Gardens