BUDGET: Welcome to COLAgate

Hats off to our good Samaritan "whistleblower," Mike Patrick and The Press staff, for shining a bright light on COLAgate ... the half truths told by city staff and council regarding city employee pay increases over the last two fiscal years. 

I pay pretty close attention to City Council goings-on but I, like most Coeur d'Alene residents, believed council's preachings that city employees, including police and firefighters, would "share the sacrifice" and take a pass on pay increases during the recession. Seemed like a smart move at the time since residents were already mumbling "they should be damn glad they even have a job." But, alas, there now seems to be a disconnect between what we were told by city staff and council and what actually went down. Strap in... you won't like what you are about to hear.

For fiscal year 2009/2010 we were told there would be no COLA (cost-of-living adjustment) payments to collectively bargained ("benefited") city employees. Actual pay increases were $283,000.

For fiscal year 2010/2011 we were told a 1 percent COLA costing $283,000 would be paid out. Actual payouts were $583,000. Tallying up the two years, we were told of $283,000 in pay increases but actual payouts totaled $846,000 - a $563,000 "failure to communicate." And it doesn't end there. The city's proposed pay increases for this year total $815,000. Just imagine how tickled Obama will be to hear that the recession is finally over... boomtown USA right here in Coeur d'Alene!

The city's proposed budget goes before City Council this Tuesday, Sept. 6, at 6 p.m. in the community room of the public library. If you are enraged that city employees may get up to 8 percent pay increases this year while you struggle to pay bills or are out of work SHOW UP AND MAKE YOURSELF HEARD.

Dick Armey, former U.S. Congressman from Texas, said it best: "Three groups of people spend other people's money... children, thieves and politicians, and all three need supervision."

ROBERT B. CLIFF

Coeur d'Alene