BUDGET: Don’t sling mud; solve state’s problems
KEN BUCK; Puyallup
State Rep. Brendan Williams’ Viewpoint (TNT, 2-24), complaining about the “furlough-loving Republicans,” sounds hollow. He talks about the sacrifice of lower-paid state workers. I agree that taking one day’s pay per month from them would be a hardship.
But why didn’t he include these other state employees? Washington State University President Elson Floyd makes $625,000 per year (2008), University of Washington President Mark Emmert makes $494,000 (2006). The UW’s losing football coach, with a 0-11 record, was paid $1.47 million plus a million-dollar contract buyout.
Williams states, “But I don’t think other state workers make too much either.”
Really? $1.47 million isn’t too much? How many games would the Huskies have lost if they had no coach at all?
Williams states that he wants to reduce the “$90 per day compensation paid to Legislators during the legislative session.” A state Web site says legislators are paid $42,106 per year, well above $90 per day for the short session this year. Even spread out over 365 days, assuming they worked every day of the year, including Christmas, they would get $115.36 per day in salary.
I am heartened by the statement at the end of the mud-slinging Democrat hit piece, that he is serving his third and final term. We need legislators who are honest and willing to solve problems, not ones who want to throw mud and try to mislead the voting public.
