[Winona Online Democracy] Vicki, you bring up some good points.
At this morning's (Tuesday) County Board meeting, we voted to freeze our County Commissioners' salaries. It was not an easy decision to arrive at, I had suggested it way back in February. There seems to be at least two main schools of thoughts when it comes to dealing with these largely unnecessary budget crises the State Legislature and Governor have passed on to local governments. ----- School of Thought # 1: Give our important public servants at least cost of living raises that help to offset inflation and more importantly, the health care increases that are eating us all alive (City Council faced 15% health care increases this year, the County had 17% increases). Give raises to maintain qualified staff and attract future high caliber applicants. That approach has many benefits but it also has a down side. It means cutting staff and programs in other places. The School Board seems to have chosen this path. ----- School of Thought # 2: Try to maintain existing programs and staff whenever possible. If cuts are made below a certain level, the programs are either lost or rendered ineffective. The downside to this approach is having to ask hard working public servants to freeze their salaries or take raises below the rate of inflation. It's not just a one year effect, it will effect some for 20-30 years more when it effects some people's retirements. ----- Both approaches have advantages and very sad disadvantages. I respect both approaches. Personally, I fall into the second school of thought but I understand and respect what the City Council has chosen to do. It's sad to see people and great public programs being pitted against each other. At the County Board level, it is played out in food shelves vs. the Women's Resource Center vs. funding for adults with mental illness vs. the County Fair vs. the Historical society et al. At the School Board level, it's all day kindergarten vs. neighborhood schools vs. the 4 Period Day at the High School. It's sad to see. It doesn't have to be this way! We need to see the real sources of the problem. 1. We need to realize that government is a reflection of our values. We need to adequately and fairly invest in the public programs that have given Minnesota one of the highest, if not the highest, quality of life in the United States. Yes, that means taxes. 2. We need to solve the health care fiasco that has been wrecking City Council, School Board, County Board, State Government, and private sector budgets for over 10 years now. 3. We need clean and fair elections that will allow democracy to work it's magic again. 4. We need more good, but quiet and shy, people to get active in the democratic process. Mother Jones said, "don't mourn, organize." Let's not form a firing line in the shape of a circle. We can do better than that. (Even Wal Mart is going "Green") ;-> Dwayne Voegeli ------------ Dwayne Voegeli Winona County Commissioner, District #2 (507) 453-9012 [EMAIL PROTECTED] 359 Pleasant Hill Dr. Winona, MN 55987 ------------ _______________________________________________ This message was posted to Winona Online Democracy All messages must be signed by the senders actual name. No commercial solicitations are allowed on this list. To manage your subscription or view the message archives, please visit http://mapnp.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/winona Any problems or suggestions can be directed to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] If you want help on how to contact elected officials, go to the Contact page at http://www.winonaonlinedemocracy.org
