Dear Editor,
Irregardless of the years of known economic hardships, Independence Township has collected a $700,000 tax surplus and now its board members have granted pay raises of 2.5 to 7 percent for township workers. The excuse that ‘higher pay attracts quality people? is being used to justify the theft of our surplus tax dollars.
The latest illusion being propagated by officials in Independence Township is the claim that a pay raise is not a raise, it’s a wash because it will be used for health care contributions. Only career politician’s could come up with such nonsense, in the real world a raise is a raise.
Private sector employees are forced to contribute much more to their health care and their wages are not raised accordingly, why do those holding public office still believe they are the exception?
I applaud the two trustees that voted no on both pay raise proposals. However, township Supervisor Dave Wagner’s no vote was for purely for selfish reasons.
He voted no because of the failure of his earlier proposal of a much higher 2.5 percent raise for himself. Claiming it is needed to ‘attract the quality people? to fill the job that he has already stated he has aspirations to get re-elected to. While taxpayers continue to struggle with bad economic times, Independence Township officials continue to live in the land of make believe. Refusing to make the same sacrifices as the public sector, they forge ahead with pay raises and unpopular projects the public has said it does not want.
As in the past, township voters will once again have to use the ballot box to limit the terms of the elected officials that continue to ignore our wishes and act as rulers.
Due to their selfish actions, unemployment checks may soon be attracting the quality of people now running Independence Township.
Michael Powell
Independence Twp.