Letter to the Editor: Smaligo lauded
BY Bill L. Jack, Owasso
Wednesday, February 06, 2013
2/06/13 at 7:50 AM
Thanks, Commissioner John Smaligo, for using common sense in voting no against the pay increase for Tulsa County elected officials.
Commissioner Fred Perry's defense of his voting yes for the raise was based on the old theory that to attract good people they must be paid on a par with private entities.
Most private businesses that would compare are small, mainly with revenues in the low seven to eight figures, businesses that are privately owned. Therefore, they can pay themselves with whatever they feel comfortable.
Comparing a CEO of a company to one of the elected county officials is flawed as the CEO has to be in charge of several areas, finances, security, sales, advertising, logistics, human resources, etc. The elected officials need to be proficient in one discipline.
The only county elected official who is required to have any special education, training, etc., is the sheriff who must be CLEET certified and as a CLEET certified officer cannot have a blemished record. All other elected official just need to have the most votes.
And finally, if Commissioner Perry gave up more money to take an elected position, then I applaud him for his service to the county.
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