For 12-27-92 
Boycott Baseball? Ok, Fine -- But You Go First 
It Doesn't Seem So Long Ago That Kirby Puckett Created A Fuss By Becoming The 
First Baseball Player To Collect A $3 Million Salary.

What About 
Those Raises?

Monday, December 21, 1992 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 





lead editorial for sunday dec. 20 1992 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Voters shouldn't forget commissioners' pay grab &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Voting themselves a huge pay raise was bad enough. But even more galling
were the excuses: the self-righteous blather which two Luzerne County
commissioners used Thursday to justify their decisionsTake "parity." "I feel
the time has come... for those who hold office to have salaries commensurate
with (other counties)," said Commissioner Jim Phillips. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 We understand why the commissioner "feels" he deserves parity. We "feel" we
deserve parity (read: more money), too; so does everyone else who earns a
paycheck. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The difference is that in the private sector, feelings and 35 cents will
only get you a copy of The Times Leader. A private employer cares little about
such feelings. Instead, an employer's thinking goes like this: Given what
other employers pay, what's the minimum I must pay to attract a qualified
workforce? &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Is the talent I need a scarce resource, such as a superstar baseball
player? Then I'm probably going to pay a lot. Or is the labor pool
overflowing? Then I may pay only minimum wage. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 So a county board being scrupulous with the public's dollars would not ask,
"What do other counties pay?" &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 They'd ask, "What's the least we have to pay to attract good candidates --
such as ourselves?" (In fact, that's exactly the question the board does ask,
but only when setting salaries for unionized workers. The board pays scant
attention to parity then.) &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Obviously, all three commissioners eagerly sought and even spent vast sums
to win their current "low-paid" positions. Other people did, too. In fact, the
job is one of the most choice and coveted positions in all of Northeastern
Pennsylvania -- not for its pay, but for its power and prestige. It's safe to
say the commissioners could have cut their salaries, and still not shrunk the
pool of eager applicants. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 And that means the more-than-50-percent raise that commissioners Jim
Phillips and Rose Tucker voted for themselves (after they stand for
re-election) was one thing, and one thing only: pure, unadulterated gravy. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 We hope the voters of Luzerne County remember these commissioners at
election time in 1995. This newspaper intends to. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Government

Lead Editorial For Sunday Dec. 20 1992 
Voters Shouldn't Forget 
Commissioners' Pay Grab 
Voting Themselves A Huge Pay Raise Was Bad Enough. But Even More Galling Were 
The Excuses: The Self-righteous Blather Which Two Luzerne County Commissioners 
Used Thursday To Justify Their Decisions.

Lead Editorial For Sunday Dec. 20 1992 Voters Shouldn't Forget Commissioners' Pay Grab Voting Themselves A Huge Pay Raise Was Bad Enough. But Even More Galling Were The Excuses: The Self-righteous Blather Which Two Luzerne County Commissioners Used Thursday To Justify Their Decisions.