The adage that you get what you pay for has never been more relevant than when it comes to the pay raises that have been granted to our officials recently.
The miniscule amount that was being paid to the city of Vancouver’s mayor was ridiculous and embarrassing. What is touted as part time goes well beyond a part-time position. I see these people at every meeting, every event, and striving nonstop to improve the image of Vancouver. Perhaps it would not have been such a shock if the raises had been made over the years as they should have been.
When previous officials and mayors have been retired or retired military, then perhaps they were willing to work for that wage. I think the difference is that we are now embracing hard-working, forward-thinking individuals to promote the idea that Vancouver no longer needs to sit in Portland’s shadow, that business should come to Vancouver and we should be the amazing community that we are starting to realize.
Let’s pay our elected officials what they are worth, Vancouver, and let’s not waste time or money to debate the decision that was made.
Embrace change; it’s what Vancouver needs.
