tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1665619563748706349.post8566301906100610005..comments2023-10-07T07:44:17.892-07:00Comments on The New Englander: Leland Cheung in Today's GlobeThe New Englanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06201310505648616855noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1665619563748706349.post-89336738747841676532009-12-28T11:55:08.302-08:002009-12-28T11:55:08.302-08:00Good point about Beacon Hill salaries. Here's...Good point about Beacon Hill salaries. Here's another thing to think about: If you raise the pay by 50% and just call it a full-time job, you solve a couple problems at once.<br /><br />(1) You open the playing field to ALL people, regardless of whatever their current job is, and what time it would allow them to be on Beacon Hill. <br /><br />(2) You prevent the problem of "mom-and-popping" the system, whereby someone who serves on Beacon Hill can use the "but hey, this isn't full time" line anytime he/she needs to give a reason for NOT performing in his/her State Rep capacity. <br /><br />We all know what happens anytime someone works for two different bosses within an organization. You can never task them because "the other guy" has them too busy all the time. I think there's a parallel with the part-time folks we elect.<br /><br />Let's just boost the pay up somewhat, call it full-time, and expect full-time service in return.<br /><br />Works for me..The New Englanderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06201310505648616855noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1665619563748706349.post-827345961157754822009-12-28T05:26:10.173-08:002009-12-28T05:26:10.173-08:00I think you make a good point about paying for the...I think you make a good point about paying for the effort provided. Didn't St Paul say something about that?<br /><br />While I am not for giving a boost to City Councilor salaries at this point—given what I expect to be a budget crisis in the city in 2010—I would like to see the pay on Beacon Hill go up to around $90K, so that people other than lawyers and realtors feel they can take time out of their careers to serve in public office.<br /><br />That might give us more diversity of viewpoint on Beacon Hill and improve the flow of people through the two houses. Here in Lowell we seem to be able to provide that sort of change of Government without the need for a pay raise.<br /><br />But, then it is time for New Year's Resolutions and at Christmas Mass or some time like that a local politician noted to me that I had been a "bad boy" this year, so maybe I need to lighten up. :-)<br /><br />Regards — CliffC R Kriegerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10563658418464959198noreply@blogger.com