GIVE CITY COUNCIL A RAISE NOW? WHO THOUGHT OF THAT TIMING?
    It’s good to see that the citizens of our fine city have finally elected someone with a set of brass ones bigger than the moons orbiting Saturn. I am speaking of course of our esteemed City Council member Brandon Buchanan. A man I supported when he first ran for City Council, but I for one won’t be making that mistake again. For an elected official, in times of all governmental bodies running deficits, to have the unmitigated gall to propose that our elected officials give themselves a pay raise speaks volumes. (Just why is our City Government set up to even allow our elected officials to decide themselves what their pay will be? Maybe they think they are the U.S. Congress?)

Only a true politician would dream of asking for a pay raise while all those around them are struggling to make due with the limited resources they have. And Council Member Buchanan isn’t just asking for a small pay raise, oh no, in true political arrogance he is proposing a pay raise of up to 66%. [Editor’s note: from $3,000/yr to $4,000/yr.] Yes 66%, do the math. I ask you, when was the last time any of you have received a 66% pay raise? 

The excuse he has given is that it has been more then a decade since the Council last received a pay increase. Well you knew what it paid when you ran didn’t you? And isn’t being a City Council Member supposed to be about helping out the people of our fine city and a feeling of civic duty? Mr. Buchanan has said by paying our Council Members more, it would induce more people who have children to run for a seat on the Council. Well very true Mr. Buchanan. But why stop at the mere 66% pay raise, why not just ask your fellow Council Members to vote for an annual pay for all Council Members of $100,000 per year. I bet you’d have quite a few more people running for Council seats then, wouldn’t you?

At this time, when the City Council has already raised user fees for its citizens, and voted to try to add new ones, while reducing or eliminating monies given to non-profit organizations and others that have volunteers that actually do good for the city, and with the city struggling just to find the money to pay the bills of the city, it is completely asinine to propose to give oneself a pay raise. Especially one that raises your pay 66%.

Mr. Buchanan is actually quite smart with his timing on this proposal. I noticed when he ran for his seat he never mentioned that one of the things he wanted to do was raise the City Council Members pay. By proposing a pay raise now, he is hoping that the citizens will forget about how he tried to rob them come election time. And it’s sad to say, but most will forget all about this by then.  Mr. Buchanan has higher political aspirations, just ask him, and if this proposal is any indication of his future political ways, well then Mr. Buchanan you have taken your first step towards being a true politician; looking out for yourself and screwing your constituents. Bravo!   
– Mark, Eau Claire