Instead of barring two posts, pay council members more

Published 1:30 am Thursday, December 14, 2023

I agree with Everett City Council member Stonecipher that we should have city council members who reflect “a diversity of thought and opinion in elected bodies.” But she ignores that reality that serving in an elected position which only pays $30,000 a year, in a city where the basic living wage is more than $75,000 annually, we are unlikely to get that diversity. Bottom line: You have to be financially advantaged to serve in these positions- a circumstance that most of our current council members enjoy, in contrast to many of their constituents.

Rather than ban members who work two jobs, I would suggest that the cty council step up to the plate and pay elected officials more to ensure that we have a diversity that includes less advantaged citizens. And those wages should be comparable to what we pay our police officers and firefighters. With a living wage, elected officials have more time to address community needs, work with constituents, and are less susceptible to outside influencers and graft. Honest officials from many walks of life — sensitive to and involved in community issues — increase our trust in government, which is worth paying for.

Expecting to attract these officials to serve without a living wage attached, is naïve. We all want honest representation in local government that reflects the community at large. But if the expectation that council membership is their only job, then they should be provided a living wage. Ignoring that reality means only the economically advantaged can continue to hold office.

Ann Morgan

Everett

Editor’s note: Stonecipher has since retracted her proposal to limit car city council members from holding another elected position.