Boost for Reardon, but not workers?

Published 2:07 pm Monday, April 30, 2012

I see by the news that Aaron Reardon will receive a raise to “mirror the financial realities of other county workers.” (Friday article, “County’s elected officials get 1.5 percent raise.”) As a county employee, I’d like to share my reality, and that of my co-workers. We haven’t had a raise in 10 years. We haven’t even seen a cost of living adjustment in almost five years.

Meanwhile, we have to work harder because we have trouble getting approval for new people to replace those who have left. The number of foreclosures has increased in the county, also adding to our workload. The number of domestic violence cases has increased — due in part to the tough economic times people all over are having — again, adding to our workload.

More and more folks are getting guns and concealed pistol licenses, adding to my co-workers workload. The crime in Snohomish County has not decreased, yet we have to do more work in the same time frame with less people and no raise. Prices haven’t gone down. The price of gas is soaring. Food costs have kept rising over the last few years. The cost to clothe and educate our families has continued to increase. But Reardon — Reardon gets a raise. He has been in the news for years for the problems he seems to have getting along with the council and more recently for alleged criminal activity. But Reardon — Reardon gets a raise. Unbelievable!

Valerie Rusch

Everett