If you work for a company around here that gives to our local United Way, you’re used to the annual campaign to raise money. You’re probably even familiar with the packets your co-workers put together to help you decide if and how much you want to give each year.
Snohomish County employees do the same thing, only their contract with United Way was voted down Wednesday by the county council. Jeff Sax, the only council member who voted to reject it, argued that because some employees do campaign business while at work, "tax dollars are supporting these charities."
Watching out for every penny of taxpayer money is exactly what our elected officials should be doing. But if this were really an issue of tax dollars supporting United Way, it seems fellow Republican council members John Koster and Gary Nelson would have shot it down, too. They didn’t, but the contract required three votes to pass and council members Kirke Sievers and Dave Gossett were away when the vote was taken.
It should be made clear that taxpayers’ dollars do not pay for the contract. The small amount that United Way receives for the administration of the campaign comes out of the donations county employees make to the non-profit organization.
This seems to be an issue of how much time employees spend on the campaign, and it doesn’t appear to be much. It’s one thing if customers don’t receive assistance or information because the office is too short-staffed while some serve on the campaign. But less than 10 hours a year is hardly a burden. Taxpayers are paying county employees to get the job done and if they are doing that, then we should be pleased. We should also be pleased they have a giving spirit. Last year they donated more than $145,000.
With the failure of the jail tax, not once but twice, many county department budgets will take a hit as the county scrapes together the money to operate the jail. Those are the negative impacts people in this county will really notice, not one day a year spent helping an organization that reaches so many people.
The county council should vote on this again and accept the contract this year so the campaign doesn’t fall behind schedule. They can always revisit the issue later on and decide if things should stay the same or be modified.
Our economy is in too much trouble and our neighbors are in too much need to stall such a valuable program.
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