Ed Davis figures he's about 20,000 - 25,000 signatures short of a slam dunk.
On Change.org, Davis is circulating an online petition to get the county commissioners to roll back a 1 percent salary increase they approved for themselves on June 4. The increase, adopted 4-3 by the seven-member board, raises their salaries to $84,542 for what's officially a part-time job.
To be considered, the referendum petition must be submitted to the county by July 24 (45 days after the vote), with signatures from 10 percent of the county voters who participated in the last presidential election. That means he needs upwards of 20,000 signatures. So far, he's got 19.
By way of rationale for their pay hike, the commissioners have said that they hope to keep their salary increases in line with those of unionized county employees. Gradual increases allow them to avoid the larger pay hikes that have been adopted in years past after a long period without any increases at all. They gave themselves a 20 percent raise in 2003, as well as a 25 percent raise in 2008.
Davis isn't having it. He points out that the commissioners made about $47,000 in 1997, so their salaries are on the road to doubling.
"We've been in a recession, and we're still in the midst of a foreclosure crisis," Davis said on Tuesday. "You're a public servant. ... Why are you basically paying yourself a wage that's far beyond what most people in your community are making, at a time when they're barely making it at all?"
Three commissioners might lean toward his way of thinking. Commissioners Janice Rettman, Blake Huffman and Mary Jo McGuire voted against the increase. In fact, Davis has closely monitored votes going back more than 15 years, and he says Rettman has never voted for a salary increase. "Someone like her is the ideal commissioner, I would say," said Davis.
So how's the petition going? Not very well, Davis has to admit. Of the 19 people who have signed at Change.org since he launched the petition three weeks ago, at least a couple don't live in Ramsey County, making their signatures ineligible.
"Not many people have signed online," said Davis, a substitute teacher who lives south of Lake Phalen. "A couple of friends have told me they don't think it's going to make any difference. ... 'It's just a lost cause.' That's one thing. The other thing is, we're talking about the East Side, where not a lot of people have access to the Internet. There is a digital divide."
Undeterred, he's now thinking of camping out outside of coffee shops and grocery stores to get the petition numbers up. Talk radio could be a possibility. Print media could help. "I'm going to try to spread the word in some way," he said.
Davis, an urban planner by training and the father of two school-aged girls, is a former help-desk staffer with E-democracy.org, an online forum where neighbors debate the issues of the day, recruit auto mechanics, complain about potholes and city politics or dissect political candidates. His posts there on the salary issue drew an underwhelming five responses or so, most but not all of them critical of the salary increase.
Here's his message to the media:
Dear Editor/News Outlets:
On 6-4-2013, the Ramsey County Commissioners voted themselves a 1%
annual salary increase for a total salary of $84,542 [4-3 (Rettman,
Hoffman, McGuire against)]. Given the Commissioner position is
technically part-time and the typical Ramsey County Household has a
median annual salary of $52,713; this salary is high and is out of touch
with the constituents of Ramsey County. Their salary is rivaled only by
Hennepin County. Approximately 70% of Ramsey County households make
less than $84k. It does matter what constituents do about this salary.
The resolution can be repealed via petition by July 20th if about 28,000
signatures can be collected.Please visit http://chn.ge/12mWioE to support this petition.
Ed Davis
Eastside of St. Paul
The post Ed Davis vs. the Ramsey County Board's pay hike. Guess who is winning? appeared first on City Hall Scoop.
