Today's stealth attempt by city lawmakers to give themselves raises should be stopped in its tracks.
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
TODAY D.C. Council members will launch a sneak attack on the city treasury to enrich themselves without giving taxpayers a chance to express their views. Using a legislative vehicle innocently named the Mayor and Chairman of the Council Transition Emergency Act of 2006, outgoing Mayor Anthony A. Williams (D) has proposed that the council raise the mayor's salary from $152,000 to $200,000 and boost the council chairman's salary from $142,000 to $190,000. The measure would also give Mayor-elect Adrian M. Fenty (D) $250,000 in transition funds and award Council Chairman-elect Vincent C. Gray's (D) transition team $150,000. And guess what: The whole package is to be considered "emergency" legislation. A pay raise emergency? D.C. residents shouldn't let the council get away with this.
If the mayor's proposal isn't bad enough, we understand from D.C. government watchdog Dorothy Brizill that other council members, with the election behind them, are also gearing up to fill their pockets with tax dollars. For example, Ward 1 council member Jim Graham (D), safely ensconced in office for another four years, wants to amend the bill to boost his and other council salaries by $23,000 a year, lifting their pay for "part-time" work from $92,530 to $115,000. Not to be outdone, departing council member Vincent B. Orange (D-Ward 5) has drafted an alternative bill that kicks up salaries by $48,000, to $140,000. No, Mr. Orange won't be around to collect the increase. But his bill would garner a great deal of goodwill that would come in handy if he ever needed to lobby his former colleagues.
These disgusting acts of greed are made worse by the deceitful way in which they are being sprung on the taxpayers. We hope there are council members who find this kind of sly behavior abhorrent and who today will vote no on the raises. And while they are at it, before they say yes to $400,000 in transition funds for Mr. Fenty and Mr. Gray, lawmakers who place taxpayers' interests first should demand a full explanation and justification, and vote no if they're not satisfied. By the way, we assume Mr. Fenty and Mr. Gray, as incumbent council members and direct beneficiaries of the legislation, will abstain from voting.
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