Tomorrow's Column Today -- Supervisor Pay

I'm writing my Thursday Gazette column on the latest lowlights in the Linn County Board of Supervisors pay saga.

I'm still crafting it from the choicest ingredients at this hour, including all natural snark. But here's some of what to expect:

Not surprisingly, I think the Linn County Compensation Board's decision to freeze supervisor pay at $87,622 is a bad, bad call. And it shows, yet again, what a screwed up system we have in this state for setting the salaries of county elected officials.

The supervisors deserved a salary cut in this time of economic hardship, and especially after three incumbent supervisors promised last year to take a pay cut  to $70,000. They promised, crossed their fingers, got re-elected and promptly scrapped the promise.

Shameless, with a side of cynical.

Supervisor Ben Rogers is the only one who seemed to get it.  He asked for a cut to $70,000.

I'll tell you which other supervisor deserves Academy Award consideration after Tuesday's comp board meeting.

Do you know how fast supervisor pay has grown since 2000 compared to household incomes earned by county residents? You might be surprised, although, unfortunately, you won't be.

I'll try to explain how much voter anger $17,000 might buy. It may be a whole lot.

And I'll share my recipe for tar and feathers. Just kidding.

The column will be posted here, later on.