"Curse the blasted, jelly-boned swines, the slimy, the belly-wriggling invertebrates, the miserable sodding rotters." (D. H. Lawrence)
A little of the old invective bubbled to the surface this week, courtesy of the varied and numerous scandalettes at the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department.
While not as dripping with venom as in days yore, Times Managing Editor Bob Gorman took an interesting and clever tack in describing the many foibles by parenthetically listing the pay of the principles.
It does lay bare that many people making good money are drawing undue attention to their actions. From posing topless, to posing a la Brett Favre (allegedly) to polishing off a bottle of Red Stag in a patrol car, there's lots to write about.
I think Bob's technique could be applied on a wider scale.
For a month it would be enlightening to place pay after everyone's name appearing in the paper, so we can judge the relative worth society places on us all.
From the medical administrators, and those who empty the bed pans, to the educators, to the journalists, to the heads of all those "not for profits". Include the soldiers fighting in a hopeless war...include the clergy.....and those like Samantha, who don't work at all but still get paid.
Include the pols like me ($16,700), of course. And all the unelected heads of this and that. Don't forget the lawyers and the gin mill owners.
This tome on the Sheriff's Department is a good start, but inquiring minds want to know more.
Watertown Daily Times | Jefferson County WILL take action... eventually
5 comments:
For the record Intschert got a raise and makes about $140,000 now. I was disappointed Bob did not put his salary next to his byline
Why should he reveal his salary or any other privately funded salary? The salaries of those in public service who pay comes from tax revenue should expect their pay to be public. After all, they give up that privacy by accepting a pay check funded by the taxes of their neighbors.
The salaries of the not for profits are listed on their IRS form 990.
"Why should he reveal his salary or any other privately funded salary?"
Yet anyone making minimum wage in private industry can't shut up about it. The 'secrecy' aspect only kicks in when you've got something to flaunt.
i applaud this kind of reporting and i do NOT live near your city . However the public NEEDS to understand JUST HOW MUCH. This is costing us . Accountability and transparency are much over used terms. , BUT BY PUTTING up the numbers and exposing unacceptable behavior or organizational sloth of any type enables the voter to put the PRESSURE on in a MEANINGFUL way in future .
Mr Gorman should give other JOURNALISTS , Bloggers and Talking heads a seminar on how to do it :)
Post a Comment