|
I get it. When I was interviewing for my first big professional job, my friends encouraged me to go out and buy a suit. Yow, that was a lot of money back then. $200, but it helped get me that $24,000 job. And then years later my $40,000 job…then I bought the $600 suit…rinse repeat and now I’m retired. |
 |
Public service in Raleigh doesn’t pay much. If you serve on a jury, it’s $12 for the first day of service and $20 thereafter. If jurors serve more than five days, they will receive $40 per day. But it feels good to do your civic duty and your employer supports you on that. But you wouldn’t beg for the job (like Bob here, sitting in Moore Square). When you get picked and have time to do it, it’s a nice experience in civics and democracy. |
The job of Mayor pays a little better, $27,550. That’s $75 a day if you work every day of the year.
City Council? $19,725 per year. That’s $54 a day if you work every day.
Yes, you probably should go spend a little on a suit or blouse. But if you are trying to get a job that pays $27,550 would you spend $320,800? Mary Ann Baldwin did. But it is a 2-year term.
Would you spend $87,375 to be the District A City Councilor? That’s what the current District A Councilor did for that $19,725 per year job.
Other Council members, in 2019, spent $113,318 on average. Yow. I did jury duty, got paid $48, and spent most of that going out to lunch. But $113,318? And not only that, they begged for these volunteer positions. They put out signs in the streets of Raleigh.
My buddy Bob really wanted to do jury duty. He grumbled when I got called and he didn’t. Maybe he should have put signs out there. “Pick Bob for Jury Duty! He’ll bring snacks!”. “Bob for Jury Duty. He applied to law school once!!”
Of course, you don’t do that. Why do these guys spend like that? Why did Mary Ann Baldwin spend $320,800 to get a $27,550 job and put up signs? Maybe she can comment. Maybe any of those on the Council can comment. (“Click below, Mary. And save the speech. Just be honest”) I can only think of a few reasons:
- They aren’t too smart. Math wasn’t their strong suit.
- They see it as a stepping stone to higher political office that can pay up to $450,000 per year
- They are buying some sort of celebrity status (Oh, politicians are sooo hot.)
- Is there considerable “other” compensation besides the pay due to the position?
- It’s an ego thing? “Politics is show business for ugly people” (Paul Begala, 1992)
- They feel the “need to serve” the people of Raleigh. Great. Lots of waiter jobs are open.
- They aren’t too smart. And these are the people who we let spend our tax money.
If I agreed to do my civic duty for two years, I sure wouldn’t spend like crazy and beg for this volunteer position. OK, OK, I’ll buy a nice suit for the “Welcome to Raleigh Sign”. Nahh…I’ve got a nice one.
Something smells funny.