How unsettling when politicians make broad claims about important matters without substantiating them with verified data. “Our mayor is the highest paid mayor in the state of Ohio” (Jesse Lowe).
Understandably, statistics are often manipulated to present a bias viewpoint, if that is the motive and intent of the cause. Supporting facts provide additional credibility to a claim. I do not know Mr. Lowe well enough to vouch for his credibility, so I will believe the best of him, but his claims sure would have carried a lot more weight with me, had they been supported with research. Not being at the debate that may have happened, and was not included in the article. We all know that editing is the magic wand of presenting spin.
Mr. Nixon’s response: “I would argue that when you compare the responsibilities of the mayor of Lima to someone similarly situated in private business, he is on par with or below what those people get compensated in the private sector.” Come on Mr. Nixon, individuals enter into civic duty knowing very well, that part of their compensation is the reward of serving a community with love and devotion, and they should be honored and respected for that. Municipal duty cannot be compared to private sector employment because the first is funded by a tax base, the second is profit driven and less limited.
Basing a leader’s salary off of the operating budget? I’m sure glad we don’t do that with our Governor or President, these happy spenders would have our deficits higher than the disaster they are now!
— Brian Jenkins, Lima
