State officials get richer, but worker bees ignored

MARILYN RICHER | Olympia • Published February 09, 2013 Modified February 08, 2013

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The Washington Citizens’ Commission on Salaries for Elected Officials recently voted for an increase in salaries to the insurance and lands commissioners, all levels of judges and the state superintendent of public instruction.

While I’m sure they have a great deal of responsibility and deserve raises, this commission completely ignored the state workers and teachers. We took pay cuts several years ago and have yet to see any raises since. We continue to earn less than we did three years ago.

How about helping out the little guy, the worker bees?

Now how fair is it to give pay raises to those who already earn substantially more than the rest of us when we too have huge responsibilities in our professional careers?

Who are these people on the salary commission? Is their decision fair?

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