Letter: Metro officers deserve raises

Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2005 | 7:58 a.m.

I've been watching and reading the coverage on the police wage package.

The Chamber of Commerce says Metro Police officers shouldn't get the proposed raise because people don't get raises anymore and it's an unfair burden on the taxpayers. The chamber also says the officers shouldn't get merit raises and cost of living adjustment increases. The Clark County commissioners say the police officers shouldn't get the raise because it's too high. What neither of these groups tells you is that after an officer has been on the job for 15 years, they don't get merit raises. The pay is frozen.

The other thing they don't tell you is that everyone should be getting raises yearly but due to the greed of business owners raises are very small or nonexistent. The minimum wage hasn't been raised since 1996.

The business owners make more profits each year and the commissioners get raises, and the poor working stiff gets stiffed. The cost of living, gas, cars, food, rent, insurance, medical and housing costs have skyrocketed and wages have not kept up.

After the arbitration, the police will get their raise, and the taxpayers will pay for it plus the cost of the arbitration. How much sense does that make?

Let the police have their raise. If they've had that job for 15 years, they've earned it. Why would anyone stay on the job more than 15 years and go backward on their wages? It's time wages went up for everyone.

Mary Morgan Henderson