Merry XMas to ME...

or so I would say if I was a member of the Contra Costa County Supervisors. They unanimously voted themselves a ... wait for it... SIXTY PERCENT pay raise up from $59,916 to $95,568 and a compensation package of more than $114,000.

How can someone in good conscience approve such a grotesque abuse of power? These are the same people who after three consecutive years of using emergency reserves to balance budgets, earlier this year started a partial hiring freeze and cut $20 million of programs, primarily from health and social services.

The Supervisors maintain they deserve the raise as this puts their salaries on par with other Bay Area counties.

I am sorry, were I in that district these people would be voted out immediately if not sooner. I know this is a move Congress (State or Federal) would pull, but it is a whole lot easier to get rid of a County Supervisor than it is a Congressman. When they accepted their positions, these Supervisors were aware of their salaries.

My philosophy is simple: You can give yourself as big a raise as you want -- AFTER all the other problems have been resolved and the money is "Leftover." If you throw the "but the other guys are making more" at me, you better have a proven track record you DESERVE the raise.