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Local officials' salaries are 'obscene'

November 25, 2009 4:23 am

Why did The Free Lance-Star have to go to the Freedom of Information Act to get information about local public officials' salaries? ["School chiefs top public pay in area," Nov. 15].

All county employees are paid by us, the residents of the county. Were they asked for this information and refused to disclose it?

These salaries seem obscene, to say the least. It seems like we have an open wallet when dishing out these top execs' pay.

The Spotsylvania County School Board is unbelievable. They're paying out all this money, but a few months ago it was reported that they authorized $11,600 for a conference with a consultant. I thought that was what we were paying these professionals for.

Then a recess dispute came up that any group of high school dropouts could resolve, and it is still a mess. That is leadership?

County executives are not off the hook, either. We have allowed the Board of Supervisors to have open access to our money, and they have spent it freely.

I would like the newspaper to interview each member of the board and let the public know just where each stands and how each feels it is justified. Then put it on the front page for all to see.

Maybe when it comes time to decide the budget for the county and the tax rate, the board members will be reminded of how wasteful they have been with our money.

I sure don't want to hear about how short we are in the county's finances next year. Better yet, replace the board members with those who can manage our funds.

This is the kind of news that is often missing from your paper. Keep it up.

Forrest W. Schlette

Spotsylvania

Editor's note: The Free Lance-Star made freedom-of-information requests to ensure that our questions were clear and consistent. There was no resistance to providing the information.