Letter: Applauding county pay increases

Graphic by Lori Deaton

[Regarding “Buncombe Approves $17 Minimum Wage for County Staff,” May 25, Xpress:] I applaud the raise in pay. The cost of living is outrageous for all and especially those paying for those who do not need assistance, just lazy.

The hourly rate of $17 is decent, but remember, Xpress does not visit this topic every time a company, other than the government, needs employees and the money.

Honestly, you all at Xpress really do not live in the real world. Look at Cawthorn as an example of what we (taxpayers) are tired of from so-called “officials.”

— Brenda Newkirk
Hendersonville

Editor’s response: Thank you for sharing your thoughts. We view reporting on local government pay increases in particular as important to civic accountability, given that local residents support those salaries through their taxes. Both Buncombe County and Asheville city governments are also developing budgets for the next fiscal year, and choices over employee pay impact the funding available for other priorities.

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

About Letters
We want to hear from you! Send your letters and commentary to letters@mountainx.com

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

2 thoughts on “Letter: Applauding county pay increases

  1. R.G.

    I do not quite understand what this letter writer is trying to say in regards to wages.
    I do, however, agree with her that Cawthorn has been a chump.

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.