Raising the minimum wage

State House Democrats have their priorities straight. One of their first orders of business is creating jobs and raising the minimum wage. As they opened up a new session, they:

rewarded themselves for their gains in November’s legislative elections by creating 11 additional leadership posts, bringing the total number of House Democratic leaders to 45 (NHR, by George Hladky).

What do these new positions mean?

Lawmakers fortunate enough to be named to leadership posts also gain a few thousand dollars in extra pay over their base $28,000 annual legislative salaries. Assistant majority leaders and majority whips receive $32,241 a year, while deputy House speakers and deputy majority leaders get $34,446 annually.

This is no big deal. The cost is only $50,000 or so. No doubt the benefits we, the taxpayers, will receive as a result of these new "titles" will be immeasurable.

And not to get too critical, but why you would have 45 leaders for 107 people? Why would you add 11 new leadership positions for 8 new caucus members?

Or perhaps this is simply a way to give themselves a raise without calling it a raise? Nah. Seeing as how this seems to be leapfrogging past issues such as energy, healthcare and taxes, this must've been a major part of the campaign. I musta just missed it.

Tim White
Town Council, 4th District