The Signal’s article (April 18) about our esteemed City Council voting themselves a pay raise was sure telling. Councilman Bill Miranda’s sarcastic comments about the “joys” of working for something akin to minimum wage were certainly memorable.
Public service has never been and should never be a high-paying profession. The pay is never a surprise. It’s called public “service” for a reason. Mr. Miranda chose to run for office not once, but repeatedly, fully aware of the compensation.
For many Santa Clarita residents who actually have to raise families and figure out how to live on minimum wage, there is nothing funny or amusing about his comment. Using the struggles of minimum wage as some political punchline is incredibly insensitive and disrespectful to those who have to live that reality daily. If the concern is truly about attracting “qualified” candidates, that is a fair discussion. But comparing the travails of a CHOSEN elected position to minimum-wage working environments is incredibly privileged when considering a significant number of minimum-wage workers come from marginalized communities.
Public service is a choice. Complaining about the pay, after the fact, is, too.
Sam Steel
Valencia
