24
and
We hear th at many of those eligible
to retire January 1st are being urged to
remain in service. Seems too bad that
;these employees are willing, to stay! The
pension is too little and the SB S l s still
short of help!
*
* ' *
I met an elderly employee ^recently
who wanted to retire a year ago for the
sake- of his »own h e S h . He Jia^Bt;ayed
on aft^/the urgent request to help the
poor State and in my.;: opinion ^ g c ’ky
to be still alive. AnH’effiployer should
have some regard for his employee’s
welfare.
e * *
The papers tell us that the costs of
public service are increasing— the next
State budgets are going to be biggeryy
more money is needed. It will be inter
esting to see if employees’ wages are
considered in their proper relation to
these new budgets. Will a parity pay
scale be recognized as a necessity, or is
"budget slashing” to be at the expense
of lowered efficiency (too low a pay
scale) as in the past?
Some departments who allow ex
change time off for overtime worked
find themselves hard pressed for help
when their overworked employees are
able to take their earned time off. As
usual, a better pay scale to get more
employees and to hold them on the job
would help them deliver the service they
are supposed to render the public.
They tell us we need a lot of high
way improvement to catch Oregon up
to other State standards. They say our
State growth is outstripping our usual
rate of progress along this line. Trips to
our neighboring States shows us to be
far behind! We could do better if we
could just get enough of the right kind
of engineers. The neighbor States do
better than we do. They pay engineers
a higher pay scale. Our loss is their
gain.
Oregon advertises to get the tourist
trade. The purses string! tighten up,
however, when it comes to giving them
roads to travel on. Road improvements
take planning and engineering. Road
costs mount as a lack of well-paid in
spectors and engineers increases. The
answer is well-known to every em
ployee and to some administrators.
if-
if-
if-
In this age of pressure groups, why
not some public clamor for more effi
ciency in public service? Those who put
on the W S u fe need the facts. Are the
public well-advised of the reasons for
the short-comings of their governmental
ageneapy?JHigh time!
*
*
* I
The next legislature will appropriate
huge sums of public money for spend
ing in the interests of Oregon’s welfare.
Will those interested in the real welfare
of the State be on hand as powerfully as
those with selfish axes to grind?
$
*
Ben Franklin once said, "The sting of
a reproach is the truth of it.”
*
II
Much ado about the old-age pension
and its effect on State finances. Another
growing-pain in Oregon’s slow progress
in getting in step with the times!
If California’s sunshine gave that
State its financial success, perhaps Ore
gon can spare some of its water in ex
change. Would the Oregon taxpayer
swap his own property and income taxes
for a California Sales Tax?
*
*
*
I It has been said, "Oregon’s tax struc
ture is sound.” Better say, "Oregon’s tax
structure has been sounded and found
wanting.”
National elections show the way to
win votes and influence people. The
OSEA might go to the public with sim
ilar successful methods!