Other cities give hero pay; Morgantown makes cuts
What another sad and disappointing day in the City of Morgantown while in the midst of a pandemic. COVID-19 has certainly changed the economic outlook not only for Morgantown but for every city across the state of West Virginia.
Yet, while many cities are giving their employees hero pay, coronavirus pandemic bonuses or a Cost Of Living Adjustment (COLA), the City of Morgantown is asking its city employees, who are the backbone of this great city, to take voluntary pay cuts and forego being compensated with a 2.5% COLA.
It is shameful that the city administration and city council has no problem budgeting $432,000 to fund outside agencies, but they cannot budget $353,000 to fund a 2.5% COLA for all city employees.
It has been stated that all the city firefighters do is keep coming to the table and asking for more and more. Well, here we are again asking for more, but this time it is for all the city employees who work tirelessly to make sure this wonderful city continues to run day and night.
I guess this warm and fuzzy thank you from the city administration will have to be good enough: “Our team has shown that anything can be accomplished with the teamwork, innovation and professionalism that is exhibited through our actions every day. Happy Public Safety Recognition week, and thank you for your service to each other and to our community!”
Thank you, city administration and city council, for turning your backs on us and not standing up in support of all your city employees during this difficult and worrisome time.
Jayson Nicewarner
IAFF Local 313
Morgantown
Democrats turn welfare assistance into lifestyle
This is response to Stewart Epstein’s letter (DP-0 5-08-20). What a load of bull! Democrats should return their Unemployment Insurance Benefits checks because most of them haven’t worked a day in their lives, but they sure do expect their cut of funds for everything from cell phones to stimulus funds, even though they didn’t work before the COVID-19 outbreak. By the way, Ronald Reagan was addressing anyone (regardless of being Republican or Democrat) who felt entitlement in 1980s.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt established the welfare system as a temporary solution for hard times, not the permanent lifestyle Democrats turned it into. Republicans tried to be compassionate towards the less fortunate with supplements, but Democrats have blown it way out of proportion by wanting to include everybody, whether they desire assistance or not.
The most ridiculous expectation of Democrats is stimulus checks should be sent to illegal immigrants. Really! They contribute nothing to the U.S. economy but expect their share. I see a pattern. Why should hardworking Americans pay immigrants for entering our country illegally? We shouldn’t — it’s just more insane political rhetoric being crammed down our throats by Democrats who are accusing Republicans of not being compassionate.
I do agree that illegal immigrants should help themselves; get help from family, friends, charities and churches, but most of all, save for rainy days instead of sending money home as many do.
Republicans aren’t the ones with their hands in our pockets — it’s Democrats who are draining taxpayers’ funds. Try to add up the wasted funds on the impeachment hearings! Republicans shouldn’t be subsidizing Democrat bleeding hearts.
Brenda Bonnett
Arthurdale
Return check if disagree with stimulus funds
Recently a letter appeared under the headline: “Deceased woman gets stimulus check” (DP-05-08-20).
The author observed that the fact that his mother had died last year was noted on the check that was sent to her nonetheless. Elsewhere, he criticized the policy of providing stimulus money as “hastily spending money we don’t have.” He then indicated that he had “a resounding desire to do what he can to see that it doesn’t happen again.”
As some people seem to regard the government with thinly veiled contempt and want to keep their distance from it and apparently also think the government should not spend money it allegedly does not have, may we assume that not only did they see to it that any checks sent to the deceased were returned, but also that they returned their own checks as well, so as not to spend money the government does not have nor to be tainted by any further association with it?
Christopher Wilkinson
Morgantown
