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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW One dam at a time ... Bend hotels jammed with Phish in town ... Rogue Valley Sewer Services must pay Phoenix franchise fee ... One dam at a time ... Bend hotels jammed with Phish in town ... Rogue Valley Sewer Services must pay Phoenix franchise fee ... OUR VIEW Our View: Public salaries move only upward Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Jan. 22, 2015 at 12:01 AM Posted Jan. 22, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Social News Medford city leaders are poised to boost pay levels for the fire chief, the police chief and fire and police command positions. Not all council members approved of the move in a meeting last week, but the raises appear likely to gain final approval when they come up again next month. Wanting to stay competitive is understandable, but local government seems all too willing to hand out raises whenever they are proposed regardless of the city's financial state or that of the broader local economy. If the proposal is adopted, Medford Police Chief Tim George would get a 7.5 percent increase, Fire Chief Brian Fish would get 5 percent, and police sergeants, lieutenants and deputy chiefs would get 5 percent, as would fire battalion and deputy chiefs. We have no reason to doubt that the individuals involved perform their jobs well. This is not about them. It's about what seems to be an irresistible urge on the part of elected officials to reward public employees regardless of how their constituents might be faring.  The pattern is predictable: A survey is taken of salaries paid by other communities, which invariably seems to prove that local wages are substandard. So the paychecks are increased — and then other communities see that their wages have now fallen behind and respond similarly. That sets up a form of wage inflation that the private sector often does not have the luxury of engaging in. It also ignores the other intangibles that keep employees on the job, such as the quality of life, the climate or a good working environment, suggesting job satisfaction is related to financial considerations only. Medford is not alone in this. Ashland city councilors approved new salary steps above current levels for city department heads, citing a desire to remain competitive with other jurisidictions. All this comes at a time when the overall economy still has not recovered to pre-recession levels and salaries in the private sector, particularly in rural areas, continue to lag. It's hard to sell local residents on 5 percent or 7 percent raises for public employees when those in the private sector are lucky to see a small fraction of those increases. Public officials should appreciate and recognize the value good employees bring to their jobs. But that recognition doesn't always have to come attached to a big pay raise, especially if the justification for that raise is trying to keep up with bigger salaries at other public institutions. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Jan. 22, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501