Send this story Print this story

Adjust text size

Letter: Public discussion of employee costs important

The upcoming Menlo Park employee contract negotiations should be of interest in this era of cost-consciousness. Kudos to the Almanac for its editorial (Sept. 8) advocating that the City Council find ways to seek resident feedback prior to its closed door sessions.

More coverage by the Almanac — particularly regarding the contents of the grand jury report on public employee costs — would be helpful. Most of the coverage centered on the council's emotional dismissal of the report.

For those of you who want to leave this to the council, be aware that they recently approved increased pension payouts, at a time when most employees no longer have pensions. (Even the federal government no longer offers them). Some of the pension cost is shared by the employee, but what is the cost to the taxpayer? The council also recently approved 25 to 30 percent salary increases for police/sergeants.

In these times, it is important that the council make long-term, financially responsible decisions. And citizens need to be informed of what is going on. I would hope more information would be readily available and we could have a more open discussion of these decisions that impact us all.

Joy Koso

Continental Drive, Menlo Park