Where's the leadership?

Milt Aldridge

2008-06-24 12:39:34

The report in the June 19 Times-Democrat concerning the firing/release/letting go of four employees prompts one to ask, where is the leadership?

If the powers-that-be/executives/administrators/supervisors fire the people under them to balance the budget, then they will not need a budget, and we, the citizens, will not need them. If there is no one to lead, why do we have people sitting in the positions as elected leaders?

It seems to me that the supervisors should take this severe economic downturn as an outstanding opportunity to lead. Every one of them should take, at least, a 10 percent pay cut as a start. Then, all of the senior Fauquier County administrators should be required to follow suit.

This would show leadership by example. If the 10 percent pay cut of those that are in a supervisory position is not sufficient to balance the budget, then there are alternatives.

They could take a larger pay cut, or they could implement a pay cut of, say, five percent for the remaining employees. There are many combinations of this that could be used to balance the budget instead of creating hardships for Fauquier County employees and the surrounding businesses.

In my opinion, laying off people simply exacerbates the economic situation already existing.

All of us who live on fixed incomes have been required to draw down on expenses wherever possible. Did you see the TV item where the family stopped eating breakfast because they needed the money to put gas in their car to get to work? At least, they had a job to aid them in feeding their family, albeit less.

So supervisors — all five —where is the leadership? Step up to the plate and show us that you can really do what you were elected to do — lead.

Milt Aldridge

Midland