Letters: No retirement benefits for Columbia City Council members

As elected officials, City Council members work tirelessly to improve Columbia for their constituents and our region. As public servants, they manage the city’s employees and resources and plan for our future. Their time is valuable, and they deserve to be fairly compensated.

But the proposal for the city to provide retirement health benefits to elected officials who have served as little as three terms is unrealistic. After just 12 years, an elected official would receive the same benefits a full-time city employee must work 28 years to earn.

At just over $13,000 a year, there is no question that council members are underpaid for their service and time commitment to the community, but such is the life of the voluntary position, and the benefits are clear when each council member decides to run.

Devoting time for service on City Council certainly has a high cost. Council members’ time is not forgotten or unappreciated, but it does not warrant benefits that full-time city employees are excluded from receiving.

We encourage council members to vote down any proposal to extend health-care benefits to council members who are no longer serving — whether due to retirement or otherwise.

This story was originally published September 10, 2015 at 4:00 PM.