tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27225721.post-1150653221702564022006-06-18T13:39:00.001-04:002008-08-01T13:16:22.068-04:00Put on your ice skates, everyone. A political body has decided that maybe, perhaps -- could it be? -- public employees should not receive automatic pay raises, but pay raises based on <em>merit.</em><span class="fullpost"><br /><br />The <em>Boston Globe</em> is <a href="http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2006/06/18/automatic_raises_cut_as_city_puts_focus_on_merit/">reporting today</a> that Woburn City Councilors have voted to "form a committee" to study how a merit-based pay scheme would work as applied to the heads of the city's departments.<br /><br />Of course, for a political body to "form a committee" to study an idea is usually tantamount to driving a stake through the heart of it. ("<em>Die, you disgusting, innovative, sensible idea, die!</em>") And then we must consider what one city politician had to say on the subject: <blockquote>Alderman Darlene Mercer-Bruen said she also supported the change, but with one caveat. "No politics," she said. "We should come up with objective, performance-based measures that have no politics involved."</blockquote>Clever little twinkle-toes.<br /><br />So perhaps we shouldn't be putting the ice skates on. But maybe we could try to remember which closet they're buried in.</span>Paula Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02577316743259376841noreply@blogger.com