Reader: Say ‘no’ to MC pay hikes

Dear Editor,

Do I think the current salary is adequate and fair for a mayor and council who aggressively pursue and attempt to build coalitions and support to enhance and advance economic growth, development, job opportunities and prosperity for the residents and businesses of the City of Morgan City? No!

But exactly what have this mayor and council done that warrants a raise in salary?

Morgan City has serious problems. It is a no-growth city in a no-growth parish. Businesses are no longer able to make a profit here. The population is shrinking to match the shrinking size of the city’s economy.

The public has the right to know the true economic condition of their community, minus the rhetoric of politicians who only care about re-election.

Morgan City is in a rut. As of the 2010 Census, Morgan City’s population count is approximately 1,197 less than the population listed in the 1960 Census, and we are still losing people.

The population loss is an indication that this city has no degree of positive leadership from its elected officials. Especially so when you consider the fact that during the same period in time the primary cities in our neighboring parishes, Lafourche, Terrebonne and Iberia, are growing in leaps and bounds.

The economic well being of a community depends on its rate of growth. A community can’t thrive without meaningful economic growth, large and small, nor can it be a vibrant, living place without stable neighborhoods. Once stagnation sets in, the process can feed on itself like a cancer and be very difficult to reverse.

To vote for and approve increasing the mayor and city council’s salary at this time amounts to nothing less than a direct slap to the face of every city employee who is required to put in a full 40-hour week to remain employed and to every resident and business in this city who are continually being asked to bear the financial burden of ever increasing taxes and fees.

Comparing the Mayor of Morgan City’s salary, from $54,000 to $63,000, to that of our neighbor cities is like comparing oranges to apples. The City of Thibodaux, the City of Houma and the City of New Iberia are economically viable communities while Morgan City’s elected leadership has brought us to where we are today … on our economic knees.

In my opinion, the proposed salary increase for the mayor and city council of Morgan City is ill advised, ridiculous, unjustified and should be overwhelmingly rejected by the residents of this city.

Max J. Thibodeaux Jr.

Morgan City, La.