ATA Fundraiser
Dear Editor: The Alaska Trollers Association held our annual raffle fundraiser last month. We want to thank local businesses Precision Boatworks, Qi Hooks, Harry’s Custom Services and Skookum Canvas Works for donating some of the prizes.
Congratulations go to Howard Pendell, the winner of the $2,500 grand prize, and Ben Lawrie, the winner of the $1,000 second prize.
Also, congratulations to other Sitka winners Susan Padilla, Matt Lawrie, Jeff Farvour, Adam Hackett, Deuce Audette, George Eliason, Linda Danner and Randy Nichols. Thank you and good fishing to everybody who bought raffle tickets. We appreciate your support.
Sitka-based board members of
Alaska Trollers Association
Tad Fujioka, Matt Lawrie
and Matt Donohoe
Living Wage
Dear Editors: It is appropriate that Sitka is trying to raise the pay of city employees to be on a par with wages paid for comparable jobs in comparable cities. It is not just or wise to do so, without also raising the minimum wage for non-city workers in the borough.
Seattle is raising its minimum wage. Sitka also is a progressive city. Seattle is a leader in the nation. Sitka is a leader in Alaska. An increased minimum wage will stimulate the local economy. The fisheries have increased their minimum wage. This has boosted productivity and has improved the quality of workers. Better-paid workers buy more goods and services. They pay more taxes. They can stay here and spend here.
City employees also do valuable work and pay taxes, but in the final analysis, it is the private sector that pays them. Let’s do the fair thing and raise the minimum wage in the borough to a level closer to a living wage. Too many people are working for less than what they need to pay their own basic expenses, without government help.
Giving city workers a raise, without enabling private workers to earn the price of basic dignity, has the appearance of the city allowing its own to feather their nest, while ignoring the needs of the citizens for a living wage.
Seattle voted to raise its minimum wage to $15/hour. Seventeen-fifty is a living wage in Sitka. Any raise heading in that direction would be helpful.
Thanks for listening.
John Welsh, Sitka
