Scott Harper Esq
If you elect me to the Shelbyville City Council, I will vote to end salaries for members of City Council. That’s right, part of my platform for running for the Shelbyville City Council is to eliminate the salary paid to myself, and the other five council men and women. This will not happen unless you vote for me. I repeat, if you don’t vote for me, this will not happen. As such, I ask you to vote on November 8th, 2016 for D. Scott Harper.
My Position: I take the position that our City Council does not need, nor should, be paid. Further, I believe paying for the position harms our community and reduces the quality of candidate(s) we have to choose from.
Specifically, I do not believe the quality or quantity of work being produced by our Council permits the amount of pay they receive. Further, some weeks the Council does not engage in any official business and yet still receive their pay.
Regardless, I take the position of Benjamin Franklin who stated his belief that public servants should not be paid a salary, for in paying the civil service, our government would not be made of “the wise and the moderate … the men fittest for the trust” but instead by “the bold and the violent, the men of strong passions … in their selfish pursuits.”
Do I think our current candidates and council members are “”the bold and the violent, the men of strong passions … in their selfish pursuits”? No, of course not. I repeat, of course not. I merely stand, as I always have, with the positions of our founding fathers and the principles and foundations they stood for that made our Country great.
The reality is that the act of drafting the laws of our community is a public service, much like serving at your local church is called volunteering. No volunteer expects to be paid for the service they provide. So too should be the position we take with the men and women who volunteer to uphold the Constitution and protect the rights of the citizenry.
Finally, I firmly believe that a proposal as your City Councilman to eliminate City Council salaries would pass unanimously. It is my belief that our current Council would all agree that they serve for the love of our community, rather than a salary. Imagine what the City could do with an additional $79,200, by eliminating current salaries.
Vote November 8th, 2016.
Fun Fact: Only 1 in 4 City Residents Vote in the Shelbyville City Council Race.
Follow Us!