About the Salaries of State Constitutional Officers.....

PNJ Editorial Cartoonist Andy Marlette appears "hung up" over salaries elected officials make.  Someone should tell him the salaries are set by the state---not by us.

Andy Marlette of the PNJ has taken a really cynical, negative tack towards the salaries that commissioners in Escambia County make.  I wonder why, though?

I say this because in this recent cartoon of his from a few months back-- he says I, Jeff Bergosh, "rob" the citizens of an $80K salary.  Which is bogus.  (the basis of that cartoon was also bogus--the claim that I "shriek" at citizens.  Whatever that is, I don't do it.  My much more apropos, honest  version of his lame cartoon can be found here  😏  )

Now in his latest attack piece and cartoon, from just this week, twice he mentions my salary as a county commissioner, insinuating I don't deserve it and I don't earn it.

But I wonder why he is so hung up on our salaries as commissioners, anyway?  Does he not get a comparable salary as the local cartoonist here--could it be salary envy?

Does he possibly make less than we do???     Naah, I doubt that-- but who knows, right.  I'd say he should  knock down at least $46,000.00--$54,000.00 a year as the PNJ cartoonist--.  😏

Or Is he only mad that I get a salary--but other commissioners are just fine receiving theirs?

Is he mad that school board members like I used to be get salaries?  ECUA board members?  How about the City Council members?  I wonder if he is seething with envy about all of these elected

officials getting paid around here?  Somebody PLEASE give Andy a raise already--he's really, really triggered by the elected officials getting paychecks!!

Or is it just me I wonder?

I wonder if he is upset about the salaries of all politicians, state and local (he apparently hates most politicians, particularly and specifically conservative ones)--So this begs the following question: I wonder--does he think all elected officials should work for free?  If so, I wonder if Andy has worked out the fact that if all elected positions were non-paid---only independently wealthy, well-connected and politically savvy individuals could serve---which by and large would mean politicians at all levels would be older and whiter?  What would Andy think of that---I wonder if he has thought that


 one through?

I think the more likely explanation is that Andy only thinks elected officials with whom he disagrees should be barred from receiving compensation for their service.  That seems like what he is really projecting with his cartoons and hatchet pieces on me.

I know one thing, I'm not independently wealthy, and I work hard for every dollar I earn---from BOTH of the jobs I hold.  Glad Andy has NO SWAY at all over how any of us get paid.

About the Salaries of State Constitutional Officers:

For Andy's edification-- I'll go ahead and break the news to him that he apparently does not know:  The state sets the salaries for all the locally elected positions.  They analyze the population changes yearly and do a thorough report, and then they set the salaries.  That's how it works Andy.

So here's the thing.  Maybe Andy should moonlight as the cartoonist and go ahead and study the below salary chart and RUN FOR OFFICE if he is that bent out of shape about his income.  Then, if he wins a seat somewhere (unlikely) he can earn a salary set by the state too!

The State of Florida sets the salaries of elected constitutional officers, here is the current look at the pay from the 2018-2019 report.