A big Atta Girl goes out to Volusia School Superintendent Margaret Smith for her voluntarily taking a 2 percent pay cut to help balance the board’s budget.
She said she wouldn’t ask the others to take a pay cut if she didn’t take one, too.
School board chairwoman Judy Conte is quoted as saying that her doing this “is sending the wrong message.“
What message exactly is that, Ms. Conte? I commend Smith for taking this stand. The other commissioners have been forced to take a 2 percent pay cut to help balance the budget. It just wouldn’t be right for her to keep hers in these difficult times.
For once a board has chosen to take the hit and not take away from the children. There should be an award for that decision. All city and county councils and commissions should follow suit. I realize that all workers are doing so to provide for their families so any year that no pay raise comes is not easy, but for a group to take it upon themselves to put the children of Volusia County first and cut their own salaries is unheard of in this day and time.
I’m proud to say I am a citizen of this county and admire these people. Everyone should let them know that their efforts are appreciated.