In last week’s newspaper, I wrote an editorial regarding the City of Marion giving 4 percent pay raises to their employees based on 2008 cost-of-living adjustments.

The council made the decision in July, when the 2010 budget was finalized. At the time, the most recent cost-of-living adjustment made to such things as Social Security benefits was 5.8 percent, effective in December 2008.

No-cost-of-living adjustment is planned for this December because the cost of living, as measured by the federal government for such purposes, has actually gone down since last year’s adjustment. However, the new number, indicating no cost-of-living raise, was not computed until last month.

Therefore, when Marion City Council looks at budgeting pay increases in July, we hope the members remember there was no cost-of-living adjustment.

These days, most of us are grateful for steady and reliable employment because we know there are so many others who are laid off until the first of the year or just laid off — period.

— susan berg