Merit vs Mandate

This episode of "Merit vs Mandate" delves into a contentious Select Board meeting concerning COLA (Cost of Living Adjustment) raises for Municipal workers, where a proposal suggested an increase no less than the Federal COLA for Social Security recipients, with a subsequent cap at 4%. Emphasizing the "Janice situation," a speaker highlighted that as a Social Security recipient managing personal expenses like car payments, they believe any COLA increase for municipal workers should not exceed the percentage determined for Social Security recipients. This discussion underscores the tension between such a universal, mandated COLA and the current system where Municipal workers receive compensation through collective bargaining and merit-based raises. The meeting also saw disturbing "veiled threats" of service deprivation if compensation requests were unmet, all within a small town of approximately 4600 residents where employment expectations should consider the town's size. Ultimately, the conversation framed monetary compensation as distinct from appreciation, contingent instead on the town's budget and the residents' ability to tolerate tax increases.