To The Editor:

Equal is not always fair. For anyone to imply or suggest that a laborer’s salary should be compared to a personnel director’s salary, that person has to be either hypocritical or business empty.

The mayor said from the beginning that he would fight for fairness for ALL employees. All means All. He has stated many times, that he did not agree with people pitting one group against another group for the purpose of dividing the troops and killing the pay plan.

His commitment to the employees of the city was to “leave no one behind.” He said that the pay plan is not a “fix all” but it is better than what we have and it does correct many wrongs that have existed for decades.

If he did not keep his word to all employees and support the pay plan that was prepared and recommended by the expert, then he would not be trustworthy. The mayor is right. The group of people under attack by the “no” voting council members are black women.

For whatever reason, these council persons feel that black women do not deserve the same pay as men, and white women.

Both men and white women have worked in those same positions and all received more pay than the women who are in the position and doing a good job for the city.

The higher pay was okay for Randall Miller, $46,500; Robert Sanders, $58,870; and Vicki Locke, $55,000.

But now it is not okay for black women. Interesting enough, there is a white man who is proposed for a greater than 10 percent increase in this pay plan at the executive level, but not a single council person who is opposing the raises for the three black women seem to have a problem with the white man.

Sometimes it really is about race. Sometimes it is about gender. This time it seems to be both. For the life of me, I do not understand how this council can vote yes for a liquor license and no on the raises for ALL employees, including black women.

It is understandable why Gene Hisel is moaning and groaning. He is and probably will remain a sore loser. But that does not explain STJ reporter Julian Helms. For her to paint the picture that the pay plan did not pass because the mayor was overly protecting some special group of employees without reporting the selfish motivations and betrayal of council members is the worse form of bias reporting. Ms. Helms is not an unbiased reporter. I am not sure why she is reporting her opinions and one side of the issues, but it is becoming clear that she has motivations and associations.

Now, I want to see if the STJ will print this opinion for this black woman. Thank you.

Councilwoman Jannie Venter

Ward 8