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By James Perkins Jr.

As the Mayor of Selma, I am committed to transparency, ethics, and the well-being of all residents and employees. However, the recently approved 2024-2025 budget by the Selma City Council lacks a fair and equitable approach to employee compensation, raising serious concerns about fairness, legality, and governance.  

Unfair Employee Compensation 

The Council’s decision to grant raises selectively, rather than implementing percentage-based raises across all employees, is deeply troubling. This approach neglects long-serving employees who have gone without salary increases for years, fostering an environment of favoritism and division among staff. Fair pay practices are essential for maintaining morale and ensuring that employees feel valued for their contributions.  

Questionable Legal Grounds 

In addition to being unethical, selectively awarding raises without clear criteria or metrics is illegal. Employment laws such as the Equal Pay Act mandate that compensation be based on measurable factors like experience, responsibilities, and performance. By failing to adhere to these standards, the Council has potentially exposed the city to legal challenges. These lawsuits could result in costly legal fees and settlements, which might have been avoided through a transparent and equitable compensation structure.  

Lack of Fiscal Responsibility  

As stewards of taxpayer funds, it is our duty to allocate resources responsibly. The Council’s approach has been anything but responsible. In addition to selectively distributing raises, they neglected to fund essential lease contracts and made cuts to critical areas without consulting the Mayor’s office or city staff. These are not optional expenses—they are crucial for maintaining city operations and delivering essential services to the community.  

Making budgetary decisions without the input of administration and staff undermines our collective ability to govern effectively. It disrupts the daily operations of the city and limits our capacity to provide the services that residents expect and deserve. Fiscal responsibility means making informed decisions based on accurate data, thorough analysis, and expert advice—not cutting corners or prioritizing short-term gains over long-term stability.  

A Call for Unity and Proper Governance 

The issue at hand is not just financial or legal; it is deeply divisive. When some employees are favored over others, it erodes trust in the system and damages the sense of shared mission that is essential for any organization’s success. We cannot afford to create divisions among our workforce. The result is a fractured team, decreased productivity, and a diminished ability to serve the people of Selma effectively.  

Moving Forward Together  

This situation is about more than budget lines—it’s about people’s livelihoods, dignity, and their trust in leadership. As Mayor, I call on the City Council to reconsider the current budget and adopt a fair and balanced approach to compensation. Raises should be based on clear, consistent metrics and distributed equitably, ensuring that every employee is recognized for their contributions. Our goal should be to foster a positive work environment that upholds fairness and integrity, values that are foundational to effective governance.  

This approach is not only legally sound but also the right thing to do for our community. We must work together to build a city government that respects and values all its employees, paving the way for a more unified and prosperous Selma.  

James Perkins Jr.  is the Mayor of the City of Selma.