Editor,

I read in the Saturday newspaper about the Island County Commissioners approving an extra $2,880 for eligible employees who worked during COVID-19 from Aug. 29 through Oct. 9.

Any individual who worked during the first onset of COVID-19 should receive a bump in pay, just like grocery store clerks in Seattle.

County employees work hard and provide a much-needed service, but our county has a lot of families in need of help. People have lost jobs, employers reduced wages and are having a difficult time making it from paycheck to paycheck.

Most people who worked during COVID have not received any kind of a pandemic-related pay bump because employers had to close or reduce hours. For those individuals who had the pleasure of working for the county and making a full pay check, with already good wages, they should not be given “premium pay.” All county residents should be treated fairly, after all, we paid the “taxes” that are being given only to Island County staff members.

If I have ever seen a waste of tax dollars, this has to take the cake.

When it comes time for elections, I hope the Island County residents will remember how our commissioners wasted taxpayer dollars when the money should have been used to support our unemployed families and those not receiving a regular paycheck.

We should use the money where it is most needed.

Terry Lacey

Oak Harbor