‘Sneaky Pay Raise’ in L.A.

The City Council just passed a law limiting the amount a landlord can raise rents: from 7% to 4% in the coming year. Now I learn that in 1983, the salary of a City Council member was $43,923. In 1984, it was increased by 10% to $48,424; and now in 1985, another increase of 10% to $53,266.

Somehow, I would think that those same council representatives, to show how fair they are, would apply the same 7% and 4% limits on their own salaries, which would yield a new 1985 salary of $48,877, which is $4,389 less than what they will actually get.

I guess if there’s a moral to the story, it’s “When choosing a career in Los Angeles, be a City Council member, not a landlord.”

CRAIG SMITH

Los Angeles