Bellflower : Petition Protests Federal Pay Hike

Bellflower City Councilman Joseph E. Cvetko is sponsoring a petition drive urging the federal government to drop its proposed 50% pay increase. The completed petition is to be delivered to local congressmen by next week.

“We . . . strongly protest any proposed 50% pay raise . . . at this time of great monetary problems throughout our nation,” wrote Cvetko in the petition, adding that the pay increase is “not in the best interests of all the governed people of our nation.”

Cvetko, a retired postal worker, instead has suggested a 5% pay raise for members of Congress and other federal officials in the executive and judicial branches.

Although Cvetko said he doubts that the petition will have much effect on the controversial pay increase, proposed by the Commission on Executive, Legislative and Judicial Salaries, he said he hopes to collect at least 5,000 signatures.