THE LAST WORD:

Four out of five Costa Mesa City Council members have agreed to take pay cuts as a gesture of solidarity with the police officers, firefighters and other city employees who are being asked to take a reduction in their salaries and benefits.

The pay cuts won’t make much of a dent in the $11-million budget shortfall, but this move wasn’t about pragmatism: it was about symbolism.

Gary Monahan was the one council member who did not agree to take a cut.

“If I ask any staffer to take a pay cut I will take the exact same pay cut,” said Councilman Eric Bever.

City Council members are paid less than $11,000 a year. Again, this move won’t go far in solving a budget crisis but it does signal to city employees that City Hall is in this together.

Kudos.