I find it the height of conceit to see what has transpired in Lewiston. Jim Bennett says he’s trying to reduce the budget by cutting jobs yet he has accepted a 5 percent raise for himself, effective in 2005.

Are the city councilors really doing their jobs giving this administrator a pay raise?

If Mr. Bennett is so concerned in reducing the budget for the city, how dare he accept a raise? I guess he just couldn’t make ends meet with the $88,500 he got last year.

He should feel very lucky since most Mainers don’t receive a raise nor do they make anywhere close to $80,000 per year.

The city is giving Mr. Bennett use of a car that should be for the police. And, on top of that, he will be getting $150 per month for other incidentals, including home Internet service, a second telephone line and his cell phone.

Does anyone else think this is horrible?

The rest of us citizens have to pay for these expenses out of the minimum wages we earn.

Too bad we don’t have any say in what is going on here. I’m sure it would be a very different outcome.

Pamela Vaillancourt, Lewiston