To the editor:

As a Kansan and daughter of a KDOT employee, I wish to respond to the April 7 article regarding state employee bonuses. Mr. McKee characterizes himself as being “in the trenches,” and while his job is vital, so too are the services provided by thousands of other state employees. For example, during my father’s 30-year KDOT career, I have seen him get up at 2 a.m. to supervise snow removal, drive hundreds of miles to check on projects, and attend countless meetings and seminars to improve the ways in which KDOT conducts business on all levels.

The state depends on many people working in various agencies, and this sort of infighting will do nothing to solve the current crisis. Rather than investing time and energy in attacking other state employees, it would seem more productive to work together and demand excellence from the legislators unwilling to address honestly the problems facing the state.

However, the budget crisis speaks to a larger concern for the state’s future. Even with bonuses, the salaries of many employees do not match what they could earn elsewhere. At $17.70, Mr. McKee makes more as a corrections officer than he would as an entry-level KDOT engineer, who makes $33,400 annually, approximately $16 an hour. There are simply few jobs to keep young people in the state. Platitudes will not solve the budget crisis, nor will they improve the economy. We deserve better from our elected officials, and should demand accountability and service.

Kirsten Drickey

Lawrence