William Latimer: Working with high-voltage powerlines not the same a tending a ditch

Re “One reason for high power bill: Generous pay for MID workers” (Front page, July 16): I do not work for MID. However, your use of pay stats are completely biased and make no sense. From your examples you would have us believe it’s wrong and that the high cost of hospital surgeries is because surgeons get paid so much more than AR clerks.

You can not compare an electric utility like MID to water districts that are not electric utilities. Also, you can’t compare the management of, or jobs of “high voltage power technicians” to other non-hazardous jobs. You cannot even compare the high hazard power pole work to first responders. Even the fire department calls in the utility companies when there is a power emergency.

I understand you are upset with what you perceive as things MID has done wrong. However, you still need to compare apples to apples, not apples to peanuts. I remember a time of buying my power from MID and at the time it was always less than PG&E. It’s good that MID pays well and takes care of the men and women and families of those who risk there lives daily to provide us the power we use.

This story was originally published July 17, 2017 at 1:03 PM with the headline "William Latimer: Working with high-voltage powerlines not the same a tending a ditch."