City Light superintendent's $40,000 bonus comes at the wrong time

SEATTLE Mayor Greg Nickels' decision to give a $40,000 bonus to his City Light chief gives challengers gunning for his seat more evidence the mayor is behaving as if he is tone-deaf.

At least he is backing off the "B" grade he gave city performance during December's snow-removal scandal.

Nickels last month gave Seattle City Light Superintendent Jorge Carrasco his maximum allowable bonus — during severe downturns in the economy, city coffer revenues and the fortunes of most of his constituents. That's not to say Carrasco isn't worth the $224,000 he will make this year. He has done an impressive job navigating City Light out of the mess of debt and high rates of a few years ago. Last year, the council unanimously voted to reconfirm him — with the support of this page.

Carrasco has gone without a bonus in each of the past two years, and Nickels apparently decided to make it up to him — big time at the worst time.

The timing is particularly jarring as City Light is struggling with its own deficit and policymakers are considering higher power rates.

A spokesman said the mayor wants Carrasco's salary to remain industry competitive so he's not easy pickings for some other utility to swoop in and steal him away.

That argument is used often by the University of Washington regents to boost President Mark Emmert's breathtaking compensation package — but Emmert didn't get a raise this year. Across the state, Washington State University President Elson Floyd went a step further, taking a $100,000 pay cut.

Still, times are tough. Many City Light customers are worried about being laid off or adjusting their own household budgets to cover wage cuts or time off without pay.

Barring an active job offer to tempt Carrasco, the maximum bonus seems too rich.