Everyone is on a fixed income

In the article entitled "Paratransit users plead with Pace," one of the statements quoted is "we're on fixed incomes."

I am a senior citizen with no pension and my only income is Social Security, but I really take exception to using the term "fixed income" as an excuse or rationalization for receiving special treatment. After all, what honest person isn't on a fixed income?

If you own a small business, your income is fixed depending upon profit or lack thereof and tied directly to your customers or lack thereof; you can't arbitrarily increase your income.

If you work for someone else and receive a salary, will your boss give you a raise every time you decide you want one? Even state and federal legislators are on fixed incomes until they vote to give themselves raises which (correct me if I'm wrong) is only allowed yearly.

Whether your income is in the thousands or hundreds of thousands or even millions every year, whether you are a blue collar worker or flip burgers for a living or are the CEO of a Fortune-500 company or a member of a state or federal legislative body, you are on a fixed income until your profits, your boss, your board of directors, your fellow legislators, your federal government, or your fellow voters (just to name a few) enable a pay raise.

So, in the grand scheme of things, I can't think of anyone whose income is not fixed and/or is not dependent upon someone else's decision to give or withhold a raise in pay.

Judith A. Carlson

Des Plaines