Port of Seattle CEO Mic Dinsmore got another raise Tuesday, despite the taxpayer-funded port's lackluster performance and financial problems.
The 6 percent raise boosts Dinsmore's compensation to about $340,000, more than twice the pay of the governor and far more than heads of bigger ports around the country get. Dinsmore lashed out at port commissioners who questioned the increase.
Pay for performance makes sense and, in fact, compensation should be raised for public positions in order to attract more competent candidates. But it's hard to make the case for additional pay while traffic at the seaport and cruise terminals drops and as Sea-Tac loses its competitive position to Vancouver and Portland.