IT’S A WELCOME TINY CRACK of light for government workers. Rome is considering merit raises of up to 4 percent for its employees under the proposed $26.3 million general budget for 2013. There’s no plan for a property-tax increase to manage this, which will cheer taxpayers and perhaps the overall community mood. It sure suggests economic things are getting a tad better even if still not as good as before.

The purpose of the raise is apparently strongly driven by concern that police officer salaries have fallen behind those of nearby communities paying more and able to hire them away, even though City Manager John Bennett made the point that benefits and working conditions are better locally.

Still, it would be good for citizens to remember that this would be little more than a “token” raise. Figuring all the freezes of past years, plus the increases in health-care premiums, the upward movement in the cost of living and remembering that not everybody would get a merit raise (which is based on merit, after all, not mere presence) and that 4 percent is the maximum and less could be granted to many individuals … well, it’s a nice gesture. Sort of: We’re thinking of you … we haven’t forgotten … hang in there until we can get you back to where you were before the Great Recession hit.

Particularly when it comes to public-safety personnel (police, fire, ambulance) more and better should be considered. The superior performance they provide deserves more than token gratitude.