Earlier quoted context omitted.
Same things can be said about practically any professional job. If the job is required, it should pay market salary, as it does in essentially every other profession. Why not elect system administrators? Everything you mention is true of them in many places as well.
I mean, I'm not arguing for this method, it is obviously crazy and has contributed to a lot of issues in other parts of the country [0]. I'm just giving the rationale I have heard from others. [0] https://www.newsweek.com/2016/10/28/teen-suicide-contagious-...
It's really weird to me to see US reporting on suicide.
Journalists understand that suicide is contagious, but take no responsibility to decontaminate their own writing. The report you linked is written in a dangerous way. It will cause death.