>You find someone perfect but he has a competing job offer and is asking for 110k/yr instead of just 100. He's no better than the other 9 people you have already hired.
If he's not better than any of the other people working for you, these people can also presumably get a $110k job. Otherwise, if they can't, he is better; the market deems it so, and the solution is to publicly give the guy $110k. Is it fair? Well, it's not biased -- it certainly isn't egalitarian, but were I an employee making $100k in this situation I'd much prefer transparency to shadiness!
If he's not better than any of the other people working for you, these people can also presumably get a $110k job. Otherwise, if they can't, he is better; the market deems it so, and the solution is to publicly give the guy $110k. Is it fair? Well, it's not biased -- it certainly isn't egalitarian, but were I an employee making $100k in this situation I'd much prefer transparency to shadiness!