Government union employees should enjoy the remaining time in their fantasyland of high salaries, tremendous health benefits and glorious pensions. It will all end because the promises are un-payable. It’s simple math. The taxpayers will not pay. The localities will declare bankruptcy because they have no choice. The money isn’t there. All the promises will not be fulfilled. So Solly.
Hermosa Beach meter maids making nearly $100K?
August 10th, 2012, 9:01 pm · · posted by Brian Calle
When contemplating the many reasons cities in California and elsewhere are venturing closer to bankruptcy, look no further than the relatively lucrative and often-unjustifiable salaries bestowed on municipal employees – and the lofty pension benefits attached to the high pay.
One of the latest examples comes from the California coastal city of Hermosa Beach, where some community service staffers who collect money from parking meters and manage their operations – positions once widely known as “meter maids” – are making nearly $100,000 a year in total compensation, according to city documents.
There are 10 parking enforcement employees for the 1.3-square-mile beach city southwest of downtown Los Angeles, and they pull down some disproportionate compensation, considering their job functions. In fact, the two highest-earning employees for fiscal year 2011-12 are estimated to have made more than $92,000 and $93,000, respectively, according to city documents provided by Patrick “Kit” Bobko, one of five council members and who also serves as mayor pro tem. Those two have supervisory roles. The other eight parking-enforcement employees make from $67,367 to $84,267 in total compensation.
There are four qualifications for being a city “community service officer,” Bobko told me: “You have to be able to drive a standard transmission; you have to able to handle large animals; you have to read and interpret statutes and regulations; and you have a high school diploma or equivalent.”
According to the city’s job description, these community service officers are supposed “to enforce meter and other regulations governing the parking of vehicles on streets and municipal parking lots; to enforce animal regulations; may drive city buses; collect meters and perform minor meter repairs; perform related work as required.”
The section of the job description that gives examples of job duties reads as follows: “Patrols streets and municipal parking lots and checks vehicles for parking violations; issues citations for parking violations; impound vehicles in certain cases; collects and transports stray dogs to designated holding facilities; investigates complaints for animal control violations; may drive city buses; meter collection and minor meter repair.”
Bobko also wrote in a memo that the retirement costs for these 10 employees “from [fiscal year 2011-12] through their retirement age at 62 was nearly $1.6 million, and the medical costs for these employees from this fiscal year to their retirement at age 62 would be $1,353,827.” Excluding salaries, the [retirement] contributions and medical costs for the 10 employees performing parking enforcement will cost, on average, nearly $300,000 apiece.”
Aside from the personnel costs, there has been criticism from Hermosa Beach Treasurer David Cohn that parking meter operations have been mismanaged. Cohn cited nonfunctioning parking meters, a backlog in disputed parking tickets and problems with the accounting for revenue.
Bobko told me that his concern is that, when taxpayers learn that city employees “are making high wages for low-skilled jobs, they are not OK with it.” That’s especially true when considering these jobs easily could be at least partially automated or even outsourced, for less money.
Bobko is pushing a plan to outsource the city’s parking enforcement operations, which he says will save money, reduce maintenance costs, relieve the city of accounting functions related to parking enforcement, increase efficiency and, perhaps most importantly, increase revenue and “reduce the city’s pension and salary obligations.”
There has been opposition to the outsourcing proposal from Hermosa Beach’s Police Chief Steve Johnson and Councilman Howard Fishman. Both expressed concerns about letting go full-time city staff. Bobko accurately characterized the resistance: “When you outsource, you take away union jobs.”
In this case, outsourcing parking-enforcement duties would benefit the taxpayers among Hermosa Beach’s population of slightly less than 20,000. For an example of how such a switch might work, Hermosa officials could travel about 45 miles south along the coast to Newport Beach, where the city successfully moved to outsource parking enforcement last year.
“We have seen increased revenues with the private company operating the meter program,” Newport Councilwoman Leslie Daigle said.
Since Newport made the move, the city “has seen a 24.4 percent increase in parking-meter revenues over last year and salary savings of approximately $500,000 from outsourcing parking meter operations,” according to Tara Finnigan, a spokeswoman for the city.
Privatizing parking meter duties also is a national trend, as detailed in a recent study by the libertarian Reason Foundation. Chicago and Indianapolis have had success with outsourcing parking enforcement, and other cities including New York, Pittsburgh, Sacramento, Memphis, Tenn., and Harrisburg, Pa., are considering privatization proposals.
Indianapolis City Councilman Ben Hunter told me, “The privatization of the parking meter system in Indianapolis allowed for an immediate upgrade of a poor system.”
Back in Hermosa Beach, “We can’t keep making promises with money we don’t have to people we are paying well above what the market would pay them,” Bobko said.
Public employee compensation and retirement costs are proving unsustainable. More cities in the Golden State and elsewhere need to accept that reality and act on it to avoid fiscal calamity, perhaps starting with the meter maids.
Steve Hogan says:
I don’t know whether to laugh or cry. $100K for writing parking tickets? Jesus. What a freaking joke.
Several simple laws could rein in this nonsense, though they’ll never be tried:
1. Outlaw public sector unions
2. Do not permit public sector employees to vote
3. Do not allow public sector employees to work for or contribute to political candidates or initiatives
4. Compensation and benefits should never exceed those of the private sector
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12th August 2012 at 2:44 pm
Pierre Le Troll says:
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12th August 2012 at 2:57 pm
Pierre Le Troll says:
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12th August 2012 at 3:03 pm
Jimi d says:
You simply could not make this stuff up – no one would believe it !
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12th August 2012 at 4:23 pm
Pierre Le Troll says:
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12th August 2012 at 4:34 pm
Pierre Le Troll says:
SERCO
Key people Alastair Lyons, Chairman
Christopher Hyman, CEO
Revenue £4,646.4 million (2011)[1]
Operating income £266.2 million (2011)[1]
Net income £175.2 million (2011)
I guess it could be worse and the company would be located in France.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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12th August 2012 at 4:38 pm
Pierre Le Troll says:
Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
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12th August 2012 at 4:42 pm
Administrator says:
Pierre Le Troll using the classic liberal strategy of trying to obscure the FACTS with some bullshit.
The story clearly states that the city SAVED $500,000 in salary. The revenue increased because a competent organization kept the meters working properly.
Troll ignores the FACT that if you pay government drones millions of dollars in salary, health benefits, and pensions for jobs that any moron could do for one quarter of the cost, you eventually run out of taxpayer money.
What a fucking moron.
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12th August 2012 at 5:08 pm
Administrator says:
Troll throws in some bullshit about West Hollywood that wasn’t even in the article and then proceeds to create a phantom evil CEO to blame for all of the problems in Hermosa Beach or Newport Beach?
Keep trying to baffle them with bullshit Troll. You should get a job in the Obama campaign and convince us what a bang up job Hussein has done with the economy.
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12th August 2012 at 5:16 pm
Pierre Le Troll says:
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12th August 2012 at 5:54 pm
Pierre Le Troll says:
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12th August 2012 at 5:57 pm
Administrator says:
Troll still trying to ignore the actual article. What was the cost to West Hollywood before outsourcing Sherlock? Your attempt to obscure the facts in the article is pitiful. The article was about Hermosa Beach and Newport Beach. Please use your tremendous analytical abilities to actually discuss the article that was posted.
On TBP we use facts to obliterate storylines like you are trying to peddle.
Are you actually making a case that government union drones deserve to be paid $100,000 per year with gold plated health and pension benefits for opening a parking meter and emptying quarters into a sack? Really?
Trolls trying to peddle their ideologies will be kicked in the balls, scorned and ridiculed on TBP.
Keep making your ridiculously assanine argument so I can kick you in the balls again.
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12th August 2012 at 6:22 pm
Administrator says:
Troll getting kicked in the balls after his pitifully pathetic attempt to peddle his ideology on TBP.
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12th August 2012 at 6:24 pm
Pierre Le Troll says:
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12th August 2012 at 6:28 pm
Administrator says:
Pepe le Troll still stinking up the site with bullshit not relevant to the article.
Troll must be a government drone sucking off the taxpayer teat.
The smell from his posts is overwhelming.
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12th August 2012 at 6:32 pm
ThePessimisticChemist says:
Off topic: Skunk scent doesn’t really bother me that much. I think working on the chemical vault at the college must have killed my olfactory senses.
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12th August 2012 at 6:34 pm
Pierre Le Troll says:
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12th August 2012 at 6:34 pm
Pierre Le Troll says:
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12th August 2012 at 6:36 pm
Pierre Le Troll says:
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12th August 2012 at 6:37 pm
Administrator says:
Troll again tries to peddle bullshit. NOWHERE IN THE STORY did anyone say that parking fees were going to be raised in Hermosa Beach. It did not say that fees were increased in Newport Beach.
You know an ideologue is desperate when they resort to outright lies in their attempt to win a debate.
I love crushing the life out of ideologues who come to a gunfight with their dick in their hands. And a small dick to boot.
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12th August 2012 at 6:39 pm
DaveL says:
PeePee La Troll says:
“Oh thats just lovely. Screw the teachers. Screw the meter maids. We need to make sure this guy can afford to ‘persue’ his expensive hobby.”
Looks like Pee Pee didn’t PURSUE an education with those poor teachers.
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12th August 2012 at 6:43 pm
Administrator says:
Troll now in a frenzy of posting, trying to obscure his idiocy and lies.
You must work for the Obama campaign.
Your attempt to divert the discussion from the actual facts is truly worthy of Obamanista status.
At least your Troll alias fits.
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12th August 2012 at 6:44 pm
llpoh says:
Admin – le trollop isn’t worth your time. Your efforts should be concentrated on bigger game – rodents are beneath you.
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12th August 2012 at 6:58 pm
AWD says:
Admin likes keeping the rodents on a string. Furthers his monthly insult count.
Even throws ‘em a lifeline now and then.
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12th August 2012 at 7:02 pm
IndenturedServant says:
What are you bitching about Troll? A Spanish company will be counting and tabulating the votes of American citizens this November. http://www.dailypaul.com/228915/spanish-company-owned-by-geo-soros-will-count-americas-votes-overseas-in-november
I_S
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12th August 2012 at 7:04 pm
AWD says:
I had a dream the other night.
Obama lost the election in a landslide, then Romney got hit by an asteroid.
Paul Ryan then outlawed all unions, calling them socialist and threatening the sovereignty, safety, and financial health of the entire nation. The first union to be forced to dissolve was the public employee unions.
Then Peta Todd showed up in lingerie. Was a great night.
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12th August 2012 at 7:06 pm
ThePessimisticChemist says:
“It was probably all that meth you insuffolated TPC.” – Troll
Doubtfully, even if there was meth in the storage vault it is a solid at STP and thusly doesn’t exist in the room’s air system in a measureable quantity.
It was those damned organics.
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12th August 2012 at 7:08 pm
FBD says:
Meter maids should be paid on commission on tickets they write. That way there is no out of pocket cost to the taxpayer.
Say 10% of the face value. (For le Troll … they’d get $2.50 for a $25 ticket.)
Commissions should be CAPPED. The maximum earnings should reflect the qualifications for the job. Since meter maid qualifications barely exceed that of a McDonald’s worker, annual commissions would be capped at $18,000 per year (about $9 bucks an hour). No pensions. No medical. You want that? Get a real job.
That’s what low life ticket writers are worth … in the real world.
Meter maid problem solved.
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12th August 2012 at 7:12 pm
AWD says:
Governor Davis issued a “California bankruptcy handbook” the other day, and sent it out to cities and municipalities. It outlines how to declare bankruptcy, obviously, but imagine–so bad this step needs to be taken; and 90% of the reason is the ridiculous, insane, corrupt money these idiot union GED hacks get for jobs that should be paying $14,000 per year.
BTW,
In cities that already have declared bankruptcy, or put “emergency plans” into place due to near bankruptcy conditions, that mandated cuts in union pay or pensions, the unions have filed lawsuits in every case. Can you imagine the balls on these criminals? The city is bankrupt because of unions, and the douchebags are suing to make matters worse. Paul Ryan, if nothing else, has made unions eat shit and die, and for that he should be commended.
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12th August 2012 at 7:13 pm
Pierre Le Troll says:
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12th August 2012 at 7:33 pm
Pierre Le Troll says:
The signed March 2, 2012 “Settlement Agreement And Release” among Macpherson, the City (Hemosa Beach) and E & B Natural Resources, including the conveyance and the assignment that are the two exhibits to the agreement, are posted on the City’s website and may be accessed here. An overview of the settlement terms is provided below.
Macpherson was paid $30 Million in cash to settle the lawsuit.
Hmmm,. Meter maids are pikers in comparison to Macpherson
Hot debate. What do you think?
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12th August 2012 at 8:05 pm
Pierre Le Troll says:
Need some ice for your shoe imprinted and bruised testes admin?
Hot debate. What do you think?
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12th August 2012 at 8:06 pm
Steve Hogan says:
You’re annoying, Pierre. Just saying.
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12th August 2012 at 8:17 pm
Administrator says:
Pepe le Troll attempts to act like he has a handle on Hermosa’s financial statements. Did you even look at the report you are quoting?
Please go to page 65 of your link Sherlock – The heading is called LONG TERM DEBT and goes on for pages.
HERMOSA has plenty of debt.
And now for the coup de grace to Troll. You are too fucking stupid to understand what an unfunded liability is.
California is bankrupt because they’ve promised millions of government drones billions of pension and health benefits that they cannot honor. The tax dollars to pay these promises do not exist you fuckwad. Idiots like yourself think money grows on trees and can be handed out to drones at will.
You are the same idiots who think the Social Security cash is sitting in Al Gore’s lockbox.
Try again Troll.
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12th August 2012 at 8:21 pm
Administrator says:
Pepe le Troll
Please regale us with why Stockton and San Bernadino and Vallejo have had to declare bankruptcy in the last year.
We await your cut and paste data. There must be an evil corporate CEO to blame. It couldn’t be the idiotic policies of Democratic politicians in the clutches of public government unions.
Obscuring the truth doesn’t change the truth.
Government public unions are bankrupting every city in America. Bankruptcy will be the result and government drones will be getting it good and hard. So Solly.
Reality bites and your opinions won’t change the facts.
Keep trying and I’ll keep making you look like an ideological fool.
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12th August 2012 at 8:29 pm
Administrator says:
Troll uses another standard liberal tactic. Find some more outrageous expenditure and then compare the expenditure being debated versus that expenditure.
Hey look over here and don’t notice that drones with a GED getting $100,000 per year and $1.3 million of benefits for emptying a parking meter.
I love when we get to witness the warped mind of a liberal.
Thanks for playing.
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12th August 2012 at 8:37 pm
llpoh says:
Admin takes the filleting knife to trollop’s backside. Not much of a challenge for him, but it is a slow day.
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12th August 2012 at 8:50 pm
Administrator says:
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12th August 2012 at 8:56 pm
Novista says:
Classic librul rebuttal: ” Reason Institute BS” … easier than simple arithmetic.
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12th August 2012 at 8:58 pm
llpoh says:
Admin – seriously, these asshats don’t understand unfunded liability? $100k per year for a meter maid? But all jokes aside, they do not define “total compesation”. My unskilled employees cost me around $80k per year, total compensation – if wages, bennies, etc. are all added up. I doubt the $100k includes “unfunded liabilities” – ie pension/health costs.
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12th August 2012 at 9:02 pm
Administrator says:
llpoh
The $100k is just their annual salary. Their current benefits add at least another $40k. The pensions and healthcare after they retire at 50 years old go into the millions. For a fucking meter maid. Every State and locality in the country has the same issues. We’re so screwed.
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12th August 2012 at 10:09 pm
llpoh says:
Thanks Admin. So they make double what a reasonably well-paid private sector employee makes (and the 80k I mention above is for a work week of around 50 hours, so it is even worse than that when compared on an hours worked basis).
Oh joy – high school drop-outs costing the public $140k per year. I echo the “we are screwed” sentiments. How on earth could this happen? Oh, yeah – politicians find it easier to roll over for the unions and send their cities broke than to fight for a fair shake for the public. What a hosejob.
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12th August 2012 at 10:15 pm
Colma Rising says:
Meters are to ration parking spaces, not generate revenue:
Get rid of them if you can’t afford to impliment rationing.
The article says they do animal control as well…
Is it me or isn’t that a county job?
To the meter maid’s credit…. dealing with animals in SoCal probably means beefy pits. Still…. isn’t that a county jurisdiction?
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12th August 2012 at 10:42 pm
Californiadreamin says:
I live in CA and my wife is a public sector union worker, so I can tell you for a fact that this is a horrible exception, not the rule. My wife is a teacher in N. CA. She has a Masters from UC Berkeley, 15 yrs seniority and does not make anything like this salary. This year she will earn 66k, of which 9.5 % goes for her not especially generous retirement. This story is an aberration. Union jobs in CA are not a gravy train. I have less education and make twice what she does in the IT field, and even that is not a lot in the land of impossible rents. We are far from rich.
All this sewage spewed by lame-ass kuckleheads about overpaid teachers make me sick. I wish they made as much as you all think. And her job is no picnic.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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12th August 2012 at 10:45 pm
GoldenTool says:
I was going to stay out of this then admin had to get personal and post a picture making fun of my brothers so…
The article clearly stats 100k in total compensation. Peirre troll has some good points if the info is factual.
I hate to say this, but llpoh is right. I hate agreeing with you because I find so much of what you say just plain biased, anyway, if labor makes 60k in gross wages you are probably paying almost 100k in total compensation.
You can thank brothers fed and state gov for that. If we need more jobs we can just mandate them.
Make sure you always travel with your papers and at least a cane if you have a handicapped hanger.
I have to admit more then 60k does seems a bit extravagant for meter maids, but it is rather hard to get a woman to dress up in a sexy costume without paying top dollar.
First picture post so please be nice.
“Do unto others.”
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12th August 2012 at 10:47 pm
Administrator says:
Californiadreamin
Please explain why Stockton, San Bernadino and Vallejo have declared bankruptcy, with Oakland and LA to follow?
The unfunded liabilites for government workers will not be paid. Math is hard.
I suggest you not count on her pension and healthcare benefits in your golden years.
Reality sucks.
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12th August 2012 at 10:53 pm
Colma Rising says:
Oh no, Californiadreamin, you’ve uncorked the genie bottle. I am sympathetic, but the pensions and gravy train health plan of the retirees are directly affecting your old lady’s salary and, well, you didn’t include the stellar benefits which extend to you, the “private” contractor…
Actual picture of Colma Rising’s public school teacher friend with a Masters from Stanford:
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12th August 2012 at 10:55 pm
Administrator says:
Compensation means pay.
Healthcare benefits are not compensation. You can add 30% to 40% to compensation to get the true cost of a government drone.
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12th August 2012 at 10:56 pm
GoldenTool says:
Total compensation is “total” compensation. That even includes your gym membership discount.
http://blogs.payscale.com/compensation/2010/01/how-to-explain-employees-total-compensation.html
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12th August 2012 at 11:03 pm
Pierre Le Troll says:
Yes, I looked thru the whole thing admin. The Macpherson lawsuit was the reason Hermosa ever thought about filing bankruptcy. In fact they could easily solve all their budgetary problems if they would allow drilling which the people of Hermosa voted against (billions in royalties)
Hot debate. What do you think?
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12th August 2012 at 11:05 pm
Californiadreamin says:
Needless to say, I am NOT confident that my wife will ever see the retirement benefits she expects. We are making other plans and will probably take a lump sum when she retires if we can.
Stockton, Vallejo, etc went bankrupt due to municipal unions. My wife is a state employee.
The point is that these cities that made poor choices are going broke, but I can’t help laughing when I hear how overpaid teachers are breaking the state. That’s a crock. My wife is better educated than I am, works very hard and gets paid dogmeat. Her benefits are good, but not outrageous.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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12th August 2012 at 11:22 pm
Pierre Le Troll says:
Hermosas accountants say they have no debt.
Why would an accountant lie?
Hot debate. What do you think?
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12th August 2012 at 11:32 pm
llpoh says:
Californiadreamin – maybe your wife is the exception. But answer this – how much time off does she get? Let’s see, there is Christmas, Easter, 3 months summer vacation, sick days, non-teaching days, personal time, etc etc etc.
Please – teaching unruly heathens must be a real pain in the ass – but on a days worked rate teachers get paid really well. Also, how about tenure? Does she get tenure? Last on first off apply? What is her pension? Defined benefit or other?
I also just punched in some estimates for your wife. If she retires at 60, she will be on around $70k/year. Don’t know if it is today’s wages or not. But not too bad – gives her an effective retirement account of some $1.5 million thereabouts, divided by 30 or so years service = $50k per year retirement benefits, less her contribution of around $6k = a retirement contribution of some $40 – $45k per year.
You are full of shite. Seriously. She gets $66k + benefits + time off + $45k per year retirement benefits. So all up she is probably costing her employer around $150k/year.
Poor little her. Take a look at the folks in the private sector – they would kill for a retirement fund like that.
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12th August 2012 at 11:56 pm
Colma Rising says:
Californiadreamin’:
So you say 66k, plus benefits which pay for you and whatever critters you have.
You say you make twice that.
So your family pulls in 198K with a Calpers benie package, with almost 6k drawn for a pension that promises a high percentage of the working salary and includes health care into your twilight years.
I won’t assume compensation for student loans for working in a rough district.
I appreciate teachers and am certainly not one to hammer them, their pluralistic, rent-seeking mega-pacs being the exception… but:
CRY ME A FUCKING RIVER
You’re doing better than the majority of the state’s tax payers are and believe me I know all about the cost of living.
An individual can do great on 66k + bennies…
I’m not advocating cuts, just advocating a cease to the whining.
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12th August 2012 at 12:04 am
Colma Rising says:
Californiadreamin is a whiny bitch – that’s what I’m sayin.
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12th August 2012 at 12:24 am
Alpha Squad says:
Looks like the libtards are sending their Trolls and drones here again. Someone’s been reading too many Saul Alinsky books.
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12th August 2012 at 12:35 am
Monday, August 13 - Another Week of Dog Days... says:
[...] [...]
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12th August 2012 at 4:00 am
Stars Earn Monday | Palin4America says:
[...] I go missing it is because I’ve landed this [...]
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12th August 2012 at 5:13 am
Administrator says:
Tool
Your link didn’t provide any proof. When people in the real world discuss these issues they use the phrase compensation & BENEFITS. Total compensation means salary, overtime and bonuses. I’m sure these meter maids earn bonuses for emptying more meters than required under union rules. We wouldn’t want them to buckle under the tremendous stress.
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12th August 2012 at 8:00 am
Administrator says:
Troll
Did you notice the millions in liabilities for workers comp claims? Those union drones sure are clumsy.
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12th August 2012 at 8:01 am
Administrator says:
Is a municipal union worker different than a State union worker? I fail to see the difference when it comes to unfunded pension and healthcare promises.
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12th August 2012 at 8:03 am
Nonanonymous says:
I’m not a fan of privatization, it’s just passing the buck and shifting responsibility to someone who cares as little.
Private contractors hire private contractors and so forth, while realizing little or no expenditure savings than if the effort was properly managed in the first place, assuming the city has a town manager with a staff.
Holding public sector employees accountable is the first step, as the egregious conduct gets exponentially worse the higher up the jurisdiction, culminating in the federal bureaucracy, the largest unionized workforce in the world.
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12th August 2012 at 8:40 am
TeresaE says:
The one thing in the article I didn’t see, how much revenue are these employees creating?
A meter maid is one of the (very) few times you can accurately gauge a profit/loss on a government program. And yet, nothing.
We aren’t allowed to see the real truth, which is that privatization probably doesn’t make it anymore viable in the long run.
What utter, futile, wasted effort, bullshit.
If parking is suck a problem, a developer would come in and build a structure and provide shuttle type transport if necessary. That is the way a free market would/should work.
Not pay citizens to become “special” citizens and harass other “less than special” citizens.
And, Cali teacher hub, come on! $66k plus benefits (my own plan costs over $2k a month for a family of three, no illnesses, $5k deductible EACH, and is taxed.) divided by hours worked = top 5-10% of compensation in this country.
You all are the “rich” that Obama and Brown keep talking about.
Enjoy.
A teacher should be able to do math. The math says, unsustainable at any cost. Unless there is a glut of new, thriving, businesses in your area opening up, paying taxes and hiring the locals so they can pay too. Then maybe we can afford to pay teachers what they think they are worth.
Just some thoughts.
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12th August 2012 at 10:20 am
ThePessimisticChemist says:
@TeresaE – Economically speaking we should go back to electric powered trolley cars. They are (fairly) clean, reliable, and are long term sustainable.
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12th August 2012 at 10:31 am
MVP says:
Well, if government on ANY level could run shit even relatively efficiently, they could turn the meters (or other areas) into profit centers, but with public service unions paying these jokers $60-90K for a job a HS dropout could perform…well, there you have it.
Further, these unions would rather see the jobs flat disappear than negotiate a reasonable lower salary for them…always looking out for the “rank & file” those union leaders.
Why do you think so many people want a job with the city/state/feds? Because they won’t have to work as hard any more – everyone knows that. Less work stress, and way more time off. That’s worth it even notwithstanding pay distortions.
Government at all levels touting a record that is unblemished by success.
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12th August 2012 at 5:36 pm
Dan says:
This is nothing new in the golden state. The same and worse is happening where I live in Milpitas, ca the detail are on my blog at. Police and firemen at $108,000 base plus much more in other pay then rich fringe benefits and the really ourrageous pension. I call the public employee the
Bay Area Municiple Employees Monopoly because that is what it is.
dmanassau.blogspot.com
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12th August 2012 at 6:35 pm
Contrarian says:
Why not scrap the whole meter system and parking tickets?
I live between two towns.
Town 1 has expensive parking, with many sites requiring you to type in your registration no. It also has many vacant shops, far more than town 2, which is slightly smaller.
Town 2 has free parking, and minimal parking supervision. Yes, you get a ticket for staying more than 3 hours, or parking in no parking zones, but, as I said more shops are occupied and doing apparently good business.
Is there not a lesson here?
Pierre le Troll obviously has much time on his hands. Perhaps working at something constructive might make him happier than he appears to be now.
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12th August 2012 at 5:45 am
Llpoh says:
I Doppelgänged Colma above, garner a rash of thumbs up for him, and he doesn’t even bother with a thank you. Well, next time I will Doppelgäng him a rash of red just to get even for his lack of gratitude.
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12th August 2012 at 7:08 pm