grtmtnchic Posted March 13, 2008 Posted March 13, 2008 Oh yeah, and gov't wages are the same accross the state, regardless of local equivalent wages. So a public employee with a real cost of living in Seattle makes the same as a public employee living in Yakima where the cost of living is a fraction of Seattle's. Is that right? The whole system needs to be overhauled. Quote
Hugh Conway Posted March 13, 2008 Posted March 13, 2008 Oh yeah, and gov't wages are the same accross the state, regardless of local equivalent wages. So a public employee with a real cost of living in Seattle makes the same as a public employee living in Yakima where the cost of living is a fraction of Seattle's. Is that right? The whole system needs to be overhauled. It's called welfare. The Seattle Metro area pays, the rest of the state takes. Quote
flashclimber Posted March 13, 2008 Posted March 13, 2008 (edited) Hey Stefan, Maybe they should cut police staffing so you wont get any more tickets. Then maybe politicians can let all the criminals out of jail to save a few more dollars. Then those criminals can come over and burglarize your house, steal your car, assault you, and victimize those you might actually care about. But don't call the police. Cause you don't want any of them out there. Maybe you should just slow down or not run red lights, then you wouldn't have any tickets. And we wouldn't have to read your stupid comments. Edited March 13, 2008 by flashclimber Quote
grtmtnchic Posted March 13, 2008 Posted March 13, 2008 Ha-ha! Pretty much. But those eastsiders have to pay for Seattle's problems as well....just your basic dysfunctional family. We'll open a big can of worms if we get into this one. Quote
JayB Posted March 13, 2008 Author Posted March 13, 2008 Oh yeah, and gov't wages are the same accross the state, regardless of local equivalent wages. So a public employee with a real cost of living in Seattle makes the same as a public employee living in Yakima where the cost of living is a fraction of Seattle's. Is that right? The whole system needs to be overhauled. I think I heard the sound of tens of thousands of state employees in Eastern Washington simultaneously making the "Shhhhhh!" sound all the way out here in Boston.... Quote
JayB Posted March 13, 2008 Author Posted March 13, 2008 Sounds quite hard to believe, especially when you factor in future pension liabilities, etc - let alone money wages. Then there's the matter of how many public employees would actually stay in their current jobs if they knew that they could score a 25% raise by jumping ship. The list of positions affected by that FY "adjustment" was pages long. My personal experience is limited to higher ed, and most of the positions affected were specialized, like childcare center workers, lab technicians, etc. Maybe in Seattle they could "jump ship" to better paying jobs prior to this increase, but a huge percentage of gov't employees are in cities with depressed economies (I'm from the eastside of the state). The best employer BY FAR is the gov't in most smaller towns. People rarely jump ship from gov't jobs in eastside towns, not without a really strong reason. Yah - agreed - the folks are voluntarily sticking with their jobs for a reason. Either the tangibles (total compensation), or intangibles (job security, regular - to the second - hours) are enticing them to stay in the jobs voluntarily. If the grass were really considerably greener in the private sector, then the state employees in these jobs would have already taken jobs in the private sector, and the state would be struggling to fill vacancies at the comp levels offered. Better not let the folks at the water cooler know that you are giving away the secrets of the temple here on cc.com.... Quote
grtmtnchic Posted March 13, 2008 Posted March 13, 2008 There was only 1 climber I worked with - a very cool chic, and she'd probably agree with all of this. And I've barely begun to reveal the secret inner-workings of the gov't....but a lot of the same kinda shit goes on in the private sector. I worked in SF during the "dot-com" boom...talk about wasting money!!!! That was amazing...but it was investor money rather than taxpayer money which makes a big difference. Quote
Fairweather Posted March 13, 2008 Posted March 13, 2008 Meanwhile, the county's unionized employees receive annual cost-of-living salary adjustments and the expense of their county-supported health insurance is increasing faster than revenue. Energy costs, too, are soaring. The unions have contracts and health costs are going up for everyone. What's your point? Bust their unions and lay off enough of them to balance the budget. Firemen included. We all saw this coming years ago--even as state and local governments continued to grow and grow. Anyone believe that property taxes will fall as quickly as they went up commensurate with true market value? The formula is simple. Quote
olyclimber Posted March 13, 2008 Posted March 13, 2008 hahahhahahahahhhahahaa.....the sick thing is jay, you MISS IT HERE. Can't wait for you to come back and share the tax burden with us out here. Quote
JayB Posted March 13, 2008 Author Posted March 13, 2008 It's more the inefficiency than the taxes. All of the stuff that I've complained about should bother folks on the left as well, since it means that the state ultimately delivers fewer services to the people and causes that need them than it would have if it used tax revenue as efficiently as possible. BTW - I suspect that the public sector in Washington is a model of integrity and efficiency relative to MA. Quote
olyclimber Posted March 13, 2008 Posted March 13, 2008 i was going to mention the big dig, but it really isn't worth going there Quote
JayB Posted March 13, 2008 Author Posted March 13, 2008 Teddy and Co insured that Uncle Sugar took care of the tab for most of that one, I think. I suspect that the nature and extent of the corruption and graft associated with that project would have left even Boss Tweed shaking his head in disbelief. Quote
prole Posted March 13, 2008 Posted March 13, 2008 Wow, the economy's circling the bowl. What a golden opportunity to gut some of the few remaining unionized living wage jobs with benefits for working class folks! Ideological opportunism cranked up to 10 while the shell game plays out here, here, and here. You whack-jobs really take the cake. Quote
Fairweather Posted March 13, 2008 Posted March 13, 2008 Wow, the economy's circling the bowl. What a golden opportunity to gut some of the few remaining unionized living wage jobs with benefits for working class folks! Ideological opportunism cranked up to 10 while the shell game plays out here, here, and here. You whack-jobs really take the cake. Why should state and local employees enjoy any greater degree of job security or special protection from economic downturn than those in the private sector who pay their salaries? You lefty-slackers really take the cake. Quote
grtmtnchic Posted March 13, 2008 Posted March 13, 2008 My only real problem with the situation is the inefficiency I have witnessed in the gov't and education system. If they were run like businesses, the quality and efficiency would go up. But perhaps then there wouldn't be jobs for a lot of the slackers I used to work with in gov't...they didn't do anything, so they'd get cut. Or they'd get the kick in the ass they need to be productive. I just saw so many people who did nothing all day, contributed nothing, but soaked up a good paycheck and great benefits. How does that benefit society? Quote
JayB Posted March 13, 2008 Author Posted March 13, 2008 Wow, the economy's circling the bowl. What a golden opportunity to gut some of the few remaining unionized living wage jobs with benefits for working class folks! Ideological opportunism cranked up to 10 while the shell game plays out here, here, and here. You whack-jobs really take the cake. Oh, come on now - really. Until the leftist equivalent of "The Rapture" comes along, the system collapses, and a clique of intellectuals running a police state has secured "the means of production," you know very well that they'll just run out and blow their "living" wages on UFC pay-per-view matches, lift-kits for their F350's, ATV's, Bugles snack-mix, Milwaukee's Best Tallboys, Ammo, and of course...TruckNutz. Quote
olyclimber Posted March 13, 2008 Posted March 13, 2008 well, the good news is that Iraq is yesterdays news: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23602987/ and we have a new distraction: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23600504/ Quote
prole Posted March 13, 2008 Posted March 13, 2008 Careful there, keep rushing to put people out of work and they won't be able to buy all the crap you mentioned that you make your living selling. Quote
JayB Posted March 13, 2008 Author Posted March 13, 2008 Careful there, keep rushing to put people out of work and they won't be able to buy all the crap you mentioned that you make your living selling. Ahh yes, the "Buy the product of their labor" fallacy. Unless the guys in the shipyards fabricating the yachts can all afford to buy...yachts, it'll all come crashing down. Quote
KaskadskyjKozak Posted March 13, 2008 Posted March 13, 2008 hopefully they will cut police for less traffic tickets! or so nobody would bother poor Mary Ann!!!! Quote
Fairweather Posted March 13, 2008 Posted March 13, 2008 Careful there, keep rushing to put people out of work and they won't be able to buy all the crap you mentioned that you make your living selling. Nor will they if you keep raising their taxes. Quote
StevenSeagal Posted March 13, 2008 Posted March 13, 2008 well, the good news is that Iraq is yesterdays news: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23602987/ and we have a new distraction: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23600504/ jPDdAmVy5ps Quote
builder206 Posted March 13, 2008 Posted March 13, 2008 i was going to mention the big dig, but it really isn't worth going there You think it's going to be the viaduct fix, but just wait 'til you see the rail tunnel under the ship canal. Unlike WashDOT and the viaduct, ST has the money for the rail tunnel. Plans will be out late summer. It's a doozy. Quote
prole Posted March 13, 2008 Posted March 13, 2008 Careful there, keep rushing to put people out of work and they won't be able to buy all the crap you mentioned that you make your living selling. Ahh yes, the "Buy the product of their labor" fallacy. Unless the guys in the shipyards fabricating the yachts can all afford to buy...yachts, it'll all come crashing down. Yachts? Oh, sorry I thought this was about jobs with decent wages and benefits. Please continue with your regularly scheduled magic show. Quote
KaskadskyjKozak Posted March 13, 2008 Posted March 13, 2008 Careful there, keep rushing to put people out of work and they won't be able to buy all the crap you mentioned that you make your living selling. Ahh yes, the "Buy the product of their labor" fallacy. Unless the guys in the shipyards fabricating the yachts can all afford to buy...yachts, it'll all come crashing down. I'm sure Prole has a 5-year plan. Quote
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