OT: Public pay & benefits

[davelj]

[quote=Turtle69]

As tough and dangerous as the job is purported to be there seems to be no shortage of people willing to assume the job on a volunteer basis. Municipalities can massively reduce the number of professional firefighter’s on their staff’s if they are serious about reducing their budget’s.
[/quote]

And this applies to police officers, teachers, etc. There are multiples of qualified folks willing to do these jobs (for less compensation) for every opening.

Now, someone could rightfully argue that there are multiples of qualified folks willing to do the Highly Paid CEO’s job (for less compensation) as well and yet true market forces don’t appear to be fully at play with these positions either. And that’s a problem.

The difference, however, is that in the former case the TAXPAYERS’ money is at stake while in the latter case PRIVATE money is at stake (with the obvious exception of financial services firms who are on government life support – and these fuckers should have their pay cut WAY back).

[davelj]

[quote=SD Transplant] His contract also has a clause that is somewhat like the “franchise player” status in the NFL. His salary can never drop below the third-highest city manager in San Diego County.”[/quote]

That’s the only part the really bothers me. This is the underlying cause of the massive increases in CEO pay over the last 30 years relative to Everyone Else. Every board of directors, board of supervisors, etc. thinks their CEO/City Manager/[Insert Title Here] is better than average and should be paid accordingly. And what we end up with is just a massive grade inflation that gets worse every year and with a huge compounding effect. It’s like Garrison Keillor’s Lake Woebegone where “all of the children are above average.” These clauses disgust me. A better way of going about compensating ANY senior executive is to set up a wide range of specific goals (that actually make sense) and compensate them based on achieving those goals. Still wouldn’t be perfect – no compensation system is. But just saying that Joe Blow’s comp will not drop below the third-highest paid city manager in Pallucahville is absolutely ridiculous. Whoever approved that sort of contract should be fired on principle.

[davelj]

[quote=SD Transplant] His contract also has a clause that is somewhat like the “franchise player” status in the NFL. His salary can never drop below the third-highest city manager in San Diego County.”[/quote]

That’s the only part the really bothers me. This is the underlying cause of the massive increases in CEO pay over the last 30 years relative to Everyone Else. Every board of directors, board of supervisors, etc. thinks their CEO/City Manager/[Insert Title Here] is better than average and should be paid accordingly. And what we end up with is just a massive grade inflation that gets worse every year and with a huge compounding effect. It’s like Garrison Keillor’s Lake Woebegone where “all of the children are above average.” These clauses disgust me. A better way of going about compensating ANY senior executive is to set up a wide range of specific goals (that actually make sense) and compensate them based on achieving those goals. Still wouldn’t be perfect – no compensation system is. But just saying that Joe Blow’s comp will not drop below the third-highest paid city manager in Pallucahville is absolutely ridiculous. Whoever approved that sort of contract should be fired on principle.

[davelj]

[quote=SD Transplant] His contract also has a clause that is somewhat like the “franchise player” status in the NFL. His salary can never drop below the third-highest city manager in San Diego County.”[/quote]

That’s the only part the really bothers me. This is the underlying cause of the massive increases in CEO pay over the last 30 years relative to Everyone Else. Every board of directors, board of supervisors, etc. thinks their CEO/City Manager/[Insert Title Here] is better than average and should be paid accordingly. And what we end up with is just a massive grade inflation that gets worse every year and with a huge compounding effect. It’s like Garrison Keillor’s Lake Woebegone where “all of the children are above average.” These clauses disgust me. A better way of going about compensating ANY senior executive is to set up a wide range of specific goals (that actually make sense) and compensate them based on achieving those goals. Still wouldn’t be perfect – no compensation system is. But just saying that Joe Blow’s comp will not drop below the third-highest paid city manager in Pallucahville is absolutely ridiculous. Whoever approved that sort of contract should be fired on principle.

[davelj]

[quote=SD Transplant] His contract also has a clause that is somewhat like the “franchise player” status in the NFL. His salary can never drop below the third-highest city manager in San Diego County.”[/quote]

That’s the only part the really bothers me. This is the underlying cause of the massive increases in CEO pay over the last 30 years relative to Everyone Else. Every board of directors, board of supervisors, etc. thinks their CEO/City Manager/[Insert Title Here] is better than average and should be paid accordingly. And what we end up with is just a massive grade inflation that gets worse every year and with a huge compounding effect. It’s like Garrison Keillor’s Lake Woebegone where “all of the children are above average.” These clauses disgust me. A better way of going about compensating ANY senior executive is to set up a wide range of specific goals (that actually make sense) and compensate them based on achieving those goals. Still wouldn’t be perfect – no compensation system is. But just saying that Joe Blow’s comp will not drop below the third-highest paid city manager in Pallucahville is absolutely ridiculous. Whoever approved that sort of contract should be fired on principle.

[davelj]

[quote=SD Transplant] His contract also has a clause that is somewhat like the “franchise player” status in the NFL. His salary can never drop below the third-highest city manager in San Diego County.”[/quote]

That’s the only part the really bothers me. This is the underlying cause of the massive increases in CEO pay over the last 30 years relative to Everyone Else. Every board of directors, board of supervisors, etc. thinks their CEO/City Manager/[Insert Title Here] is better than average and should be paid accordingly. And what we end up with is just a massive grade inflation that gets worse every year and with a huge compounding effect. It’s like Garrison Keillor’s Lake Woebegone where “all of the children are above average.” These clauses disgust me. A better way of going about compensating ANY senior executive is to set up a wide range of specific goals (that actually make sense) and compensate them based on achieving those goals. Still wouldn’t be perfect – no compensation system is. But just saying that Joe Blow’s comp will not drop below the third-highest paid city manager in Pallucahville is absolutely ridiculous. Whoever approved that sort of contract should be fired on principle.

[jficquette]

[quote=Aecetia]You get what you pay for. If you want to pay bargain basement wages, you will get marginally qualified employees. The less qualified, the more problems, and the more law suits for the municipalities who are for the most part self-insured.[/quote]

If we really wanted our money’s worth we would fire all them all and let private entities handle it.

[jficquette]

[quote=Aecetia]You get what you pay for. If you want to pay bargain basement wages, you will get marginally qualified employees. The less qualified, the more problems, and the more law suits for the municipalities who are for the most part self-insured.[/quote]

If we really wanted our money’s worth we would fire all them all and let private entities handle it.

[jficquette]

[quote=Aecetia]You get what you pay for. If you want to pay bargain basement wages, you will get marginally qualified employees. The less qualified, the more problems, and the more law suits for the municipalities who are for the most part self-insured.[/quote]

If we really wanted our money’s worth we would fire all them all and let private entities handle it.

[jficquette]

[quote=Aecetia]You get what you pay for. If you want to pay bargain basement wages, you will get marginally qualified employees. The less qualified, the more problems, and the more law suits for the municipalities who are for the most part self-insured.[/quote]

If we really wanted our money’s worth we would fire all them all and let private entities handle it.

[jficquette]

[quote=Aecetia]You get what you pay for. If you want to pay bargain basement wages, you will get marginally qualified employees. The less qualified, the more problems, and the more law suits for the municipalities who are for the most part self-insured.[/quote]

If we really wanted our money’s worth we would fire all them all and let private entities handle it.

[jficquette]

[quote=EconProf]Funny video!
Too bad its true for some firefighters.[/quote]

Friends next door neighbor is about to retire at 52. Makes well over $100k. Has worked the last 20 years at the airport. The airport firehouse is for one purpose only, and that is to put out fires when planes crash. They do not have responsibility off the airport property.

How many planes have crashed in SD in the last 25 years???

It’s likely the guy will draw basically full pay longer after retirement then he worked to “earn” it. So instead of making “just” $125k or so you have to double it. $250k for 20 something years of service?

[jficquette]

[quote=EconProf]Funny video!
Too bad its true for some firefighters.[/quote]

Friends next door neighbor is about to retire at 52. Makes well over $100k. Has worked the last 20 years at the airport. The airport firehouse is for one purpose only, and that is to put out fires when planes crash. They do not have responsibility off the airport property.

How many planes have crashed in SD in the last 25 years???

It’s likely the guy will draw basically full pay longer after retirement then he worked to “earn” it. So instead of making “just” $125k or so you have to double it. $250k for 20 something years of service?

[jficquette]

[quote=EconProf]Funny video!
Too bad its true for some firefighters.[/quote]

Friends next door neighbor is about to retire at 52. Makes well over $100k. Has worked the last 20 years at the airport. The airport firehouse is for one purpose only, and that is to put out fires when planes crash. They do not have responsibility off the airport property.

How many planes have crashed in SD in the last 25 years???

It’s likely the guy will draw basically full pay longer after retirement then he worked to “earn” it. So instead of making “just” $125k or so you have to double it. $250k for 20 something years of service?

[jficquette]

[quote=EconProf]Funny video!
Too bad its true for some firefighters.[/quote]

Friends next door neighbor is about to retire at 52. Makes well over $100k. Has worked the last 20 years at the airport. The airport firehouse is for one purpose only, and that is to put out fires when planes crash. They do not have responsibility off the airport property.

How many planes have crashed in SD in the last 25 years???

It’s likely the guy will draw basically full pay longer after retirement then he worked to “earn” it. So instead of making “just” $125k or so you have to double it. $250k for 20 something years of service?

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