California columnist Joe Mathews raises a great issue in a U-T op-ed — California’s problem of us increasingly paying more for less. It’s a major issue, especially with government services.
But then he fails miserably — not identifying the single biggest factor. In this case, he never addresses the principal reason why the cost of California government services are so high — and how that high cost impacts the quantity and quality of such services.
http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2015/oct/21/california-costs-economy-taxes/
The primary problem? We overpay and over-pension our CA state and local “public servants” — compared to other states, and especially compared to the California private sector. That unnecessary expense adversely impacts government’s ability to adequately deliver its services.
For instance, the average California firefighter is paid 60% more than paid firefighters in the other 49 states. CA cops are paid 56% more. Are our firefighters 60% better than firefighters in the other states? Are our cops 56% better? Not likely.
www.tinyurl.com/CA-ff-and-cop-pay
Meanwhile the CA 2011 median household income (including our 2,400,000[!] or so government workers) is only 13.4% above above the national average. There’s no justification for this public employee excessive compensation cost.
www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._states_by_income
and
http://www.topix.com/forum/state/ca/TG5QS6TN2977KU7UI
Mathews states that “ ‘More for less’ in California is the consequence of long-term trends and public policies. The gist: Generations of excessive frugality and underinvestment have created various forms of scarcity in public services.”
Seriously?? California has experienced “generations of excessive frugality“??? In what parallel universe is that true?
CA is one of the three highest taxed states in America, and that’s not counting our madhouse “fee” and fine structure that periodically gouges us “Hazzard County” style — far more than the fees and fines levied in other states. For instance, our CA traffic tickets average triple the cost of other states.
We taxpayers have “invested” plenty over the years, but most of it has gone for excessive public employee pay and benefits — not counting the huge unfunded taxpayer liability for all the underfunded pensions and retiree healthcare. Yes, much of that excess should have been invested in infrastructure improvements — but though we taxpayers coughed up the “investment” money, and it was then spent at the behest of the public employee labor unions — not for what was needed.
And then, to add insult to injury, when our CA politicians deign to spend some money on our infrastructure, they seek to do it in the most inefficient manner possible — paying “prevailing wage” rates (a.k.a. the highest wage rates and benefits by far) to labor union construction firms that in turn must comply with “make work” union rules. This overspending coupled with limiting bidders on such projects drives up our construction costs 30% or more — giving us less bang for the infrastructure buck.
BTW, water is one of the “pay more for less” irritations we face in California, as Mathews correctly points out. But even our higher “water” rates are partially related to our overpaying government employees. Buried in every public water agency’s budget are the salaries and benefits we pay the employees of these monopolies. These gold-plated payments fly below the radar of the press and taxpayers, but are worth a look.
Here’s one water agency’s rates — typical of what such agencies throughout the state pay. It’s the Marin Municipal Water District. 12 pages — I’ll post here only page 1 — generally the highest paid folks. But look at the other pages as well (the bottom pages are part-timers, or people who left or retired during the year, or people who changed job positions during the year [job title changers will show up as two employees in the stats]).
CAUTION: First take your blood pressure medicine. And then, if your head hasn’t yet exploded, consider searching your OWN water district — if you dare.
http://transparentcalifornia.com/salaries/marin-municipal-water/
All salaries for Marin Municipal Water
595 employee records found – Page 1 of 12
Search within these records:
| Name |
Job title |
Regular pay |
Overtime pay |
Other pay |
Total
benefits |
Total pay &
benefits |
| KUMAR, KRISHNA |
General ManagerMarin Municipal Water, 2013 |
$207,591.00 |
$0.00 |
$8,026.00 |
$73,777.00 |
$289,394.00 |
| CASEY, MARY |
District General CounselMarin Municipal Water, 2013 |
$210,496.00 |
$0.00 |
$11,424.00 |
$59,326.00 |
$281,246.00 |
| BAN, MICHAEL |
Environmental & Engineering Svcs Div MgrMarin Municipal Water, 2013 |
$180,313.00 |
$0.00 |
$6,378.00 |
$68,426.00 |
$255,117.00 |
| DELGADO, OREEN |
Finance Division ManagerMarin Municipal Water, 2013 |
$176,308.00 |
$0.00 |
$12,219.00 |
$57,995.00 |
$246,522.00 |
| CRONIN, THOMAS |
Facilities and Watershed ManagerMarin Municipal Water, 2013 |
$177,260.00 |
$0.00 |
$5,101.00 |
$58,613.00 |
$240,974.00 |
| WILLIAMSON, A. MARK |
Human Resources Division ManagerMarin Municipal Water, 2013 |
$155,608.00 |
$0.00 |
$7,206.00 |
$61,628.00 |
$224,442.00 |
| LAHAYE, JON |
Principal Engineer – PlanningMarin Municipal Water, 2013 |
$157,692.00 |
$1.00 |
$4,870.00 |
$50,604.00 |
$213,167.00 |
| OHMART, JEFFREY |
Principal Engineer-Design & ConstructionMarin Municipal Water, 2013 |
$152,878.00 |
$0.00 |
$2,602.00 |
$51,004.00 |
$206,484.00 |
| FAIRCHILD, ROBERT |
Information Technology ManagerMarin Municipal Water, 2013 |
$150,259.00 |
$0.00 |
$9,321.00 |
$41,024.00 |
$200,604.00 |
| MIRCHANDANI, ROGER |
System Maintenance SuperintendentMarin Municipal Water, 2013 |
$135,734.00 |
$1,350.00 |
$13,562.00 |
$46,312.00 |
$196,958.00 |
| MCDONNELL, KEVIN |
Senior Engineer IIMarin Municipal Water, 2013 |
$140,320.00 |
$0.00 |
$6,690.00 |
$48,091.00 |
$195,101.00 |
| CARNEY, DANIEL |
Water Conservation ManagerMarin Municipal Water, 2013 |
$140,262.00 |
$0.00 |
$2,758.00 |
$46,952.00 |
$189,972.00 |
| SUSKIND, STEVEN |
Senior Engineer IIMarin Municipal Water, 2013 |
$144,583.00 |
$0.00 |
$8,995.00 |
$32,216.00 |
$185,794.00 |
| WESTERMAN, ERIK |
Superintendent of OperationsMarin Municipal Water, 2013 |
$139,084.00 |
$0.00 |
$3,963.00 |
$38,724.00 |
$181,771.00 |
| ANDERSEN, GARY |
Assistant Superintendent of OperationsMarin Municipal Water, 2013 |
$124,026.00 |
$2,015.00 |
$7,164.00 |
$45,355.00 |
$178,560.00 |
| KENNEY, JAMES |
Superintendent of Water TreatmentMarin Municipal Water, 2013 |
$123,789.00 |
$268.00 |
$8,475.00 |
$44,763.00 |
$177,295.00 |
| PISCHEL, ELIZABETH |
Public Information OfficerMarin Municipal Water, 2013 |
$123,477.00 |
$0.00 |
$6,491.00 |
$43,469.00 |
$173,437.00 |
| ANDERSON, DAIN |
Environmental Services CoordinatorMarin Municipal Water, 2013 |
$125,849.00 |
$0.00 |
$3,440.00 |
$43,995.00 |
$173,284.00 |
| YAP, JAYSON |
Information Systems Analyst SupervisorMarin Municipal Water, 2013 |
$121,795.00 |
$3,931.00 |
$2,355.00 |
$44,117.00 |
$172,198.00 |
| HOGAN, WILLIAM |
Watershed Protection MGR-Chief RangerMarin Municipal Water, 2013 |
$125,196.00 |
$62.00 |
$2,558.00 |
$43,918.00 |
$171,734.00 |
| SWEZY, DAVID |
Watershed Resources ManagerMarin Municipal Water, 2013 |
$133,699.00 |
$0.00 |
$6,649.00 |
$30,036.00 |
$170,384.00 |
| ARCHER, JEFFREY |
Information Systems Analyst IIIMarin Municipal Water, 2013 |
$105,227.00 |
$20,355.00 |
$2,048.00 |
$40,653.00 |
$168,283.00 |
| SELLIER, PAUL |
Senior Engineer I – ManagerMarin Municipal Water, 2013 |
$131,972.00 |
$0.00 |
$7,107.00 |
$29,105.00 |
$168,184.00 |
| CRAIG, FORREST |
Construction Inspector IIMarin Municipal Water, 2013 |
$91,345.00 |
$33,909.00 |
$4,897.00 |
$37,732.00 |
$167,883.00 |
| MORRISON, PAUL |
Engineering Support Services ManagerMarin Municipal Water, 2013 |
$122,172.00 |
$2.00 |
$2,000.00 |
$43,230.00 |
$167,404.00 |
| MCGHIE, ROBERT |
Information Systems Analyst SupervisorMarin Municipal Water, 2013 |
$121,845.00 |
$2.00 |
$642.00 |
$44,120.00 |
$166,609.00 |
| MACHADO, DARREN |
Supv Facilities Maint & Special ProjectsMarin Municipal Water, 2013 |
$87,974.00 |
$33,407.00 |
$6,601.00 |
$36,174.00 |
$164,156.00 |
| HEDEEN, MARK |
Utility System SpecialistMarin Municipal Water, 2013 |
$82,290.00 |
$39,160.00 |
$5,838.00 |
$35,844.00 |
$163,132.00 |
| PIERI, ROBERT |
Field SupervisorMarin Municipal Water, 2013 |
$103,669.00 |
$3,895.00 |
$15,709.00 |
$39,323.00 |
$162,596.00 |
| SEITEL, FREDERICK |
Senior Engineer I – ElectricalMarin Municipal Water, 2013 |
$117,484.00 |
$0.00 |
$1,633.00 |
$43,404.00 |
$162,521.00 |
| GOWAN, CARL |
Senior Engineer IMarin Municipal Water, 2013 |
$118,484.00 |
$1.00 |
$0.00 |
$43,398.00 |
$161,883.00 |
| STROM, MICHAEL |
Utility Crew LeaderMarin Municipal Water, 2013 |
$87,104.00 |
$24,371.00 |
$12,300.00 |
$36,151.00 |
$159,926.00 |
| KLEIN, JANET |
Natural Resources Program ManagerMarin Municipal Water, 2013 |
$115,339.00 |
$0.00 |
$2,323.00 |
$41,836.00 |
$159,498.00 |
| SCHENONE, JOHN |
Construction Inspector IIMarin Municipal Water, 2013 |
$87,727.00 |
$28,498.00 |
$4,822.00 |
$38,132.00 |
$159,179.00 |
| INGWERSEN, HANK |
Construction Inspector IIMarin Municipal Water, 2013 |
$94,154.00 |
$26,954.00 |
$4,575.00 |
$33,477.00 |
$159,160.00 |
| AUGHNEY, MICHAEL |
Supv Facilities Maint & Special ProjectsMarin Municipal Water, 2013 |
$98,854.00 |
$3,199.00 |
$17,534.00 |
$39,323.00 |
$158,910.00 |
| DE MARCO, MIKE |
Assistant Superintendent Water TreatmentMarin Municipal Water, 2013 |
$109,188.00 |
$55.00 |
$5,942.00 |
$41,776.00 |
$156,961.00 |
| ZABOROWSKI, WOJCIECH |
Associate Engineer – CivilMarin Municipal Water, 2013 |
$114,613.00 |
$0.00 |
$0.00 |
$41,583.00 |
$156,196.00 |
| MOMSEN, MICHAEL |
Utility System SpecialistMarin Municipal Water, 2013 |
$82,290.00 |
$31,516.00 |
$5,938.00 |
$35,844.00 |
$155,588.00 |
| GOLDSTEIN, GLENN |
Mechanical & Electrical Operations SuperMarin Municipal Water, 2013 |
$109,513.00 |
$760.00 |
$3,377.00 |
$41,752.00 |
$155,402.00 |
| PEERY, JAN |
Safety and Risk ManagerMarin Municipal Water, 2013 |
$105,568.00 |
$0.00 |
$6,175.00 |
$40,044.00 |
$151,787.00 |
| SHIRKEY, MARK |
Information Systems Analyst IIIMarin Municipal Water, 2013 |
$110,052.00 |
$362.00 |
$0.00 |
$40,650.00 |
$151,064.00 |
| PAULSON, RICHARD |
Senior Construction InspectorMarin Municipal Water, 2013 |
$101,925.00 |
$9,172.00 |
$250.00 |
$38,945.00 |
$150,292.00 |
| GRIM, THOMASIN |
Grant Program CoordinatorMarin Municipal Water, 2013 |
$110,884.00 |
$2.00 |
$7,235.00 |
$31,879.00 |
$150,000.00 |
| ANDREW, GREGORY |
Fisheries Program ManagerMarin Municipal Water, 2013 |
$106,905.00 |
$0.00 |
$898.00 |
$41,830.00 |
$149,633.00 |
| MARA, DECLAN |
Utility Crew LeaderMarin Municipal Water, 2013 |
$81,408.00 |
$20,897.00 |
$10,784.00 |
$35,841.00 |
$148,930.00 |
| FEERY, SEAN |
Information Systems Analyst IIMarin Municipal Water, 2013 |
$100,098.00 |
$5,550.00 |
$2,559.00 |
$38,826.00 |
$147,033.00 |
| SANDERS, CARL |
Watershed Maintenance SupervisorMarin Municipal Water, 2013 |
$103,658.00 |
$3,452.00 |
$347.00 |
$39,374.00 |
$146,831.00 |
| WHITE, RONALD |
Mechanical & Electrical Main. Worker IVMarin Municipal Water, 2013 |
$91,560.00 |
$3,500.00 |
$13,332.00 |
$37,108.00 |
$145,500.00 |
| AGUIRRE, MIGUEL |
Treatment Plant System Operator IIIMarin Municipal Water, 2013 |
$88,806.00 |
$8,547.00 |
$16,306.00 |
$31,411.00 |
$145,070.00 |
This entry was posted
on Friday, October 23rd, 2015 at 8:48 am and is filed under Blog Posts.
