Suggesting government get spending under control almost always is given an approving nod.
But suggesting in order to do so, government has to get salaries and benefits under control … well, the hinges begin to come off of those approving nods.
Which is sort of what happened when we suggested the above in last Sunday’s editorial.
The comments area of our Web site lit up. Suddenly, we were painted as insensitive boobs who simply love to blast public employees.
Others tried to paint the world as owners versus workers and we somehow came down on the side of owners.
How silly.
First a stipulation of fact:
We love, appreciate and respect public workers. Heck, if you’re reading this, it’s pretty likely you’re either on the public payroll or know someone who is. Public workers are everywhere.
More than 20 million people work for local or state governments. Another 2-million-plus work for the federal government.
Most all are hard-working, good people who add much to the fabric of their communities.
So we respect you.
But as times get tough, governments have to tighten down. Spend less. And that simply can’t be done without looking at what the government gives out in salaries and benefits.
Sure, cutting services to us is part of the equation. But that — and raising taxes — aren’t the only answers.
A huge chunk of what the government doles out is in salaries and benefits.
When we suggest this in an editorial we often hear something like:
“Wait a second, we’re underpaid as it is, we could go in the private sector and find a similar job and get a lot more. So don’t even think about cutting our pay or reducing our benefits.”
The private sector is doing more for workers than the public sector? Those hurting in the private sector might not agree. And the facts don’t appear to support it.
This was just reported by USA Today:
“State and local government workers are enjoying major gains in compensation, pushing the value of their average wages and benefits far ahead of private workers, an analysis of federal data shows.”
The story continued:
The gap is widening every year, rising by an average $1.02 an hour last year and $2.45 an hour over the past three years.
And then more numbers:
Overall, total compensation for state and local workers was $39.25 an hour — $11.90 more than in private business. In 2007, the gap was $11.31.
Sure, public workers might be better educated overall and, sure, governments don’t have as many minimum-wage jobs. But that simply doesn’t explain this huge difference.
And — key here — the difference is getting larger.
Also, what about this charge that we favor owners over workers? Let’s examine:
If there is such a thing as an “owner” of the government, who would that be? That’s correct, it’s you and me, the working stiffs of this country.
So if — in our view — we suggest that government needs to get pay and benefits under control, who are we trying to help? That’s correct, the working stiffs of this country.
We don’t mind reaching into our pockets to give public workers a good living. But lately, we’ve been reaching in and there isn’t anything there. Nothing left to give.
Here at The Columbian, we hope all workers — including us — can manage our way though this difficult time.
But we only ask that we all share in the gain — during the good times — and the pain during the bad times.
Lou Brancaccio is The Columbian’s editor. Reach him at 360-735-4505 or lou.brancaccio@columbian.com.
