Public Employee Benefits

[Guest]

States legislators say their states are in trouble. Deficits and budget shortfalls are requiring desperate measures. How do you feel about funding of public employee pay/salary, retirement, and medical?

Question 3 "Do you believe the same should apply for federal employees?"
is a little (maybe a lot ambiguious) to clarify...

Would you require federal employees fund their own medical and retirement from their pay and salary?

Sorry I noticed this so late.

Edited March 3, 2011 by 1Tim115

[trc123]

It's very similar to paying for the salary of a Pastor and church staff. If I want the services they provide, I've got to pay the price. Both should be careful to render quality services for monies rendered.

[Guest]

It's very similar to paying for the salary of a Pastor and church staff. If I want the services they provide, I've got to pay the price. Both should be careful to render quality services for monies rendered.

What should the public employees use their pay and/or salary for?

[John81]

What should the public employees use their pay and/or salary for?

That's right. They should be required to fund their own retirement and medical as do workers outside the public sector. As well, if they are working for the government, then the government should either provide their salary or they should eliminate their job.

As far as wanting their services, I would be just fine with many public positions eliminated and either left that way or picked up by the private sector.

[Guest]

That's right. They should be required to fund their own retirement and medical as do workers outside the public sector. As well, if they are working for the government, then the government should either provide their salary or they should eliminate their job.

As far as wanting their services, I would be just fine with many public positions eliminated and either left that way or picked up by the private sector.

"then the government should either provide their salary or they should eliminate their job"
I'm not sure what you mean?

[John81]

"then the government should either provide their salary or they should eliminate their job"
I'm not sure what you mean?

You are speaking of public employees, as in those who work for one level of government or another right? If this is the case, if it's a job there is need for the government to administer, then that government should pay an appropriate wage. If the government (local, county, state Fed, whatever) can't meet their obligations then they need to trim their budget, not continually looking to raise taxes, and as part of that, eliminate jobs the government shouldn't or don't need to be funding; allowing the private sector to pick them up if there is a need for them.

[Guest]

You are speaking of public employees, as in those who work for one level of government or another right? If this is the case, if it's a job there is need for the government to administer, then that government should pay an appropriate wage. If the government (local, county, state Fed, whatever) can't meet their obligations then they need to trim their budget, not continually looking to raise taxes, and as part of that, eliminate jobs the government shouldn't or don't need to be funding; allowing the private sector to pick them up if there is a need for them.

Got it, thanks.

[Bro Jim]

I think equating pastors with government workers is apples and oranges. God's word tell us pastors are men of God and tells the church/Christians how they are to be supported. At no time does the Bible say that supporting a pastor equal to slavery. It does say that the government will require us to pay over and above and that they (government) would require much of us. Taxes, our children, or properties. I believe we have allowed the government to intrude into the work of the church, welfare, etc.

Why rely on God, when good old Uncle Sammy will do it and not require that I get to where I'm responsible from myself?

Isn't being a government worker, just another form of social welfare? Just getting paid more, thereby causing taxes to be raised, and on and on and, and, and, and.

[HappyChristian]

Public employee salaries have gotten out of hand. I do believe that if the job is needed, the worker should be paid. However, there are many times work isn't being done and yet the worker is still pulling in a check (for instance: state road workers - we've all seen 'em standing around doing nothing...my uncle used to be a state road worker, and he had all kinds of stories of non-laboring laborers who couldn't be fired because of the unions. Another example is teachers during the summer...). On top of their salaries, they receive wonderful medical benefits and great perf (public employee retirement fund).

I am not against benefits, but I am against the perf for the simple reason that non-public employees are expected to survive on their social security, which is taken out of their checks, but public employees have social security (also taken out) as well as perf...and perf is paid from tax dollars. Though I am not against benefits, I am against the massive nature of much of them. And I don't believe that they deserve benefits just because they are public employees - if the funds aren't there, benefits need to be trimmed, just as they are elsewhere.

Now, let me state that the public employees to which I have referred are those whose monies depend on the unions. My job is one which is funded by the taxpayers. But we are not union at all...and likely never will be. That means we don't get merit raises (which I don't agree with, but there it is - I'm not the boss ), and if the funds aren't there, we don't get annual raises either (I went for 3 years without one). Full time employees do get medical benefits, but it is limited. Salaried employees also get perf, with which I do not agree, as stated above.

We have come to believe that we are entitled in this country - and unions have helped foster that feeling (I bring in unions because they are so strong in the public employee sector). We (I say this generically) want monies saved, belts tightened as long as it's not us. It's gonna have to be everyone, or states will go bankrupt. And then there will be no public employees, but that's something they don't seem to understand.

In our household, when money gets tight, the spending stops...there've been grocery trips where $10 was the limit - each week for a good while. And yet, not a one of us has gone hungry...Cutting spending can be done, and must be. Raising taxes is not the answer because the taxpayer is already being squeezed too tightly.

[Guest]

Public employee salaries have gotten out of hand. I do believe that if the job is needed, the worker should be paid. However, there are many times work isn't being done and yet the worker is still pulling in a check (for instance: state road workers - we've all seen 'em standing around doing nothing...my uncle used to be a state road worker, and he had all kinds of stories of non-laboring laborers who couldn't be fired because of the unions. Another example is teachers during the summer...). On top of their salaries, they receive wonderful medical benefits and great perf (public employee retirement fund).

I am not against benefits, but I am against the perf for the simple reason that non-public employees are expected to survive on their social security, which is taken out of their checks, but public employees have social security (also taken out) as well as perf...and perf is paid from tax dollars. Though I am not against benefits, I am against the massive nature of much of them. And I don't believe that they deserve benefits just because they are public employees - if the funds aren't there, benefits need to be trimmed, just as they are elsewhere.

Now, let me state that the public employees to which I have referred are those whose monies depend on the unions. My job is one which is funded by the taxpayers. But we are not union at all...and likely never will be. That means we don't get merit raises (which I don't agree with, but there it is - I'm not the boss ), and if the funds aren't there, we don't get annual raises either (I went for 3 years without one). Full time employees do get medical benefits, but it is limited. Salaried employees also get perf, with which I do not agree, as stated above.

We have come to believe that we are entitled in this country - and unions have helped foster that feeling (I bring in unions because they are so strong in the public employee sector). We (I say this generically) want monies saved, belts tightened as long as it's not us. It's gonna have to be everyone, or states will go bankrupt. And then there will be no public employees, but that's something they don't seem to understand.

In our household, when money gets tight, the spending stops...there've been grocery trips where $10 was the limit - each week for a good while. And yet, not a one of us has gone hungry...Cutting spending can be done, and must be. Raising taxes is not the answer because the taxpayer is already being squeezed too tightly.

There are some really good points you've made. I've already gone on the record and said they can have my last cost of living allowance for my retirement pay. Plus they've already increased my share on medical...and increased withholding from my check. So, sympathy from me is beyond waning for public retirees in unions. No I'm not a part of any union nor have I ever been.

[Guest]

I'll leave the poll open for another day...to see if I can get more responses. I hope there are some more...
:(

[John81]

I'll leave the poll open for another day...to see if I can get more responses. I hope there are some more...

Sorry, but I didn't answer the poll because I'm not sure what each question actually means.

[Guest]

Sorry, but I didn't answer the poll because I'm not sure what each question actually means.

Take your best shot.

[John81]

Take your best shot.

Done.

[JerryNumbers]

The pay checks and benefits of government workers whether city, county, state, federal is out of hand, they receive to much pay and get way to many benefits, and their retirement is out of bounds.

I know several that have retired in recent years that make more in retirement and have better benefits than when they were actually working.

Americans cannot support that, it will break this nation. And if we keep this up taxes will have to go up more than 100%.