Time to set the record straight on state employees
With the recent announcement of the New York state budget deficit, there have been numerous negative comments concerning state employees. As a rankand-file career employee with New York state, I would like to express my comments. First of all, the average state worker does not earn $100,000 a year but between $40,000 and $45,000, and yes, we pay our share of health insurance premiums each pay period as well as the required co-payment for hospital visits, lab tests and prescription drugs. Like any other citizen, we pay our share of state and federal taxes and Social Security. To the contrary, we do work and care about the people of this state that we serve. For years, state employees have been the object of jokes on the radio, television, newspapers and other forms of media, many of them humorous and entertaining but many insulting and hurtful. It seems that state employees are never credited for the good they attempt to do for the communities they live in, such as the State Employee Federated Appeal (where thousands of dollars are raised each year from our salaries for various charities and organizations), the adopt-a-family and clothe-a-child programs, as well as the food drives, to name but a few. In addition, many of my co-workers participate in various community activities on their own time to help those in need. As for the comments constantly made that state workers do nothing each day, I have been looking for that type of position for over 30 years and they do not exist. We work each day and we do care about the people we serve. Any time that we take off for personal reasons, illness or vacations is charged to the leave credits we have earned by working each day. In closing, I can say I am proud to be a state worker and I am proud of my co-workers. RICHARD FEDERICI Waterford
Paterson plan puts too much of the burden on state workers
I have been following the state budget plan very closely. As a state worker who, by the way, has to pay the same increases in state fees and taxes on gasoline, food, beverages, music, entertainment and income as any other state resident, I resent hearing things like we should "share the pain," give up negotiated raises and withstand yet another "lag payroll." How many private-sector employees have had to withstand having an "extra day" added to their payroll period for five or 10 consecutive pay periods? What was the cost-of-living percentage increase over the past year that state workers should give back the meager raise negotiated in good faith with the state? If state spending needs to be cut in the state work force, why not end the practice of hiring and extending contracts for consultants? Spending could be cut in a variety of other ways without keeping yet another week or two of our salaries: State offices could go to four longer days — having one day less of all the building operating costs, cutting the use of consultants, increasing the fees for some state services to individuals and business (such as public records, fines, searches, etc.). Our pain comes at the pump, the grocery store, our school taxes, our property taxes, our brokerage, etc. We don’t need to be further burdened. I have to agree there are many ways that the state could cut spending on other levels. Many of the upper echelon of the state are provided with vehicles and drivers; we pay for their residences (sometimes multiple residences), there is a lot of equipment and supplies that are lost, stolen or left unused and unsold that could be better controlled. And, yes, some services could be consolidated.
So do the PEF/CSEA have prevailing wages or prevailing benefits for the rest of the state??????? In which case if it really isn't either then they are not needed......the argument for unions is prevailing wage,,,,is this true in NYS......'cause I have to say, I cant afford you and you cant afford me....why?
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
It's not my usual style to write to a newspaper, but Debby Poulton's comments (Dec. 20 letter) upset me enough to do so. Ms. Poulton is a state employee who "resents hearing things like we should share the pain.’” She reminds us that she has to pay the same increases on various items and services as well as on "beverages, music and entertainment." Ms. Poulton complains about having to "withstand yet another ‘lag payroll’." She is concerned about her “meager raise.” A most disturbing comment was when Ms. Poulton asked "How many private-sector employees have had to withstand having an ‘extra day’ added to their payroll period for fi ve or 10 consecutive pay periods?" This doesn't mean losing a day’s pay, or working an extra day without pay, it simply means that payment for that day will be delayed. Wake up and join the real world, Debby. As co-owner of a 38-year-old business with 18 employees — all of whom, including me, have had substantial pay decreases in recent years — I find it has been a struggle to simply survive. When private-sector business is soft, more often than not, all employees share the burden. Ms. Poulton had a number of ideas on how the state could save money, none of which would be sacrifice on her part. She talked about the upper echelon, their vehicles, drivers and residences. What does she consider upper echelon? A free information Web site [seethroughny.net] lists the annual pay rate for state employee Deborah Poulton at $71,732. In these poor economic times, with so many people losing their jobs, struggling to pay for food, health care and the basics, I find it very hard to have sympathy for a state worker with great benefits and a high-paying job. Stop complaining, Ms. Poulton, and be thankful for what you apparently don't realize is a very good thing.
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