According to the county’s website, the 2008 benefits cost for Milwaukee County employees was 74.35% of salary. And while county employees are decrying proposed wages cuts and cuts to services (and are willing to show up at taxpayer rallies in an attempt to make their “plight” known) the cost of their benefits is projected to have increased another 8-10% in 2009, according to budget analysts.
In real dollars, this means that a typical county employee – say, for example, county social worker, union organizer, prolific semi-professional blogger, and Chairman of the recently-formed “non-partisan social welfare organization” Milwaukee County First, Chris Liebenthal – making $48,816.00 annually, according to a publicly accessible online database, courtesy of the Journal/Sentinel – actually cost county taxpayers an additional $36,295 in 2008 non-salary compensation. If 2009 projections are accurate, this cost becomes in excess of $40,000.00.
74.35% of their salary!!! Let that sink in. It is time that the government unions salary and benefits are more in line with that of the people that actually pay their salaries. (BTW...that person referenced above is also known as Capper on his many blogs)
Walker has proposed very reasonable wage concessions and additional contribution towards health care and pension costs in his 2010 budget. The Milwaukee County Supervisors should negotiate a labor contract that achieves these savings.
3 comments:
I'm trying to understand you Bruce. Are you saying that Chris Liebenthal is costing our county nearly $90,000 a year when you include the 2009 projected benefits costs?
That's what Bruce is saying, Aaron. Quite a shocker, huh?
Wow, that's more than what I get, and I actually save lives.
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