Government Salaries?

[cityimrov]

Why do people complain so much about government salaries?  Especially at the higher end of the scale.  Even the best, smartest, and brightest government workers get yelled at as soon as their salaries go over $100K.  

I find people who are the best and brightest in the field who are changing government for the better (e.g. saving millions to billions of dollars in projects while making life better for everyone) but as soon as the public finds out they make over $100K or dare I say, over $200K - they are now the most evil people on the planet.

[civil42806]

I find people who are the best and brightest in the field who are changing government for the better (e.g. saving millions to billions of dollars in projects while making life better for everyone) but as soon as the public finds out they make over $100K or dare I say, over $200K - they are now the most evil people on the planet.

Name a few of these geniuses.  Look if your a government employee your salary is not dependent on job performance.  Your salary is dependent on how long you've actually worked for the government.  Plus if you can get enough people working for you, your job grade goes up.  So its always in a managers interest to add employees, not fire or remove them.   The guys actually doing the work are the low level guys making not so great wages, ahhhhhh but the managers, the assistant coordinators and the other meaningless titles that go with Goverment jobs, be it city, county, state or federal.  How many assistants does the current Mayor have and how many more than the previous mayor. 

[Timkin]

YEAH...... Im listening

[cityimrov]

 How about people like Lex Hester?  I think he deserves at least twice the salary he earned during his tenure here.  

As for agencies, how about agencies like the SEC?  Why would a smart person have in joining the SEC for a mere $60k salary when they can join an investment bank earning 6-figures a year - starting?  You can earn more money trying to break the system then you can trying to save it - any smart person can realize that!  Who in the world are you planning to attract with a salary difference that huge?  
http://www.forbes.com/2002/03/27/0327simons.html

Then there's the FBI:  http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2004-04-05-cover-fbi_x.htm

Look if your a government employee your salary is not dependent on job performance.  Your salary is dependent on how long you've actually worked for the government.  So its always in a managers interest to add employees, not fire or remove them.

Why in the world would pay be structured that way?  It sounds like a great system for attracting people who just want a "job" instead of people who want to make a difference.  Why can't we change it so it does depend on job performance that way those who perform more, get more and those who excel are paid a lot?

[civil42806]

Why in the world would pay be structured that way?  It sounds like a great system for attracting people who just want a "job" instead of people who want to make a difference.


Bingo, thank you for defining government employment.  Always remember government folks never ever get laid off.  Every person is critical.