We live in a time when nobody cares. Everyone recognizes we have a state budget problem in Wisconsin. However, everyone wants someone else to bare the pain. And on this issue, nobody wants to take the time to learn the facts and make an informed decision. People don't want to have their opinions clouded by the facts.
We can debate whether or not a budget repair bill is needed but the debt is somewhere around $3.6 billion. What bothers me is that Governor Walker and his business cronies, right out of the gate, are focusing on an issue that is neither fair nor significant in terms of the budget. And they are acting in a manner that is going to impact the state for decades. This problem wasn't created overnight and it's not going to be solved overnight. Don't forget that our leadership, in the form of the Fitzgerald brothers were around when Tommy Thompson, Scott McCallum, and Jim Doyle were building this debt. I know, that's not what people want to hear.
Let me be clear, I am not a union member. For the 27 years that I have worked for the University, I have never been permitted to join a union. We haven't had a pay plan increase in several years. When the legislature was taking a 6.3% (I believe that's right) pay increase in 2009, I was being asked to take about a 3% cut in the form of furlough days. Some of my fellow public employees working for Counties, Villages, and Cities experienced the same thing. Many did not. While we had furloughs, the municipalities that were receiving state aids from the State were not required to feel the same pain. The legislature didn't apply furloughs to themselves nor did they give back their pay increase. Those that were not impacted, did not care. It's my understanding that the governor and legislature will have to absorb the same share of costs that they are asking public employees to pay. Well the 6.3% pay increase they got in 2009 will pay for that. Why don't they give that back as well so they feel the same pain?
I realize everyone thinks I'm under-worked. Representative Steve Nass casts that wide net every time he talks about University faculty. The University is a large institution. We have some loafers. We have some crooks. But the people that I have worked for in the last 27 years work harder than any legislator I know. It's a fact. Come job shadow me for a week some time. Legislators that have served and left say it should be a part-time job. We are the smallest state with a full-time legislature and they rank 8'th in compensation. I know, don't confuse people with the facts. And by the way, on a percentage basis over the past 5-10 years, we have far fewer convicted criminals than our state legislature.
I realize that everyone thinks that I am over-paid. We are now talking about a merit based pay system for K-12 teachers. The University has had a merit based pay system for some time. When it was actually followed and there was money for merit adjustments I have done well. After performing at a high level for 27 years, I have done o.k. But even if I was over-paid the averages don't lie. The public can pick out examples of individuals who are over-paid in both the private sector and the public sector. How about the CEO at M&I bank who took obscene bonuses and then drove the business into the ground? When comparing the public sector to the private sector, if one compares "apples to apples" and takes into consideration the qualifications for the position, studies have shown that public sector workers make less than their counterparts in the private sector. I know, don't confuse people with the facts.
The current budget repair bill does little to solve the bigger picture. It's all about busting the unions and building a national platform for Scott Walker.
Before I am asked to accept an additional compensation cut exceeding 8%, I want to see the plan that solves the budget deficit and shares the pain equally. I want to be assured that our leadership is accepting the same or more pain than I am. Go back to being a part-time legislature and focus on the issues that are important. The majority of our wealthiest businesses pay no taxes in this state. That isn't fair to the businesses that do pay taxes or to us that are being asked to pick up the slack. I want to see a budget that has a reasonable timeline. This mess wasn't created overnight. Go ahead and ask new employees to pay for half of their retirement costs, phase in shared cost for employee contributions combined with modest pay plans. But let me see the plan. And let me make a suggestion on how we share this pain with the business community in my next post.
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