100K Club of Yolo County

Share:
imageYolo County

Two weeks ago, we had our listing of the 100K Club of Davis. In it were the 61 employees of the city of Davis who earned $100,000 or more in 2007. Of those 61, 48 were in public safety and 38 of those were firefighters. Now we have compiled through another public records act request the 100K Club of Yolo County. There were 64 Yolo County employees who earned $100,000 or more in 2007.

The top employee of Yolo County in terms of salary not surprisingly is Sharon Jensen, who is the County Administrator (CAO), a position comparable to a city manager. She is followed by Sheriff Prieto. County Council Robyn Drivon is fourth. District Attorney Jeff Reisig is perhaps somewhat surprisingly only 9th. There are also three members of the Psychiatrist-Board in the top 10.

We have also broken down the elected officials who made the 100K list.

For the sake of comparison, we threw Public Defender Barry Melton on this list even though he is appointed rather than elected. Notably not on the list is the County Superintendent of Schools. Also as people are aware, Yolo County Supervisors make considerably less than $100,000. Also, the Public Guardian does not make the list either.

Breakdown by Department: District Attorney’s Office Dominates

There is no department in the county, that is comparable to the firefighters in the city of Davis which had 38 of the top 61 salaries for 2007. However, the District Attorney’s office did have 15 of the top 64 salaries, three times that of the next highest departments–County Administrator and Planning and Public Works. Child Support Services, Mental Health, the Public Defender’s Office, and the Sheriff’s Office all had four employees each in the 100K club of Yolo County.

City of Davis Compared to County and Woodland

One of our Woodland Counterparts, the Woodland Journal just ran their 100K Club of Woodland this past Sunday. They found 18 employees who will make $100,000 or more this year and just 10 employees last year.

To put these numbers into perspective, the city of Davis had 61 employees reach the 100K Club in 2007 out of a total of 422 total employees. That’s roughly 14.4% of the employees in Davis. Yolo County by contrast has between 1300 and 1500 total employees of which 64 make 100K or more. That translates at the high end to just under 5% of the employees of Yolo County making 100K or more. We do not have the exact numbers in Woodland, but we imagine the total number of employees is comparable to Davis. That would put them in the range of Yolo County for percentages this year even lower than that last year.

Why is the salary structure in Davis so different from that of Woodland and Yolo County? One really has to look no further than the influence of the public employees unions in local politics and really we are talking about one public employees union–the firefighters. As we noted, 38 of the top 61 salaries in Davis are firefighters.

The Woodland Journal notes:

“Common to both cities is the relative earnings by those who accrue overtime. An examination of the public records provided by the city reveal that 30 Woodland employees made over $10,000 in overtime pay during 07-08. Of those 30, only one employee did not work in the police or fire departments.

86 employees made over $5,000 in overtime. Three of those did not work in the police or fire departments.”

This shows that the same phenomena is at work in Woodland, but not nearly as severe as it is in the city of Davis. The County of course does not have a Fire Department. It has a large contingent of workers who provide crucial county services to residents, but most of them are not making the huge salaries with the huge overtimes that the city public safety workers earn.

Tomorrow we will attempt to complete the circle by presenting data on campaign contributions by public safety employees in the city of Davis.

—Doug Paul Davis reporting

Share:

About The Author

David Greenwald is the founder, editor, and executive director of the Davis Vanguard. He founded the Vanguard in 2006. David Greenwald moved to Davis in 1996 to attend Graduate School at UC Davis in Political Science. He lives in South Davis with his wife Cecilia Escamilla Greenwald and three children.

Related posts

60 thoughts on “100K Club of Yolo County”

  1. Anonymous

    The median salary for a Board Certified Psychiatrist is $175,000 so the salaries for the psychiatrists are in line with what is expected and maybe a little on the low side.

  2. Anonymous

    The median salary for a Board Certified Psychiatrist is $175,000 so the salaries for the psychiatrists are in line with what is expected and maybe a little on the low side.

  3. Anonymous

    The median salary for a Board Certified Psychiatrist is $175,000 so the salaries for the psychiatrists are in line with what is expected and maybe a little on the low side.

  4. Anonymous

    The median salary for a Board Certified Psychiatrist is $175,000 so the salaries for the psychiatrists are in line with what is expected and maybe a little on the low side.

  5. Anonymous

    The median salary for a DA is around $60,000 for state and local jurisdictions. It depends on years of service. A DA with 20 years service- median salary is around $98,000. So we are paying a little high there. However, this median salary is nation-wide and doesn’t take into account California cost of living.

  6. Anonymous

    The median salary for a DA is around $60,000 for state and local jurisdictions. It depends on years of service. A DA with 20 years service- median salary is around $98,000. So we are paying a little high there. However, this median salary is nation-wide and doesn’t take into account California cost of living.

  7. Anonymous

    The median salary for a DA is around $60,000 for state and local jurisdictions. It depends on years of service. A DA with 20 years service- median salary is around $98,000. So we are paying a little high there. However, this median salary is nation-wide and doesn’t take into account California cost of living.

  8. Anonymous

    The median salary for a DA is around $60,000 for state and local jurisdictions. It depends on years of service. A DA with 20 years service- median salary is around $98,000. So we are paying a little high there. However, this median salary is nation-wide and doesn’t take into account California cost of living.

  9. not a County worker

    What exactly is your point with this? While posting public documents is all fine and dandy, you seem to have an agenda. First and foremost, by calling it the ‘100k Club’, you immediately poison any discussion by making an inference that the salaries are somehow undeserved, or that this is some exclusive group, a ‘Club’, who’s membership is only allowed by a select group who initiates membership.
    It would be better to do a salary comparison to judge if taxpayer monies are being well spent and salries are similar to private sector salaries. But in this case, you haven’t. All you’ve done is to highlight what someone makes, without regard to their skill set and what they bring to the County, then try to lump it into the definition of a ‘club’.
    I suspect it has more to do with jealousy. Jealousy over not being skilled enough to hold such a management job, and being relegated to that of a bottom-feeding pseudo-journalist who fancies himself a muckracker, even when there is no muck.
    Why not a $20k Club? Perhaps you should post all the numbers? Better yet, run a comparison on public and private sector salaries. I know, it’s a lot of work, but since you seem to be gainfully unemployed and contribute nothing to society, you should have the time.

  10. not a County worker

    What exactly is your point with this? While posting public documents is all fine and dandy, you seem to have an agenda. First and foremost, by calling it the ‘100k Club’, you immediately poison any discussion by making an inference that the salaries are somehow undeserved, or that this is some exclusive group, a ‘Club’, who’s membership is only allowed by a select group who initiates membership.
    It would be better to do a salary comparison to judge if taxpayer monies are being well spent and salries are similar to private sector salaries. But in this case, you haven’t. All you’ve done is to highlight what someone makes, without regard to their skill set and what they bring to the County, then try to lump it into the definition of a ‘club’.
    I suspect it has more to do with jealousy. Jealousy over not being skilled enough to hold such a management job, and being relegated to that of a bottom-feeding pseudo-journalist who fancies himself a muckracker, even when there is no muck.
    Why not a $20k Club? Perhaps you should post all the numbers? Better yet, run a comparison on public and private sector salaries. I know, it’s a lot of work, but since you seem to be gainfully unemployed and contribute nothing to society, you should have the time.

  11. not a County worker

    What exactly is your point with this? While posting public documents is all fine and dandy, you seem to have an agenda. First and foremost, by calling it the ‘100k Club’, you immediately poison any discussion by making an inference that the salaries are somehow undeserved, or that this is some exclusive group, a ‘Club’, who’s membership is only allowed by a select group who initiates membership.
    It would be better to do a salary comparison to judge if taxpayer monies are being well spent and salries are similar to private sector salaries. But in this case, you haven’t. All you’ve done is to highlight what someone makes, without regard to their skill set and what they bring to the County, then try to lump it into the definition of a ‘club’.
    I suspect it has more to do with jealousy. Jealousy over not being skilled enough to hold such a management job, and being relegated to that of a bottom-feeding pseudo-journalist who fancies himself a muckracker, even when there is no muck.
    Why not a $20k Club? Perhaps you should post all the numbers? Better yet, run a comparison on public and private sector salaries. I know, it’s a lot of work, but since you seem to be gainfully unemployed and contribute nothing to society, you should have the time.

  12. not a County worker

    What exactly is your point with this? While posting public documents is all fine and dandy, you seem to have an agenda. First and foremost, by calling it the ‘100k Club’, you immediately poison any discussion by making an inference that the salaries are somehow undeserved, or that this is some exclusive group, a ‘Club’, who’s membership is only allowed by a select group who initiates membership.
    It would be better to do a salary comparison to judge if taxpayer monies are being well spent and salries are similar to private sector salaries. But in this case, you haven’t. All you’ve done is to highlight what someone makes, without regard to their skill set and what they bring to the County, then try to lump it into the definition of a ‘club’.
    I suspect it has more to do with jealousy. Jealousy over not being skilled enough to hold such a management job, and being relegated to that of a bottom-feeding pseudo-journalist who fancies himself a muckracker, even when there is no muck.
    Why not a $20k Club? Perhaps you should post all the numbers? Better yet, run a comparison on public and private sector salaries. I know, it’s a lot of work, but since you seem to be gainfully unemployed and contribute nothing to society, you should have the time.

  13. Anonymous

    Not him but it appears to me one point is that Davis is out of whack with Yolo County and Woodland in terms of salary.

    I don’t think he was implying that the salaries were undeserved. I also don’t think you can connote his coverage of this with jealously. I think it has more to do with a comparison of the county which seems fine in salaries to the city of Davis, which is again out of whack. But that’s just me.

  14. Anonymous

    Not him but it appears to me one point is that Davis is out of whack with Yolo County and Woodland in terms of salary.

    I don’t think he was implying that the salaries were undeserved. I also don’t think you can connote his coverage of this with jealously. I think it has more to do with a comparison of the county which seems fine in salaries to the city of Davis, which is again out of whack. But that’s just me.

  15. Anonymous

    Not him but it appears to me one point is that Davis is out of whack with Yolo County and Woodland in terms of salary.

    I don’t think he was implying that the salaries were undeserved. I also don’t think you can connote his coverage of this with jealously. I think it has more to do with a comparison of the county which seems fine in salaries to the city of Davis, which is again out of whack. But that’s just me.

  16. Anonymous

    Not him but it appears to me one point is that Davis is out of whack with Yolo County and Woodland in terms of salary.

    I don’t think he was implying that the salaries were undeserved. I also don’t think you can connote his coverage of this with jealously. I think it has more to do with a comparison of the county which seems fine in salaries to the city of Davis, which is again out of whack. But that’s just me.

  17. Anonymous

    “I know, it’s a lot of work, but since you seem to be gainfully unemployed and contribute nothing to society, you should have the time.”

    Also why the venom? And why the assumptions?

  18. Anonymous

    “I know, it’s a lot of work, but since you seem to be gainfully unemployed and contribute nothing to society, you should have the time.”

    Also why the venom? And why the assumptions?

  19. Anonymous

    “I know, it’s a lot of work, but since you seem to be gainfully unemployed and contribute nothing to society, you should have the time.”

    Also why the venom? And why the assumptions?

  20. Anonymous

    “I know, it’s a lot of work, but since you seem to be gainfully unemployed and contribute nothing to society, you should have the time.”

    Also why the venom? And why the assumptions?

  21. Anonymous

    The median salary for a DA is around $60,000 for state and local jurisdictions.

    The median salary for a DA in California (according to the California Bar Assn) is $72,000. That includes a large percentage of lawyers starting their careers.

  22. Anonymous

    The median salary for a DA is around $60,000 for state and local jurisdictions.

    The median salary for a DA in California (according to the California Bar Assn) is $72,000. That includes a large percentage of lawyers starting their careers.

  23. Anonymous

    The median salary for a DA is around $60,000 for state and local jurisdictions.

    The median salary for a DA in California (according to the California Bar Assn) is $72,000. That includes a large percentage of lawyers starting their careers.

  24. Anonymous

    The median salary for a DA is around $60,000 for state and local jurisdictions.

    The median salary for a DA in California (according to the California Bar Assn) is $72,000. That includes a large percentage of lawyers starting their careers.

  25. Mark

    How about the $100K club at UC Davis? I don’t know if the data is available, but if you include salaries and all honoraria, there are probably hundreds of faculty on that list.

  26. Mark

    How about the $100K club at UC Davis? I don’t know if the data is available, but if you include salaries and all honoraria, there are probably hundreds of faculty on that list.

  27. Mark

    How about the $100K club at UC Davis? I don’t know if the data is available, but if you include salaries and all honoraria, there are probably hundreds of faculty on that list.

  28. Mark

    How about the $100K club at UC Davis? I don’t know if the data is available, but if you include salaries and all honoraria, there are probably hundreds of faculty on that list.

  29. Anonymous

    The UCD information is available – it was in the Sac Bee. There are 2000 people on that list.

    If you start to compare public compensation to private compensation make sure to compare total compensation – not just salaries. The public sector gets very good retirement benefits. It used to be that public sector jobs earned lower salaries relative to private sector jobs which was made up later in retirement benefits. Now there is the insistence that public sector people should be paid the same as private sector and also get the retirement benefits.

    As salaries are reviewed it is also important to look at the number of people. Is it really necessary to have 1500 (or whatever the number is) county employees?

  30. Anonymous

    The UCD information is available – it was in the Sac Bee. There are 2000 people on that list.

    If you start to compare public compensation to private compensation make sure to compare total compensation – not just salaries. The public sector gets very good retirement benefits. It used to be that public sector jobs earned lower salaries relative to private sector jobs which was made up later in retirement benefits. Now there is the insistence that public sector people should be paid the same as private sector and also get the retirement benefits.

    As salaries are reviewed it is also important to look at the number of people. Is it really necessary to have 1500 (or whatever the number is) county employees?

  31. Anonymous

    The UCD information is available – it was in the Sac Bee. There are 2000 people on that list.

    If you start to compare public compensation to private compensation make sure to compare total compensation – not just salaries. The public sector gets very good retirement benefits. It used to be that public sector jobs earned lower salaries relative to private sector jobs which was made up later in retirement benefits. Now there is the insistence that public sector people should be paid the same as private sector and also get the retirement benefits.

    As salaries are reviewed it is also important to look at the number of people. Is it really necessary to have 1500 (or whatever the number is) county employees?

  32. Anonymous

    The UCD information is available – it was in the Sac Bee. There are 2000 people on that list.

    If you start to compare public compensation to private compensation make sure to compare total compensation – not just salaries. The public sector gets very good retirement benefits. It used to be that public sector jobs earned lower salaries relative to private sector jobs which was made up later in retirement benefits. Now there is the insistence that public sector people should be paid the same as private sector and also get the retirement benefits.

    As salaries are reviewed it is also important to look at the number of people. Is it really necessary to have 1500 (or whatever the number is) county employees?

  33. Loyal Vanguard Reader

    Not a county worker must be a sour grape on the special 100K Club List.

    First, you ASSume alot. If our tax dollars are paying for these salaries and we are being asked by elected officials to foot the bill by supporting tax increases or projects that will bring about tax increases time and time again then IT IS OUR BUSINESS.

    I think that you are jealous that you don’t have the research skills or wherewithall to do the hard work involved in researching these matters.

    I’ve been a Vanguard reader for over a year now and I think that the service that DPD (David) provides the community is valuable and there is nowhere else we would find this information.

    Keep up the great work David! The Davis community and Yolo County needs you.

  34. Loyal Vanguard Reader

    Not a county worker must be a sour grape on the special 100K Club List.

    First, you ASSume alot. If our tax dollars are paying for these salaries and we are being asked by elected officials to foot the bill by supporting tax increases or projects that will bring about tax increases time and time again then IT IS OUR BUSINESS.

    I think that you are jealous that you don’t have the research skills or wherewithall to do the hard work involved in researching these matters.

    I’ve been a Vanguard reader for over a year now and I think that the service that DPD (David) provides the community is valuable and there is nowhere else we would find this information.

    Keep up the great work David! The Davis community and Yolo County needs you.

  35. Loyal Vanguard Reader

    Not a county worker must be a sour grape on the special 100K Club List.

    First, you ASSume alot. If our tax dollars are paying for these salaries and we are being asked by elected officials to foot the bill by supporting tax increases or projects that will bring about tax increases time and time again then IT IS OUR BUSINESS.

    I think that you are jealous that you don’t have the research skills or wherewithall to do the hard work involved in researching these matters.

    I’ve been a Vanguard reader for over a year now and I think that the service that DPD (David) provides the community is valuable and there is nowhere else we would find this information.

    Keep up the great work David! The Davis community and Yolo County needs you.

  36. Loyal Vanguard Reader

    Not a county worker must be a sour grape on the special 100K Club List.

    First, you ASSume alot. If our tax dollars are paying for these salaries and we are being asked by elected officials to foot the bill by supporting tax increases or projects that will bring about tax increases time and time again then IT IS OUR BUSINESS.

    I think that you are jealous that you don’t have the research skills or wherewithall to do the hard work involved in researching these matters.

    I’ve been a Vanguard reader for over a year now and I think that the service that DPD (David) provides the community is valuable and there is nowhere else we would find this information.

    Keep up the great work David! The Davis community and Yolo County needs you.

  37. Former City Engineer

    If you start to compare public compensation to private compensation make sure to compare total compensation – not just salaries.

    The non-monetary benefits of public sector jobs, also, crush private sector jobs.

    Among them are first, you have to produce to keep your job in the private sector and have to excel to move up. In the public sector very few people are paid more because they are more productive. They get higher and better salaries either by knowing someone or by just having their butts in their chairs longer than anyone else in the room. This happens in some private companies, too, of course. But those companies can go belly up if that becomes the norm in hiring.

    Second, in the public sector, particularly in a town like Davis, where I worked before starting my own civil engineering firm, you get an enormous amount of paid leave compared with the private sector. You get paid if you take time off to take care of your kids or spouse or parents. You get every possible holiday off, including strange things like California Admission Day, or you are given time and a half to work these so-called holidays. You also get much more paid vacation.

    Because you are not rewarded for being productive, you almost never work really long hours. You can always count on coming into work at 8 or 9 in the morning, taking a full lunch break and leaving in the mid-afternoon. No one notices or cares that you are just punching the clock. In the private sector, everyone in a professional position has long stretches, weeks, months or even years, when they have to come in early, stay late and pull all-nighters to meet strict deadlines. Those who aren’t willing or able to push themselves get punished in the private sector. Those who can’t take the demands of being productive are usually the ones who make a career working for the government.

    On the other hand, the upside of government work is minimal. Yes, there are a handful of people who do bring in 6-figure salaries, more today than when I was in government. But go-getters tend to leave after a short while, because they enjoy work, work hard and want to be compensated for their efforts, not their time on the clock. If someone is very good at his job in the private sector (and he is not too unlucky), he will make a lot more money in business than he would have taking home all those government perks. If that was not the case, our economy would be in far worse shape than it is.

  38. Former City Engineer

    If you start to compare public compensation to private compensation make sure to compare total compensation – not just salaries.

    The non-monetary benefits of public sector jobs, also, crush private sector jobs.

    Among them are first, you have to produce to keep your job in the private sector and have to excel to move up. In the public sector very few people are paid more because they are more productive. They get higher and better salaries either by knowing someone or by just having their butts in their chairs longer than anyone else in the room. This happens in some private companies, too, of course. But those companies can go belly up if that becomes the norm in hiring.

    Second, in the public sector, particularly in a town like Davis, where I worked before starting my own civil engineering firm, you get an enormous amount of paid leave compared with the private sector. You get paid if you take time off to take care of your kids or spouse or parents. You get every possible holiday off, including strange things like California Admission Day, or you are given time and a half to work these so-called holidays. You also get much more paid vacation.

    Because you are not rewarded for being productive, you almost never work really long hours. You can always count on coming into work at 8 or 9 in the morning, taking a full lunch break and leaving in the mid-afternoon. No one notices or cares that you are just punching the clock. In the private sector, everyone in a professional position has long stretches, weeks, months or even years, when they have to come in early, stay late and pull all-nighters to meet strict deadlines. Those who aren’t willing or able to push themselves get punished in the private sector. Those who can’t take the demands of being productive are usually the ones who make a career working for the government.

    On the other hand, the upside of government work is minimal. Yes, there are a handful of people who do bring in 6-figure salaries, more today than when I was in government. But go-getters tend to leave after a short while, because they enjoy work, work hard and want to be compensated for their efforts, not their time on the clock. If someone is very good at his job in the private sector (and he is not too unlucky), he will make a lot more money in business than he would have taking home all those government perks. If that was not the case, our economy would be in far worse shape than it is.

  39. Former City Engineer

    If you start to compare public compensation to private compensation make sure to compare total compensation – not just salaries.

    The non-monetary benefits of public sector jobs, also, crush private sector jobs.

    Among them are first, you have to produce to keep your job in the private sector and have to excel to move up. In the public sector very few people are paid more because they are more productive. They get higher and better salaries either by knowing someone or by just having their butts in their chairs longer than anyone else in the room. This happens in some private companies, too, of course. But those companies can go belly up if that becomes the norm in hiring.

    Second, in the public sector, particularly in a town like Davis, where I worked before starting my own civil engineering firm, you get an enormous amount of paid leave compared with the private sector. You get paid if you take time off to take care of your kids or spouse or parents. You get every possible holiday off, including strange things like California Admission Day, or you are given time and a half to work these so-called holidays. You also get much more paid vacation.

    Because you are not rewarded for being productive, you almost never work really long hours. You can always count on coming into work at 8 or 9 in the morning, taking a full lunch break and leaving in the mid-afternoon. No one notices or cares that you are just punching the clock. In the private sector, everyone in a professional position has long stretches, weeks, months or even years, when they have to come in early, stay late and pull all-nighters to meet strict deadlines. Those who aren’t willing or able to push themselves get punished in the private sector. Those who can’t take the demands of being productive are usually the ones who make a career working for the government.

    On the other hand, the upside of government work is minimal. Yes, there are a handful of people who do bring in 6-figure salaries, more today than when I was in government. But go-getters tend to leave after a short while, because they enjoy work, work hard and want to be compensated for their efforts, not their time on the clock. If someone is very good at his job in the private sector (and he is not too unlucky), he will make a lot more money in business than he would have taking home all those government perks. If that was not the case, our economy would be in far worse shape than it is.

  40. Former City Engineer

    If you start to compare public compensation to private compensation make sure to compare total compensation – not just salaries.

    The non-monetary benefits of public sector jobs, also, crush private sector jobs.

    Among them are first, you have to produce to keep your job in the private sector and have to excel to move up. In the public sector very few people are paid more because they are more productive. They get higher and better salaries either by knowing someone or by just having their butts in their chairs longer than anyone else in the room. This happens in some private companies, too, of course. But those companies can go belly up if that becomes the norm in hiring.

    Second, in the public sector, particularly in a town like Davis, where I worked before starting my own civil engineering firm, you get an enormous amount of paid leave compared with the private sector. You get paid if you take time off to take care of your kids or spouse or parents. You get every possible holiday off, including strange things like California Admission Day, or you are given time and a half to work these so-called holidays. You also get much more paid vacation.

    Because you are not rewarded for being productive, you almost never work really long hours. You can always count on coming into work at 8 or 9 in the morning, taking a full lunch break and leaving in the mid-afternoon. No one notices or cares that you are just punching the clock. In the private sector, everyone in a professional position has long stretches, weeks, months or even years, when they have to come in early, stay late and pull all-nighters to meet strict deadlines. Those who aren’t willing or able to push themselves get punished in the private sector. Those who can’t take the demands of being productive are usually the ones who make a career working for the government.

    On the other hand, the upside of government work is minimal. Yes, there are a handful of people who do bring in 6-figure salaries, more today than when I was in government. But go-getters tend to leave after a short while, because they enjoy work, work hard and want to be compensated for their efforts, not their time on the clock. If someone is very good at his job in the private sector (and he is not too unlucky), he will make a lot more money in business than he would have taking home all those government perks. If that was not the case, our economy would be in far worse shape than it is.

  41. Anonymous

    You make a lot of good points about city workers. I’m a stay at home mom and have a neighbor who works in Public Works for Davis. In the middle of the day for as much as four hours every weekday I see his truck parked on our street. I’m pretty sure the taxpayers are paying him to be doing something other than watch Jerry Springer and Oprah.

  42. Anonymous

    You make a lot of good points about city workers. I’m a stay at home mom and have a neighbor who works in Public Works for Davis. In the middle of the day for as much as four hours every weekday I see his truck parked on our street. I’m pretty sure the taxpayers are paying him to be doing something other than watch Jerry Springer and Oprah.

  43. Anonymous

    You make a lot of good points about city workers. I’m a stay at home mom and have a neighbor who works in Public Works for Davis. In the middle of the day for as much as four hours every weekday I see his truck parked on our street. I’m pretty sure the taxpayers are paying him to be doing something other than watch Jerry Springer and Oprah.

  44. Anonymous

    You make a lot of good points about city workers. I’m a stay at home mom and have a neighbor who works in Public Works for Davis. In the middle of the day for as much as four hours every weekday I see his truck parked on our street. I’m pretty sure the taxpayers are paying him to be doing something other than watch Jerry Springer and Oprah.

  45. frmer city engineer critic

    Former city engineer 8/19/08 8:04 PM –

    Some of your arguments are not correct. Well, as a blanket statement they are not correct.

    For example, you say that

    “…you have to produce to keep your job in the private sector and have to excel to move up. In the public sector very few people are paid more because they are more productive. They get higher and better salaries either by knowing someone or by just having their butts in their chairs longer than anyone else in the room.”

    I know a lot of people who work in the private sector and they work long, hard hours and often work overtime. It’s often the city, county, or state customers that are the critics, so they must “make the public happy.

    Second, you state, “You get paid if you take time off to take care of your kids or spouse or parents.”

    This is called Family Medical Leave (FMLA). There are certain provisions that must be adhered to. And, FMLA applies to the private sector as well. Perhaps your private sector employer did not inform you, but they are required to by law if they employ 50 or more people. You may Google: FMLA law or go the the Labor Dept. web site for more info. This law was passed under the Clinton administration, and it is a wonderful law! Many individuals were finding that their employers were simply firing them because they had to use sick leave to care for a child, parent, or themselves if they suffered from a condition of some sort. This was happening to people who worked hard, but had life take place and illnesses happen. FMLA was passed in 1994 under the Clinton administration and it was and to this day is wonderful.

    You go on to say that, “Because you are not rewarded for being productive, you almost never work really long hours. You can always count on coming into work at 8 or 9 in the morning, taking a full lunch break and leaving in the mid-afternoon.”

    As I previously mentioned, many people work through their lunch hours, even though they don’t have to, and work overtime an on projects as needed. I know some who work evening, and early mornings (6:00 am) just to get the work done that needs to be done.

    You add, “In the private sector, everyone in a professional position has long stretches, weeks, months or even years, when they have to come in early, stay late and pull all-nighters to meet strict deadlines.”

    This also happens in the public sector. I see it happen all of the time. People work very, very hard to meet tight deadlines.

    I think you totally miss the point of DPD’s article and that is that MANAGERS and mid-level MANAGERS are the ones that are part of the $100K club. And, there is an excessive number of them.

    The “rank-n-file” employees that run the city of Davis do not get paid as much as others.

    Your blanket assessment as I said in the beginning has many flaws.

  46. frmer city engineer critic

    Former city engineer 8/19/08 8:04 PM –

    Some of your arguments are not correct. Well, as a blanket statement they are not correct.

    For example, you say that

    “…you have to produce to keep your job in the private sector and have to excel to move up. In the public sector very few people are paid more because they are more productive. They get higher and better salaries either by knowing someone or by just having their butts in their chairs longer than anyone else in the room.”

    I know a lot of people who work in the private sector and they work long, hard hours and often work overtime. It’s often the city, county, or state customers that are the critics, so they must “make the public happy.

    Second, you state, “You get paid if you take time off to take care of your kids or spouse or parents.”

    This is called Family Medical Leave (FMLA). There are certain provisions that must be adhered to. And, FMLA applies to the private sector as well. Perhaps your private sector employer did not inform you, but they are required to by law if they employ 50 or more people. You may Google: FMLA law or go the the Labor Dept. web site for more info. This law was passed under the Clinton administration, and it is a wonderful law! Many individuals were finding that their employers were simply firing them because they had to use sick leave to care for a child, parent, or themselves if they suffered from a condition of some sort. This was happening to people who worked hard, but had life take place and illnesses happen. FMLA was passed in 1994 under the Clinton administration and it was and to this day is wonderful.

    You go on to say that, “Because you are not rewarded for being productive, you almost never work really long hours. You can always count on coming into work at 8 or 9 in the morning, taking a full lunch break and leaving in the mid-afternoon.”

    As I previously mentioned, many people work through their lunch hours, even though they don’t have to, and work overtime an on projects as needed. I know some who work evening, and early mornings (6:00 am) just to get the work done that needs to be done.

    You add, “In the private sector, everyone in a professional position has long stretches, weeks, months or even years, when they have to come in early, stay late and pull all-nighters to meet strict deadlines.”

    This also happens in the public sector. I see it happen all of the time. People work very, very hard to meet tight deadlines.

    I think you totally miss the point of DPD’s article and that is that MANAGERS and mid-level MANAGERS are the ones that are part of the $100K club. And, there is an excessive number of them.

    The “rank-n-file” employees that run the city of Davis do not get paid as much as others.

    Your blanket assessment as I said in the beginning has many flaws.

  47. frmer city engineer critic

    Former city engineer 8/19/08 8:04 PM –

    Some of your arguments are not correct. Well, as a blanket statement they are not correct.

    For example, you say that

    “…you have to produce to keep your job in the private sector and have to excel to move up. In the public sector very few people are paid more because they are more productive. They get higher and better salaries either by knowing someone or by just having their butts in their chairs longer than anyone else in the room.”

    I know a lot of people who work in the private sector and they work long, hard hours and often work overtime. It’s often the city, county, or state customers that are the critics, so they must “make the public happy.

    Second, you state, “You get paid if you take time off to take care of your kids or spouse or parents.”

    This is called Family Medical Leave (FMLA). There are certain provisions that must be adhered to. And, FMLA applies to the private sector as well. Perhaps your private sector employer did not inform you, but they are required to by law if they employ 50 or more people. You may Google: FMLA law or go the the Labor Dept. web site for more info. This law was passed under the Clinton administration, and it is a wonderful law! Many individuals were finding that their employers were simply firing them because they had to use sick leave to care for a child, parent, or themselves if they suffered from a condition of some sort. This was happening to people who worked hard, but had life take place and illnesses happen. FMLA was passed in 1994 under the Clinton administration and it was and to this day is wonderful.

    You go on to say that, “Because you are not rewarded for being productive, you almost never work really long hours. You can always count on coming into work at 8 or 9 in the morning, taking a full lunch break and leaving in the mid-afternoon.”

    As I previously mentioned, many people work through their lunch hours, even though they don’t have to, and work overtime an on projects as needed. I know some who work evening, and early mornings (6:00 am) just to get the work done that needs to be done.

    You add, “In the private sector, everyone in a professional position has long stretches, weeks, months or even years, when they have to come in early, stay late and pull all-nighters to meet strict deadlines.”

    This also happens in the public sector. I see it happen all of the time. People work very, very hard to meet tight deadlines.

    I think you totally miss the point of DPD’s article and that is that MANAGERS and mid-level MANAGERS are the ones that are part of the $100K club. And, there is an excessive number of them.

    The “rank-n-file” employees that run the city of Davis do not get paid as much as others.

    Your blanket assessment as I said in the beginning has many flaws.

  48. frmer city engineer critic

    Former city engineer 8/19/08 8:04 PM –

    Some of your arguments are not correct. Well, as a blanket statement they are not correct.

    For example, you say that

    “…you have to produce to keep your job in the private sector and have to excel to move up. In the public sector very few people are paid more because they are more productive. They get higher and better salaries either by knowing someone or by just having their butts in their chairs longer than anyone else in the room.”

    I know a lot of people who work in the private sector and they work long, hard hours and often work overtime. It’s often the city, county, or state customers that are the critics, so they must “make the public happy.

    Second, you state, “You get paid if you take time off to take care of your kids or spouse or parents.”

    This is called Family Medical Leave (FMLA). There are certain provisions that must be adhered to. And, FMLA applies to the private sector as well. Perhaps your private sector employer did not inform you, but they are required to by law if they employ 50 or more people. You may Google: FMLA law or go the the Labor Dept. web site for more info. This law was passed under the Clinton administration, and it is a wonderful law! Many individuals were finding that their employers were simply firing them because they had to use sick leave to care for a child, parent, or themselves if they suffered from a condition of some sort. This was happening to people who worked hard, but had life take place and illnesses happen. FMLA was passed in 1994 under the Clinton administration and it was and to this day is wonderful.

    You go on to say that, “Because you are not rewarded for being productive, you almost never work really long hours. You can always count on coming into work at 8 or 9 in the morning, taking a full lunch break and leaving in the mid-afternoon.”

    As I previously mentioned, many people work through their lunch hours, even though they don’t have to, and work overtime an on projects as needed. I know some who work evening, and early mornings (6:00 am) just to get the work done that needs to be done.

    You add, “In the private sector, everyone in a professional position has long stretches, weeks, months or even years, when they have to come in early, stay late and pull all-nighters to meet strict deadlines.”

    This also happens in the public sector. I see it happen all of the time. People work very, very hard to meet tight deadlines.

    I think you totally miss the point of DPD’s article and that is that MANAGERS and mid-level MANAGERS are the ones that are part of the $100K club. And, there is an excessive number of them.

    The “rank-n-file” employees that run the city of Davis do not get paid as much as others.

    Your blanket assessment as I said in the beginning has many flaws.

  49. Former City Engineer

    Some of your arguments are not correct.

    Critic,

    I wrote from my own experience, having worked for 6 years in the public sector and almost 20 in the private, owning my own firm in a partnership.

    Unless you have worked in both sectors, you wouldn’t know.

    Also, you wrote “This is called Family Medical Leave (FMLA). There are certain provisions that must be adhered to. And, FMLA applies to the private sector as well. Perhaps your private sector employer did not inform you, but they are required to by law if they employ 50 or more people.”

    This doesn’t apply to me as I am self-employed and we have too few employees for it to count for them.

    However, when I worked for the city long before that law had been passed city employees were paid when they took time off for family matters. As a matter of decency, we have always allowed our clerical staff to take time off as needed to care for a sick child or whatever. But we would go out of business if a valuable employee of ours got pregnant, for example, and we had to pay her salary for 3 months while she did not do any work. Yet that is exactly what the city did when I worked for them.

    I am not trying to suggest that the city’s model of doing business is entirely or mostly wrong. I am saying that it is very different from the private sector where workers have much less security and are expected to produce or else.

  50. Former City Engineer

    Some of your arguments are not correct.

    Critic,

    I wrote from my own experience, having worked for 6 years in the public sector and almost 20 in the private, owning my own firm in a partnership.

    Unless you have worked in both sectors, you wouldn’t know.

    Also, you wrote “This is called Family Medical Leave (FMLA). There are certain provisions that must be adhered to. And, FMLA applies to the private sector as well. Perhaps your private sector employer did not inform you, but they are required to by law if they employ 50 or more people.”

    This doesn’t apply to me as I am self-employed and we have too few employees for it to count for them.

    However, when I worked for the city long before that law had been passed city employees were paid when they took time off for family matters. As a matter of decency, we have always allowed our clerical staff to take time off as needed to care for a sick child or whatever. But we would go out of business if a valuable employee of ours got pregnant, for example, and we had to pay her salary for 3 months while she did not do any work. Yet that is exactly what the city did when I worked for them.

    I am not trying to suggest that the city’s model of doing business is entirely or mostly wrong. I am saying that it is very different from the private sector where workers have much less security and are expected to produce or else.

  51. Former City Engineer

    Some of your arguments are not correct.

    Critic,

    I wrote from my own experience, having worked for 6 years in the public sector and almost 20 in the private, owning my own firm in a partnership.

    Unless you have worked in both sectors, you wouldn’t know.

    Also, you wrote “This is called Family Medical Leave (FMLA). There are certain provisions that must be adhered to. And, FMLA applies to the private sector as well. Perhaps your private sector employer did not inform you, but they are required to by law if they employ 50 or more people.”

    This doesn’t apply to me as I am self-employed and we have too few employees for it to count for them.

    However, when I worked for the city long before that law had been passed city employees were paid when they took time off for family matters. As a matter of decency, we have always allowed our clerical staff to take time off as needed to care for a sick child or whatever. But we would go out of business if a valuable employee of ours got pregnant, for example, and we had to pay her salary for 3 months while she did not do any work. Yet that is exactly what the city did when I worked for them.

    I am not trying to suggest that the city’s model of doing business is entirely or mostly wrong. I am saying that it is very different from the private sector where workers have much less security and are expected to produce or else.

  52. Former City Engineer

    Some of your arguments are not correct.

    Critic,

    I wrote from my own experience, having worked for 6 years in the public sector and almost 20 in the private, owning my own firm in a partnership.

    Unless you have worked in both sectors, you wouldn’t know.

    Also, you wrote “This is called Family Medical Leave (FMLA). There are certain provisions that must be adhered to. And, FMLA applies to the private sector as well. Perhaps your private sector employer did not inform you, but they are required to by law if they employ 50 or more people.”

    This doesn’t apply to me as I am self-employed and we have too few employees for it to count for them.

    However, when I worked for the city long before that law had been passed city employees were paid when they took time off for family matters. As a matter of decency, we have always allowed our clerical staff to take time off as needed to care for a sick child or whatever. But we would go out of business if a valuable employee of ours got pregnant, for example, and we had to pay her salary for 3 months while she did not do any work. Yet that is exactly what the city did when I worked for them.

    I am not trying to suggest that the city’s model of doing business is entirely or mostly wrong. I am saying that it is very different from the private sector where workers have much less security and are expected to produce or else.

Leave a Reply

X Close

Newsletter Sign-Up

X Close

Monthly Subscriber Sign-Up

Enter the maximum amount you want to pay each month
$ USD
Sign up for