Good Work If You Can Get It . . .
You've probably heard the story about Babe Ruth responding to a reporter's question, back in 1930, as to how he justified the $80,000 he made, wearing pinstripes, vs. the $75,000 earned the same year by the President of the United States.
Said the Bambino: "I had a better year."
It turns out at least 9 Californians had a better 2010 than President Obama.
According to published reports, they made more in salary than the Commander-in-Chief -- far more, in fact: $500,000-and-beyond vs. Obama's $400,000 . . . simply for the pleasure of working for the State of California.
Per this morning's San Francisco Chronicle:
[M]ore than 500 state employees made more than $240,000 before taxes in 2010 . . .
. . . At least nine state workers made more than $500,000 last year - most of them prison doctors and other medical staff. The top 10 earners, combined, collected more than $5.8 million in 2010.
The top earners in California state employee ranks: two doctors, a dentist and a psychologist, all working for the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation . . . all got paid salaries ranging from $777,323 to $582,609.
They were followed by the chief risk officer for the State Compensation Insurance Fund, California's largest provider of workers' compensation, who pulled down a nifty $561,072.
Click here if you want to peruse the salaries for all 160 departments and 256,222 state workers.
What do you think this says about the State of California's priorities and discipline -- or lack thereof?
Then again, maybe the world's upside down: after all, we live in an age when Sarah Jessica Parker and Jennifer Aniston apparently are thrice the worth of Meryl Streep . . .
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Comments :
Dec '10
Re: Good Work If You Can Get It . . .
This is the same prison medical system that is so bad it was found to be constitutionally deficient and resulted in a court-appointed receiver running the whole system, and a court order that tens of thousands of convicts be released.
Edited on Jul 6, 2011 at 11:13amJan '11
Re: Good Work If You Can Get It . . .
I'm still trying to figure out why Cameron Diaz is popular at all.
Dec '10
Re: Good Work If You Can Get It . . .
I live in Florida, apparently the only state where there is no employee contribution to the pension plan, (from what I have read). My fiance now has to begin contributing 3% of her salary to the same and is furious, because she makes a wage that is perceived as low, and now has to start paying into the only reason she put up with this regime.However, our conversations have changed, of late. She no longer spends nearly as much time moaning about her fellow, less worthy, employees. If they come in to work, then sleep for the rest of the day, she no longer complains as much. It's just not right that she and her fellow employees have to contribute 3% towards their pensions and benefits!
Jun '10
Re: Good Work If You Can Get It . . .
Good for the Babe. He was not only a great ballplayer but a great commedian as well even with all of them out of work.
Nov '10
Re: Good Work If You Can Get It . . .
Bill Whalen;
You've probably heard the story about Babe Ruth responding to a reporter's question, back in 1930, as to how he justified the $80,000 he made, wearing pinstripes, vs. the $75,000 earned the same year by the President of the United States.
That neatly sums up the difference between the public and private sector.
Michael Jordan made billions on and off the court because he created revenue for both NBA owners and corporate sponsors. Politicians, on the other hand, do little more than spend my money recklessly on programs that actually work against my best interests.
May '10
Re: Good Work If You Can Get It . . .
We Californians have been out in the sun way too long. We spend half the state's revenues on public education, and we are next to last in achievement. We declare our cities to be sanctuaries, and we are overrun by the needy poor of Mexico. We pay some of the highest income, property, and sales taxes in the nation with a crumbling state to show for it. We keep voting for Democrats who promise the moon and stars to public employees but have no way to pay the astronomical bill.
But, through all that, we don't do the "dance of the low-sloping foreheads" like the dolts in the "middle places." Ain't we great? Ain't we smart?
I'm hoping to join the low-slopers in the middle places someday.
Jul '10
Re: Good Work If You Can Get It . . .
Bill Whalen
The top earners in California state employee ranks: two doctors, a dentist and a psychologist, all working for the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation . . . all got paid salaries ranging from $777,323 to $582,609.
So four folks working for the Cali corrections department made more than $2.5 million combined, and all of them are paid to help the crooks?
I'm pretty sure facts like these cause aneurysms.