Posted on 02/27/2011 5:51:19 AM PST by Miss_Meyet
Barbara Hansen made $114,815 in 2010 as general manager of Detroit Transportation Corporation. DTC exists to operate the Detroit People Mover, the municipal rail system that serves downtown Detroit.
Hansen also received a $14,696 pension contribution made by her employer last year. It is a benefit DTC employees get that far exceeds the private sector. The DTC contributes 12.8 percent of W-2 wages for employees’ pensions, more than double the payment made to a typical private sector employee with a retirement benefit.
“That’s not where you want to be,” said Rick Dreyfuss, a pension expert and adjunct scholar at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy. “That wouldn’t be sustainable in the long term.”
(Excerpt) Read more at michigancapitolconfidential.com ...
I'm in and out today, but will respond eventually.
Once again, you guys rock!
Good article:
Public employee unions needed? Or harmful?
February 22nd, 2011,by Mark Landsbaum
The hubbub in Wisconsin may end up visiting California soon, considering that we have lots of powerful public unions and fiscal calamity. (Notice how those go hand in hand?)
& poll for freeping:
Government workers should have
* it no better than anyone else
* civil service protection
* collective bargaining
* luxurious health and pension benefits
* #s 2, 3 and 4
http://orangepunch.ocregister.com/2011/02/22/public-employee-unions-needed-or-harmful/41511/
Pigs at the public trough.
If you want a reason to not put in light rail, just look at the people mover....how many people does it actually move, and at what cost per person?????
This kind of malfeasance is everywhere...at every level of government. We have been duped into being serfs for the so-called “public servants”. Stop slopping their trough. These “public pigs” need brought to reality. THERE IS NO MONEY FOR THIS! Help starve them any way you can. Stop spending...Limit the use of toll roads...Move away from high taxation locales...Vote against bond issues...anything you can do to starve the beast.
The people mover moves “public servants” into cushy retirements, mainly.
It’s happening in the Twin Cities.
Anyone surprised ?
“The operating expense to move the average rider one mile on the People Mover was $4.28. “
LOL...I love mass transit...LOL
New York City taxi rate: $2.50 to start, then $2.00 per mile. A tiny bit (I think) for more than one passenger.
Thanks very much, KeyLargo.
Naturally, my vote would be “Government workers should have it no better than anyone else”
Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner!
BTW, one of my friends always calls it "The Mugger Mover"
Only because I always laugh when I hear it.
Preaching to the choir, hal ogen. My fondest hope is that the people who need to understand the unhappy reality of this situation will eventually do so.
LOL...I love mass transit...LOL
New York City taxi rate: $2.50 to start, then $2.00 per mile. A tiny bit (I think) for more than one passenger.
Laughing, too.
The last time I actually rode the People Mover the fare was something like 50 or 75 cents.
Great summary!
The company I work for (Fortune 500) ceased its contribution to my 401k three years ago. This was a business decision that had to be made.
Was I happy about that? No.
Do I understand the rationale? Yes.
The corporation has maintained profitability and paid us an unexpected bonus in December plus profit sharing this month. Our separate pension plan is solid.
This is how the world works. This is why Detroit does not work.
Nice post. Thanks
Was I happy about that? No.
Do I understand the rationale? Yes.
The corporation has maintained profitability and paid us an unexpected bonus in December plus profit sharing this month. Our separate pension plan is solid.
This is how the world works. This is why Detroit does not work.
Nice post. Thanks.
You are welcome. Thanks for your succinct summation of the problem.
I wonder how many people are employed to operate and maintain the People mover? I’ve ridden it and can’t see how it would require more than about 10 full time employees to run and 5 would probably be closer to efficient.
Its basically a slot car track just under 3 miles in length. I can think of smaller cities where it might make sense if run efficiently but in Detroit it’s little more than a tour of empty downtown buildings.
The Left doesn't understand the concept of a business decision - the corporations or taxpayers are just "being greedy" and unwilling to kick in "their fair share".
I used to work for a small, private firm with exceptionally generous pension benefits - 25% of salary per year up to the statutory limit of $40K. They also paid 100% of health benefits - no employee contribution required at all. Salaries and bonuses might have been slightly lower for the star performers than at some of their peer companies , but I never felt underpaid in my role. Even after this firm was bought by a much larger company they remained independently managed, so these benefits continued for some years after the acquisition. Eventually, however, the world changed, and the 2008 financial crisis was the last straw. The firm has now been essentially folded into the larger company - the name remains, but its essential operations have been transferred away to the larger company's headquarters. The gold-plated benefits are gone, as are all of the top people.
This company was damaged by being too ethical in a world where its competitors would tell any lie they had to to retain market share. They thought the economy would always be like the Reagan years, and all they had to do was manage accordingly. They grew complacent, and perhaps a little lazy. But the sharks were circling.
The point is - the world changes. Public employees, with their fear-driven cries for guaranteed privileges and preferences and public dollars are as sheltered in this economy as little children. Reality will eventually take hold. Whether this government survives and grows up and says "no" or it collapses...and the tyranny that follows simply lines excess public employees up against a wall and shoots them, they are going to lose those benefits and privileges. History has not been kind to workers who grew this fat and complacent.
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