Ann Coulter: SIX-FIGURE BUS DRIVERS AND OTHER WORKING-CLASS HEROES (W/ Splendiferous Benefits)

AnnCoulter.Com ^ | March 9, 2011 | Ann Coulter

[Syncro]

SIX-FIGURE BUS DRIVERS AND OTHER WORKING-CLASS HEROES
March 9, 2011

Can we stop acting as if people who work for the government are the heroes of working people?

Fine, we understand that Wisconsin public sector employees like the system that pays them an average of $76,500 per year, with splendiferous benefits, and are fighting like wildcats against any proposed reforms to that system.

But it's madness to keep treating people who are promoting their own self-interest as if they are James Meredith walking into the University of Mississippi.

This isn't how we usually view people fighting for their own economic interests.

When Wall Street opposes financial reforms or a tobacco company opposes new cigarette taxes, no one hails them as "working men and women" who "deserve a decent pay and decent retirement." We're not told Wall Street has a "fundamental right" not to be regulated, or tobacco companies promoting their own interests are just trying to "help working people and middle-class people retain a good job in America." People on the other side of the issue aren't said to be "just trying to kick the other guy in the shin and exterminate him."

And yet all that was said by the Democratic governor of Illinois, Pat Quinn, on MSNBC's "Hardball" last week, about government workers fighting to preserve their own Alex Rodriguez-like employment contracts.

Yes, we understand that public sector employees got themselves terrific overtime, holiday, pension and health care deals through buying politicians with their votes and campaign money. But now, responsible elected officials in Wisconsin are trying to balance the budget.

MSNBC is covering the fight in Wisconsin as if it's the 9/11 attack -- and the Republicans are al-Qaida. Its entire prime-time schedule is dedicated to portraying self- interested government employees as if they're Marines taking on the Taliban. The network's Ed Schultz bellows that it is "morally wrong" to oppose the demands of government employees.

Yes, and I guess pornographers are noble when they launch a full-scale offensive against obscenity laws.

Public sector workers are pursuing their own narrow financial interests to the detriment of everyone else in their states. That's fine, but can we stop pretending it's virtuous?

Because of the insane union contracts in Wisconsin, one Madison bus driver, John E. Nelson, was able to make $159,000 in 2009 -- about $100,000 of which in overtime pay. Jackie Gleason didn't make that much playing bus driver Ralph Kramden on "The Honeymooners." Seven bus drivers took home more than $100,000 that year.

Read more at AnnCoulter.Com

[B4Ranch]

No, what they probably did was saved their last two years vacation and sick pay. That would get added to their last years wages. Possibly an extra three months wages.

[mo]

“Public servant” does NOT equal “Taxpayer Slaver”...yet anyway

[muawiyah]

Your generalities are entirely too general. NO ONE adheres that tightly to any ideological standard.

We've all met surly cashiers in a myriad of private stores. Surveys repeatedly show that USPS letter carriers are among the most respected people in the country ~ certainly FAR HIGHER than politicians, lawyers, and news media types.

BTW, the news media are, in general, private sector A**H*L*S

[kindred]

[Because of the insane union contracts in Wisconsin, one Madison bus driver, John E. Nelson, was able to make $159,000 in 2009 — about $100,000 of which in overtime pay.]

This is the result of the insanity of collective bargaining which benefits only government unions and democrat re-election campaigns.
Ann has got it right.

[Alberta's Child]

Good point, but I think those FMCSA regulations only apply to commercial drivers who operate vehicles across state lines. I may be wrong about this, but that’s the way I always understood those regulations.

[nascarnation]

Well done, you beat me to it.
The first thing I thought of is no way can somebody with a CDL/Public Passenger endorsement legally drive that many hours.

[Vendome]

There is an epidemic of Public employees looting the taxpayer.

I am still looking for the latest statistics on what teachers are paid here in the Bay Area but the Average is $97,000 before benefits, 3 months off, Med/Dent and their retirement plans, which are paid IN FULL by the taxpaying citizens.

 

 

Nationwide we are paying fealty and bowing in adoration to our public employees as they demand, each year, a larger share of the taxpayer wallet!

For instance, here in San Jose, CA our public employees have the most generous pay and benefits package, probably compared to anywhere.

At least that is the way it feels after looking at the numbers:

We employ approximately 945 people in the Fire Department

Of those employees there are 675 Firemen, that’s firemen, who earn in excess of $100,000 per year.

The city and that should really read “The Taxpayer” pays for their Medical / Dental to the tune of about $14,287 Dollarino’s!
The taxpayer further kicks in another $30,000 to $60,000 for their retirement package.

So let’s take a fire fighter who earns only $125,000(approx) and add in the Medical/Dental of about $14,287(which comes out of the tax payers wallet) and add in the taxpayer contribution to their retirement of say $37,000.

That fire fighter actually makes:

$125,000 (Salary approx)
$14,287 (Medical/Dental)
$37,000 (retirement)
$176,287 per year! Total compensation

Oh! And he gets something called “Other Cash Compensation” of around $14,000 bringing his real wage to $190,287! Per Year!

So let’s take a fire fighter who earns only $150,000(approx) and add in the Medical/Dental of about $14,287(which comes out of the tax payers wallet) and add in the taxpayer contribution to their retirement of say $37,000.

That fire fighter actually makes:
$150,000 (Salary approx)
$14,287 (Medical/Dental)
$40,000 (retirement)
$204,287 per year! Total compensation

Oh! And he gets something called “Other Cash Compensation” of around $14,000 bringing his real wage to $249,287! Per Year!

Look at those figures again.

There are approximately 945 employees in the Fire Department and of those 675 have a total compensation of at least $176,287 per year! That’s at least 2/3rds of their department making easily more than 3 times what the average citizen makes here in San Jose.

Firefighters, on average, earn more than twice the median income of a typical San Jose resident ($66,000 approx.)

By the way, those 675 firefighters earn more than our Mayor!

Now let’s look at the San Jose Police Department

We employ approximately 2,010 people in the Police Department

Of those employees there are 1,215 Policemen, that’s Policemen, who earn in excess of $100,000 per year.

The city and that should really read “The Taxpayer” pays for their Medical / Dental to the tune of about $14,287 Dollarino’s!
The taxpayer further kicks in another $30,000 to $40,000 for their retirement package.

So let’s take a Police Officer who earns only $125,000(approx) and add in the Medical/Dental of about $14,287(which comes out of the tax payers wallet) and add in the taxpayer contribution to their retirement of say $37,000.

That Police Officer actually makes:
$125,000 (Salary approx)
$14,287 (Medical/Dental)
$37,000 (retirement)
$176,287 per year! Total compensation

Oh! And he gets something called “Other Cash Compensation” of around $14,000 bringing his real wage to $190,287! Per Year!

So let’s take a Police Officer who earns only $150,000(approx) and add in the Medical/Dental of about $14,287(which comes out of the tax payers wallet) and add in the taxpayer contribution to their retirement of say $37,000.

That Police Officer actually makes:
$150,000 (Salary approx)
$14,287 (Medical/Dental)
$40,000 (retirement)
$204,287 per year! Total compensation

Oh! And he gets something called “Other Cash Compensation” of around $14,000 bringing his real wage to $249,287! Per Year!

Look at those figures again.

There are approximately 2,010 employees in the Police Department and of those 1,215 have a total compensation of at least $176,287 per year! That’s at least 2/3rds of their department making easily more than 3 times what the average citizen makes here in San Jose.(That number holds true if you factor in 225 jobs are most likely part time and earn less than $10,000 per year such as “Cross Guards, radio dispatch, etc. even they get some sort of “Other Cash Compensation”.

Police Officers, on average, earn more than twice the median income of a typical San Jose resident($66,000 approx.)

Oh! And did I mention that 1,215 Police Officers earn more than our Mayor!


So for Public Safety we have some 1,890 employees earning at least 3 times more than the average citizen of San Jose and even more than our terrific Mayor, Chuck Reed!




Heck, we even have Librarians earning more than $100k per year with one who makes a fabulous $223K!

And check this out. We kick in the following for her grand salary:

Sick and Vacation Payouts *** Other Cash Compensation Deferred Compensation City Paid City Paid Medical / Dental City Paid Retirement Contribution
$12,420 $4,200 $0 $6,246 $52,681 $75,547


That means she actually made some $298,000(approx) Last Year!

A Fr ic kin Librarian? Really?

If I look at jobs such as Air Conditioning Mechanic or Network Engineer their wages are typical of a private sector job except for their benefits package, which they would never earn in a private job.

And dang if a Street Sweeper doesn’t earn some $85,000 in total compensation.

How in the heck is this fair?

Don’t forget, if you retire from the Police/Fire Department you are paid 90% of your 3 highest earning years.

All you do is put in a tremendous amount of overtime your last three years, bringing your total earnings to about $200,000 and you can retire with $180,000 per year for the rest of your life! Oh and you get to keep your Gold Plated Mecical/Dental plan Grati and you can buy good and services all around the country for less than your private sector neighbors can.

Ain’t it great!

Makes me think I should have gone on to become a LEO and I could retire in just a couple of years, print some business cards and hand them out at parties when people ask me what I do for a living.

Who in the private sector can retire at 50 years old with a $180k a year guaranteed check and then pretend to be in business or have that for a safety net if you actually do something?

 

Think about this:

If an Officer or Fireman retires at the age of 50 he can be expected to live til at least 70 if not 80 years old and beyond.  At that rate for 20 years of retirement the taxpayer will hand the retiree some $2,000,000 for 20 years of retirement and over $3.5 million for 30 years of retirement!

 

Doesn't that strike anyone as just plain unfair and outrageous!?

 

And get this, due to collective bargaining all other departments have similar retirement packages.

 

Now multiply those numbers time the current amount of retirees and then start adding more retirees every year and the numbers are astounding!

 

We simply cannot continue to pay government workers, at all levels, these lucrative retirement packages and nearly free Medical services.

And don’t any of you get cute about the whole thing. I personally know off the top of my head 10 former LEO who have some weird business, supposedly and they are only a few years older than me.

Wanna confirm my numbers above? Well then click thee to this website, the City of San Jose 2010 Employees Salaries:
http://www.sanjoseca.gov/salary/Default.aspx

 

At some point it comes down to this:

 

How much more will the taxpayer continue to put up with the evergrowing pressure on their finances to support an over compensated public employee and still be expected to finance their lavish retirement packages?

[Tallguy]

You can bet that over 90% of the overtime hours are being worked by those about to retire!

"Babysitting" construction zones on the PA Turnpike.

[Fedupwithit]

Someone is posting Ann's column, and not following the rules...

Where's the pic!!!??!!

: )

[Matchett-PI]

“Public sector workers promote their own economic self interest at the expense of others’ interests” ~ distressed

bttt

Re: GOVERNMENT (Public Sector) Unions

This will make your blood boil.

A Disability Epidemic Among a Railroad’s Retirees
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/21/nyregion/21lirr.html?_r=1

[Matchett-PI]

bttt big time!

[Matchett-PI]

Go Ann!!

[GOPJ]

MSNBC is covering the fight in Wisconsin as if it's the 9/11 attack -- and the Republicans are al-Qaida. Its entire prime-time schedule is dedicated to portraying self- interested government employees as if they're Marines taking on the Taliban. The network's Ed Schultz bellows that it is "morally wrong" to oppose the demands of government employees.

Yes, and I guess pornographers are noble when they launch a full-scale offensive against obscenity laws.

Ann thinks she's kidding about the dems making 'pornographers' out as nobel - but that's what they did with Larry Flynt - tried to make him out as some kind of first ammendment hero. Liberals are so full of it, their eyes are brown...

[stockpirate]

Just watched Ann on Hannity, she is starting to appear to me that she is loosing it totally. When asked about what just happened in WI this evening concerning the unions. Ann go in to a rant berating Walker and WI republicans and inserts Chris Cristie from NJ and singing “How Great Thou Art” Chris. I mean she attacked WI republicans including the gov, and I mean attacked while she plugged her new found obsession.

She also said republicans have to...

In other words we need to do what she is telling us what to do. At least that’s how it came across.

[stockpirate]

I’m a crank too, so I’ve lost respect for her rants.

[stockpirate]

With Ann’s support of RINO Chris Cristie of NJ I think you will soon be eating your words. You should have seen her embarrass herself on hannity tonight over the fat rino from NJ.

[hosepipe]

Coulter is impressed by the first person to come out and b!tch SLAPP the Teachers Union(s)..
I am impressed as well.. sure he is a RINO...(prolly)..
But for New Jersey you don't get much better.. so FAR.
I think thats where Coulter is coming from..

Hes not running(Prez) but She(Coulter) is HIGHLIGHTING the CHutzpa..
Built a fire under Scott Walker(Wis).. and several other States as well..
So hes a RINO.. he uses his mouth real good.. needs credit for that..

Could be Christie may cause some other RINOs to have a Jesus moment..
Sure it would be a fake conversion.. but so what if they vote right..
We could hang the turncoat bastard(s) later..

[cookcounty]

"Because of the insane union contracts in Wisconsin, one Madison bus driver, John E. Nelson, was able to make $159,000 in 2009 -- about $100,000 of which in overtime pay. "

It is ILLEGAL for a driver to work more than 60 hours a week, so HOW does the guy get $100,000 in overtime?

Drivers are PERSONALLY responsible for keeping their hours under 60 max per week, and can be fined and even JAILED for intentionally going over. So what gives???????

[cookcounty]

"violating FMCSA 395.5"

and please note those hours-limits are regarding "hours on duty" not necessarily driving.

The driver himself should be fined, and probably fired for endangering the public, the School District fined, the supervisor of this driver should be immediately canned.

------- That's what happens in the private sector, where you are expected to be a grown-up.

Ex-FedEx driver.

[jellybean]

It's ludicrous to suggest that these union contracts were fairly bargained. Only one side was at the negotiating table. Ordinary people with jobs were not at the meetings where public sector compensation was discussed.

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