Actually there’s a very real, hidden cost that needs to be factored into the cost of a government “worker”. That would be the cost of contractors that, IN MANY CASES, do the work that government employees should be doing. So in effect, the taxpayer is often paying twice for the same job.
Government managers often find it easier to “task” a contractor to do something because their own people either don’t have the skill or lack the dedication to get the work done. This is in many instances a reality within the government environment. The written contracts are not supposed to allow this, but it happens all the time. Its one of those things that people just wink at.
Point well made!
The biggest costs of government workers (that is really taking a toll here in NJ) are their retirement costs; we have no money left for current services because current revenue is siphoned off by the costs of people who retired decades ago.
A former cop I know just passed away; he worked 25 years, and was collecting a pension of $72K (when he retired he was making $111K). He retired years ago, and died in his early sixties. He had the gall to complain that he didn’t receive social security (because of their retirement plan - he admitted they didn’t pay into it)...