The $100,000 question: How much pay is too much for a federal employee?

[The Straight Story]

The $100,000 question: How much pay is too much for a federal employee?

As federal employee pay becomes a hot-button political issue, employee groups and analysts say focusing solely on salary figures ignores issues like the federal classification system and the importance of the work civil servants do.

In recent days, Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, requested that a number of federal agencies report to him on how many of their employees make $100,000 or more, and whether those numbers have increased in recent years. And USA Today, using Bureau of Labor Statistics data, reported on Friday that for 216 jobs for which there was both public and private sector pay data, 180 of those positions had higher average salaries in the federal government.

But observers said those numbers and calculations did not take into account many factors that determine federal pay.


Matt Biggs, legislative director of the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, called Barton's $100,000 threshold "arbitrary," adding, "that number is more about grabbing press headlines and not so much based on rhyme or reason."

John Palguta, vice president for policy at the nonprofit Partnership for Public Service, said the $100,000 figure "sounds like a lot of money to folks who are making less than that," but noted that in a workforce of 2.1 million civilian federal employees, the number of employees with salaries at that level is small.

http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=44739&sid=59

[On the Road]

1. For Middle-Management Positions in Business,

$100k is a decent salary, but not exorbitant.

Of course the number of $100k positions is growing. Even with modest cost-of-living increases, inflation alone will cause the number to grow each year.

Barton might have a point, but he's got to go about proving a more sophisticated way.

[Happy Hippy]

2. I'll just take this seat right here...

:popcorn:

[endless october]

3. how much is too much for a Wall Street exec?

why am i supposed to be pissed that someone makes a living wage in a government job?

i'm not pissed about that.

although i am pissed that members of congress who vote against a public option have public health care themselves.

[leftstreet]

10. +1

[babylonsister]

4. And I think we should seriously question Barton's salary and

whether he earns it-I suspect not.

[Mike 03]

5. I have no clue. Me, personally, I would pay them based on how responsive and polite they are.

When I was seeking files and documents from the DA in Los Angeles, it was nothing but a nightmare. They were falling asleep on the job or charging me ludicrous amounts to Xerox one page of a file.

But I know there are great Federal Employees too--I just have not seen them personally other than in courts of law.

[Stinky The Clown]

6. "that number is more about grabbing press headlines and not so much based on rhyme or reason."

Yup. That's the truth. Bet on it.

[Bluzmann57]

7. How about if our Reps make $1.00?

One dollar a year. They are supposed to work for us, not the other way around and so they should never ever vote against raises for any public or private sector working stiff. Same with Senators. Usually they have enough money anyway. We don't. So give us the money and do your damn jobs.

[MerryBlooms]

16. Campaign finance reform is the key

Especially with the Congress. They're basically forced to legislate and campaign non-stop. It's hella ugly, as we've seen.

Yes, they're supposed to work for us, but they're not our slaves. In good conscience, we are obligated to pay them a living wage. Part of that wage for federal elected officials includes dual residences - have you ever tried living in two places? Cripes, it's a huge expense and pain in the arse. Campaign finance reform would solve a lot. We ask them to give up their pre-elected personal lives and careers to do the , I don't think we should require them to do it for free.

[Newsjock]

8. Rep. Joe Barton, sir,

How much do YOU make?

http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/uscongress/a/congresspay.htm
The current salary (2010) for rank-and-file members of the House and Senate is $174,000 per year.

So, Rep. Joe Barton, sir, shut your trap, sir. Thank you.

And, Rep. Joe Barton, sir, do you have any staff members who make more than $100,000 per year?
http://www.legistorm.com/member/116/Rep_Joe_Barton/66.html

Displaying salaries for time period: 10/01/09 - 12/31/09
Gillespie, Linda Jean 10/01/09 12/31/09 Deputy Chief of Staff $30,997.00
Wright, Ron 10/01/09 12/31/09 Chief of Staff $34,687.51

So, Rep. Joe Barton, sir, I say again, sir, kindly shut your trap, sir. Thank you.

[RedCloud]

9. How many military and spy types make more than 100K and some without taxes?

Aye, THAT's the rub.

[mrdmk]

11. So much for investigating CEO's pay on Wall Street

or the fact that investors vote down of a CEO's bonus, but they get that bonus anyways. Not to mention they get to walk away while giving the public the finger...

This country is a joke.

[RC]

12. Up until bu$h the lesser was installed, government employees were making less than

their equivalent in the private sector. In other words government salaries stayed the same (+2% a year) while in the private sector salaries went down substantially as businesses "Right Sized" and hired new people at far reduced salaries to replace those they let go, for the same jobs.

The problem isn't over paid government employees, the problem is under paid private sector employees, compared to 10 years ago.
Don't forget to look at the salary increases of management of these companies during this same time period. Triple digit increases in far too many cases.

[ThomWV]

13. Don't you know Republican horseshit when you see it?

To start with very few Federal Employees make $100,000 or more - very few indeed. Most Federal Employees are grossly underpaid by civilian standards, and the benefits package is no better than large companies provide to lure good employees either.

Now, the big money Federal Employees, the SES grade folks. Every one of those positions is filled only at the approval of Congress. So its silly to ask Agencies to report to Congress a list of the names of those people who Congress had to approve to be on the list in the first place.

[Go2Peace]

14. Yep, there is so much framing even our side gets caught up in it. We hurt ourselves that way.

[annabanana]

15. +1... BIGTIME. . . . . . . n/t

[GoCubsGo]

18. The real sad thing is....

Federal employees make big bucks compared to what their state counterparts make. Here in South Carolina, most state employees make dirt wages. I think that is what Barton is aiming at for federal employees, too. Except for himself, of course.

It's amazing to me that anyone would want to be a federal employee the way these fucks demonize them.

[HopeHoops]

17. Whatever US Senators make.

They certainly aren't earning it so why pay them?