A $65,000 raise?! State workers outraged over Assembly pay boosts

[The Straight Story]

A $65,000 raise?! State workers outraged over Assembly pay boosts


SACRAMENTO, CA - California state employees are reacting bitterly to pay raises given to the staff of new Assembly Speaker John Perez.

The biggest raise went to the speaker's chief of staff Sara Ramirez, whose new salary of $190,008 represents a boost of nearly $65,000.

"It's frustrating," said Cal HFA employee Molly Ellis, who's among tens of thousands of state workers who've been forced to take furloughs. "That's great if she deserved a raise, but that raise was my whole salary," Ellis said.

"It's greedy," Linda Rivera, a Department of Public Health employee said.

A spokewoman for Perez defended the raises, pointing to the expanded duties of the speaker's office. In a prepared statement, spokeswoman Shannon Murphy said Perez remains committed to an overall 15 percent reduction in the Assembly's operating budget. Ramirez is now paid the same amount earned by her predecessor in the speaker's office.

http://www.news10.net/news/story.aspx?storyid=77462&catid=2

[LiberalFighter]

1. That is totally stupid.

I seriously doubt that anyone is worth $190,008 for that job.

[NYC_SKP]

2. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of teachers got pink slips this week.

22,000 slips yesterday alone.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/pinoy-migration/03/17/10/thousands-california-teachers-faculty-face-lay-offs

Many will not actually lose their jobs, but it's shocking nonetheless.

:patriot:

[Hippo_Tron]

3. Nancy Pelosi's Chief of Staff doesn't make that much, I guarantee you

Kind of absurd that the Chief of Staff to the Speaker of a state legislature would.

[awoke_in_2003]

4. Wow...

I make a hair under $65 a year- must be nice. Isn't Cali having budget problems? These people (politicians) do not live in our reality.

[warm regards]

5. It's just money, who's keeping score?

Seriously, it's clear to me why California has budgetary issues.