Without overpaying employees, Maryland would have a surplus
One of the reasons state and local governments say they cannot achieve productivity increases comparable to the private sector is that government jobs depend on sheer manpower, and are not amenable to productivity increases.For that reason, pay and benefits account for80 percent of their budgets. But we know from studies and numerous examples, such as those cited by the governor of New Jersey recently, that due to their lavish benefits, state and local government officials are overpaid by 42 percent for the same jobs skills and responsibilities. Maryland (and Montgomery County) would have a 30 percent budget surplus now – and tax cuts would be planned instead of handwringing warnings of job-killing tax increases to come – if they had put employees’ pay and benefits in line with the private sector. This obviously is something the big spenders who control these governments do not want taxpayers to know. A largely feckless journalistic community (The Examiner is the exception) enables them to keep this hidden from the public. Richard C. Kreutzberg
Recommended Stories
Chevy Chase
Obama has no desire to compromise with Republicans
Re: “Republicans setting strategy for Obama’s health summit,” Feb. 19
Every religion needs a devil. For liberal ideologues like President Obama, the Republican Party is that devil.How else do you explain the demonization of its standard-bearers like Sarah Palin, Dick Cheney or the late Ronald Reagan? Upon assuming power, Democrats surveyed the political landscape and decided they had a mandate and a sufficient majority to forgo working with congressional Republicans.Why compromise with evil? Obama is no pragmatist; he is the most ideological president in memory. On many of the president’s signature issues, compromising with Republicans would be the moral equivalent of a pro-life politician voting to support abortion.A rigid ideologue with beliefs that are anathema to traditionalAmerica, Obama will avoid bipartisanship when it goes against his liberal convictions. Thomas M. Beattie
Mt. Vernon
My Medicare payments have almost doubled this year
Re: “HHS warns of massive spike in health insurance premiums,” Feb. 19
Kathleen Sebelius, our illustrious Secretary of Health and Human Services, speaks easily about the increases in health insurance coming from private insurers, adding that the government will reduce those costs in its new plans. What she doesn’t talk about is how my own out-of-pocket-direct premiums for Medicare almost doubled at the beginning of 2010. I went from $385 to $760 per period even though I am still in the same job, and have not received any kind of raise or position change in between payments. Because I am still working, I also have to pay Medicare out of my paycheck via a deduction every two weeks, just as my wife does. (She does not receive Medicare – we pay for private insurance for her). Medicare payments also come out of my pension from 23 years of military service. That is four – count ’em – four payments from my pocket to Medicare. And I am supposed to believe that this new government health care program will be any better after a $500 billion cutback? I don’t think so! Bill Johnson
Annandale
