Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Get a Government Job

If any of you have kids who come to you and say, Mom, Dad, I don’t know what I want to be when I grow up—or they are in college and looking for a profession, be sure to tell them to get a skill and work for government—any government--and don't forget, join the Union.

It used to be thought, decades ago, that working for private enterprise offered the best and most lucrative employment packages for the average worker. That was not necessarily the case then and it certainly is not true today.

Back in 1975 when Bruce Pelly, Director of the Palm Beach County Airports, began his employment with the County, he was making $5 an hour. The minimum hourly wage then was $2.10. Mr. Pelly made the right decision for his future, considering now he will get the following and still come back to work in his $197,000 a year position with all the benefits:

  • $304,000 in lump sum payout from State Pension Plan
  • $80,461 in unused vacation and sick days
  • $70,968 a year in State retirement income until he dies

He won’t be a monetary burden to his family in his golden years, just to taxpayers still picking up the tab. So, parents, be sure to encourage your kids to get a government job, maybe even the City of Lake Worth, a city that is in a financial bind thanks to the Unions negotiating policies favorable to its members rather than considering the municipality that pays the bills.

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