Thursday, March 29, 2012

Phoenix City Employee pay raises & bonuses: $7,300 each $106 million total

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Pay raises & bonuses: $7,300 each
$106 million total 

Hot off the press:  New budget numbers* show actual pay raises and bonuses proposed for Phoenix government employees totaling $106.6 million, or an average of  $7,300 per person for 14,500 employees over two years. 
Question: What did you get? Did you get a $7,300 pay raise?  Is it fair for government employees to award themselves $106 million in a new pay package while the citizens continue to pay a regressive food tax and put up with fewer services for seniors, library patrons and after-school programs? 
The two-year package includes a pay raise, step increases and “longevity” pay (or automatic increases and bonuses): 
Pay raise                $48.9 million 
Merit increase        $25.1 million 
Longevity               $32.6  million 
Total                      $106.6 million 
Another factoid: The $106 million pay package is about  12 percent  of the current city’s base wage for this year of $885 million. Will your pay package come close to 12 percent? 
*See actual City of Phoenix Budget and Research Department numbers here.
As a personal note, I don't think the pay raise issue would bother me so much if it wasn't so blatantly disproportionate to what the taxpayers -- the ones paying the bills -- are getting in return.   
Just think, if just once the government unions had the good will to forego their coveted pay raises, the City of Phoenix could eliminate the food tax and restore programs for seniors and kids.  Just once, if the unions would think of somebody other than themselves, the public would see programs that mean so much to our seniors on fixed incomes and the thousands of children that were turned away from after-school programs and sent back to the streets.   
But, that simple and reasonable request doesn’t have a fighting chance against the overpowering sense of entitlement from government unions that consider themselves justified taking more at expense of those who are getting less. 
I fully understand that you are my boss and it is my responsibility to protect your interest and your interest only. 
My best to you and your family. 
Sincerely, 
Sal DiCiccio 
Phoenix City Councilman Sal DiCiccio represents District 6, which includes Ahwatukee, Arcadia, Biltmore, East Camelback and North Central. He can be reached at council.district.6@phoenix.gov (ask to receive his newsletter) or 602-262-7491.
*Any e-mail you send to council.district.6@phoenix.gov will be subject to the Arizona Open Records Law and may be reviewed by the Arizona Republic.









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