Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Pensions a ticking timebomb?

From the NY Post:

The price of providing state workers with generous pensions and gold-plated health plans could reach a mind-boggling $7.9 billion by 2012 -- a 42 percent increase over the current tab, state budget documents show.

The Paterson administration expects the cost of providing benefits to the average state employee will equal 62 percent of their salary within three years, according to Budget Division estimates.

That's up from 44 percent now and about double typical rates in the private sector.

Today, the average state worker costs taxpayers about $91,724, including $63,750 for wages, plus $27,974 for pensions, health care and other goodies.

The average cost of pay and benefits could balloon to $114,000 a year if trends continue through 2012, according to a Post analysis of the data. Perks alone would cost $43,000.

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

The NYPOST has had a pension bug up it's wazoo for quite a while :-(
The NYC pension load is no heavier than any other large American city.

Those benefits were given in lieu of pay raises years ago.

The union guys delivering this rag should throw it in the river ;-)

Anonymous said...

Overpaid losers.

Anonymous said...

Jealous loser........

Anonymous said...

the TEA PARTY patriots will put a stop to this abuse of the private sector eventually after 2010.

the "PROGRESSIVE"union predators will lose their power along with their chosen tweeders.

is CHUCKIE in a panic over the vote in Ma ?

Anonymous said...

It's time to actually scale back pensions, salaries and perks of NYS employees.

The abuses of some of the politically appointed folks are legendary including their salaries in various semi-autonomous agencies in NYS. These practices of appointees are a disgrace.

Anonymous said...

Unions are killing this city. Municipal union workers are paid higher salaries than private sector workers AND they get these exorbitant pensions.

Anonymous said...

City employees make more than private sector? Lawyers make about $65K, Accountants make $50K if they are lucky, Buyers make $44K, and Deputy Commissioners make only $169K. In big companies Deputy Comm like ersponsibility would pay $300K+, and the other mentioned make 50% more, at least.

But the pensions are fabulous, that is why they accept the crappy pay, like Dave ramsey says, "Live like no one else would so later you can live like no one else would"

The big problem is using the workforce efficiently and stopping Bloomberg from making it bigger and filling it with cronies.

Anonymous said...

City employees make more than private sector? Lawyers make about $65K, Accountants make $50K if they are lucky, Buyers make $44K, and Deputy Commissioners make only $169K. In big companies Deputy Comm like ersponsibility would pay $300K+, and the other mentioned make 50% more, at least.

---

Sure, but in the private sector, you don't get to take an hour for lunch. You don't get breaks throughout the day. You don't go home at 4:45pm. and you don't show up for work at 9:15am unless you want to keep your job. You don't get all federal holidays off. You don't always get weekends and evenings off. You don't get as much vacation time, personal days, sick days. You don't get such a great heath care plan and you contribute more toward what little you do get. You are not protected from layoffs. You are not protected from salary cuts. Unless you are lucky you don't get benefits like on site day care. You don't get a pension, you contribute to your own 401K. Your performance means something, seniority menas nothing.

So tell me again what makes them so special.

Anonymous said...

The public and private sector each have their benefits and drawbacks. The solution is to fight it out on the bottom rungs of the ladder while Bloomberg laughs

Lino-Realist said...

" Anonymous said...
the TEA PARTY patriots will put a stop to this abuse of the private sector eventually after 2010."

Ahh there we go...the fearsome "tea party"-morons.

Listen Watson, those contracts commonplace throughout -all- municipalities. Some may look cheaper but that is mostly based on geographic COL.

Reality: those sorts of provisions have been negotiated by governmants over decades -including your precious Nixon/Reagan/Bush eras.

Nothing will change.

Anonymous said...

From above: City employees make more than private sector? Lawyers make about $65K, Accountants make $50K if they are lucky, Buyers make $44K, and Deputy Commissioners make only $169K.

You have bad facts. City lawyers and accountants make much higher salaries than that. Sanitation workers make over $80k. Sorry, you can't just make up your own facts.

Anonymous said...

Make up facts, see for yourself, I am willing to back up my talk but you insult and cower

see for yourself:
http://www.seethroughny.net/Payrolls/tabid/55/Default.aspx

NYC employees have this awful system called Citytime which is a handscan or eyescan so your bullshit is just that, bullshit. No one comes in late and leaves early without ramifications.

Why attack non-managerial employees who abide by the rules?
Jealous you didn't pass a silly test and get picked? Take a test, score top of class, pass physical and ANYONE can be a garbage man if you try. So why rag on them?

Check out the website and check out salaries of accoutants, and lawyers, and counsel. Bet you won't apologize.

Anonymous said...

Garbagemen don't make $80K, check that site and pick nyc, and then dept of sanitation, and then search

$80K are management!

Anonymous said...

city employees have onsite daycare????

I need to transfer, please tell me where because I haven't seen it.

Anonymous said...

Sanitation workers make over $80k on average. That site only shows base pay. They all make overtime and sick pay.

Anonymous said...

i have read that some n.y.c. uniformed workers get guaranteed pension protection when their 401K values drop below a certain percent . the taxpayer has to pay for this loss e.g.,the private sector employee.

while the 401K of this employee drops and he is penalized.no risk for the city employee who has the power of the union behind him.

spread the wealth you progressives ,while bankrupting the private sector. Saul Alinsky and his "rules for radicals" are working in 2010.

Anonymous said...

But when the market was soaring the spreaded wealth did not increase our pensions, as a bad economy will not hinder it either. It is a steady rate.

The city employees with optional 401K and 529 school account took blood baths without a rescue net so I have no clue what you are talking about.

Anonymous said...

consult with the N.Y.P.D,concerning drops in the 401K
pension plan . they can not lose,the taxpayer does.not all of the city unions negotiated this protection benefit.

Anonymous said...

Ok, so they work from 9-5. With an hour lunch plus schuduled paid breaks. 6 hours of work tops. Unions are scum. They are worse than the bankers and their bonus. They don't care if they take down the system as long as they get theirs

Anonymous said...

the United Federation of Teachers work 180 days/year.
the private sector works approximately 260 days/year.

the rubber room does not work,but taxpayers pay them anyway.what a ripoff.