No Wonder California is Going Broke: $93,000 Meter Maid Salaries

When contemplating the many reasons cities in California and elsewhere are venturing closer to bankruptcy, look no further than the relatively lucrative and often-unjustifiable salaries bestowed on municipal employees – and the lofty pension benefits attached to the high pay.

One of the latest examples comes from the California coastal city of Hermosa Beach, where some community service staffers who collect money from parking meters and manage their operations – positions once widely known as “meter maids” – are making nearly $100,000 a year in total compensation, according to city documents

Bobko also wrote in a memo that the retirement costs for these 10 employees “from [fiscal year 2011-12] through their retirement age at 62 was nearly $1.6 million, and the medical costs for these employees from this fiscal year to their retirement at age 62 would be $1,353,827.” Excluding salaries, the [retirement] contributions and medical costs for the 10 employees performing parking enforcement will cost, on average, nearly $300,000 apiece.”

Wow, up to $93,000 a year for a job that basically requires the skills of a high school graduate. California cities are facing bankruptcy at an alarming rate, and can't seem to figure out why. Well, here's a good reason. But how can they justify these high salaries? Let's see:

Bobko is pushing a plan to outsource the city’s parking enforcement operations, which he says will save money, reduce maintenance costs, relieve the city of accounting functions related to parking enforcement, increase efficiency and, perhaps most importantly, increase revenue and “reduce the city’s pension and salary obligations.”

There has been opposition to the outsourcing proposal from Hermosa Beach’s Police Chief Steve Johnson and Councilman Howard Fishman. Both expressed concerns about letting go full-time city staff. Bobko accurately characterized the resistance: “When you outsource, you take away union jobs.”

Public unions, so bad that even FDR warned against them, have that much power. So powerful, they can bankrupt a whole city. Coming soon to a republic near you: a whole state gets bailed out by the other 49.

/TOA

Forget the tsuanami, California's already drowned in an Ocean of RED INK.

I always wondered why there was no cap on public service workers wages, I know too many people living large in Vancouver on the public tit as well. I understand everyones right to making a fair, and equatable wage but for some people I know who lean on a shovel ten hours a day to exceed 100k in my fair city. Pretty damn outrageous.

Thats jsut my opinion yet if I was the guy making that wage I'd fight tooth and nail too keep it all the same. Rock and a hard place I'd say but not as hard as when there really is no money left for this excess....

Greece Anyone!!!!!

SaneThinking

reply to post by The Old American


I don't live in CA so I don't know how much the parking fine would be, but that money would recirculate into their salaries, correct?

If the parking fines add up to paying the salary, I don't see how this is bankrupting them?

Yes it is rediculous and something that would hurt the financial stability if the fine doesn't equal the salary, but I am sure there are TONS of better reasons for bankrupting the state!!

It only makes a little difference, but remember the cost of living in that area is much higher than the cost of living in mine. For example a $93,000 salary in Los Angles County(which is where Hermosa Beach is located) would only be a salary of $67,507 here(Lincoln Nebraska) a difference of $25,493. I still think $67,507 is a rather high salary for collecting change from parking meters but it does put things into a clearer perspective.

Conversion source: swz.salary.com...

reply to post by The Old American


It is called cost of living. In order to squeak by in my neighborhood, you have to make a minimum of 80k.

Originally posted by nixie_nox
reply to post by The Old American

 

It is called cost of living. In order to squeak by in my neighborhood, you have to make a minimum of 80k.

I need to move out there, then. A high school graduate making $80,000 is a sweet deal. With my 20 years of high level switch and router experience, I should be able to immediately make at least $250k, right?

/TOA

They had the story break I think last year of the lifeguards making over $100k a year. Nothing can help California now, it is beyond ridiculous.

Its sad that California's economy takes in as much money if not more, than entire countries in the world, and yet it is broke.

They don't have the expenses of a country (Defense, etc) yet they are broke.

But the meter maids, and other "civil" servants are rolling in cash...

Originally posted by nixie_nox
reply to post by The Old American

 

It is called cost of living. In order to squeak by in my neighborhood, you have to make a minimum of 80k.

And in my area, you can live for 20k. Might not be a great life, but if someone is barely squeeking by making 90k a year, they might just want to consider moving across town to cheaper digs.

90k is ridiculous for that job.

reply to post by The Old American

I need to move out there, then. A high school graduate making $80,000 is a sweet deal. With my 20 years of high level switch and router experience, I should be able to immediately make at least $250k, right?

Yea, and your house or rent will be atleast 1500 a month( for a dump) , if not more.

I am moving the F out of CA, closing on a house in Oregon.

Dont come here, it sucks.

My wife an I at one point made 6 figures, and in Ca, it does not stretch very far.

Cost of living in Los Angeles is roughly 50% higher than the national average.

So the average meter reader, while earning total compensation of $90-100,000 in Los Angeles, is making about $45-50k in normal dollars if they worked elsewhere.

Not bad income, but certainly not a fortune either. The real kicker is in the pension and benefits.

I get by on $11K a year somehow.
Boy, disability sure makes one feel rich!
$93,000 for meter maids?
That is insane and only requires the skills of a 6th grader.

reply to post by The Old American


Yes, Progressives seem to think you can import cheap labor to lower the wages of every American while raising the livable wage of every American.

They have no idea how an economy works, they are complete idiots. If they wanted to remain solvant they should do what they did to every other decent paying jobs: Hire a Mexican to write the tickets.

reply to post by benrl


People from CA make OR suck.

You pay to much for things, drive like morons and vote for the same tools that destroyed your home state.