Dear Friends,

 

I'm sure you've heard the good news - Governor Carcieri is going to shut down state government for 12 days.  Only 353 more to go!

 

Kidding (maybe).

 

The furlough covers about $22 million of the $68m needed to close the deficit left by the General Assembly. Another $17m will be found from eliminating consultants and other savings in the Department of Administration and the balance of $30m will come from withholding the 4th quarter car excise tax payment that is normally sent to the towns. Needless to say, the unions aren't happy about the furloughs and the towns aren't happy about the lost revenue. 
 
"No way," said Harvey E. Goulet, Pawtucket's [school district] director of administration. "There is no way the taxpayers can afford that kind of loss again." ... "Why doesn't he [Carcieri] just quit now and let someone who is reasonable take over." ...

 

"I can't even begin to fathom how we're gong to be able to cut another $1.3 million," [Woonsocket City Councilman, John F.] Ward said. ...

 

"I know the governor has a bad budget to deal with on the state level, but all this does is create 39 additional bad budgets throughout the state." - Warwick Mayor Scott Avadesian ...

 

North Providence Mayor Charles A. Lombardi, who is trying to put out other financial fires in town, said he has no idea where he will turn to make up for this new loss of nearly $1.2 million.
 
 
The assumptions here are that town budgets are cut to the bone and property tax increases are the only alternative. I wonder exactly how frugal Pawtucket, Woonsocket, Warwick and North Providence really are. Let's hop on the Transparency Train and find out...
 
The average raise for a Pawtucket school teacher during their first 10 years was 10.6 percent. In Woonsocket it's 10.4%.  Did you get a 10 percent raise?
 
If you started your career as a police officer in North Providence last year you were the 4th highest paid in the state and will receive a 12% raise this year. Warwick has the state's highest paid sergeants and lieutenants and offers "step" salary increases as high as 13.5%. Did you get a 12 to 13 percent raise?
 
Of course, the state employee contracts aren't any better. Most state contracts give out bonus checks called "longevity" that are as much as 20 percent of base salary.
 
Nor are these examples unique to the cities I've identified. Raises far in excess of inflation, seniority bonuses, short work days, low or no insurance co-pays, and the ability to cash in sick days are standard union fare. And let's not forget the gold plated pensions.
 
I heard Representative Tassoni on the Dan Yorke show the other day and he blamed Carcieri for not knowing how to negotiate with the unions. He said, (paraphrased) 'the state gets a little; we get a little; that's the way it works.'
 
With all due respect, America is in a recession. Many people in the private market have found their compensation remain flat, that is if they still have the job. One in five companies has eliminated matching retirement funds. Unions need to remember that they live in the same country we do.
 
The solution is transparency. If contract negotiations were conducted with an informed and involved public, would double digit raises and minimal co-pays be allowed? So, arm yourself with the information and insist that your elected representatives start treating public sector workers like the rest of us -- no better, no worse. 

 

Onward and upward,

 

 

Bill Felkner

 
 
PS. There was another quote worth citing - from a state worker:
"It's ridiculous," said a woman who works in the tax collections office who like many, did not want to give her name. Instead of shutting down the tax collections office, which brings in money, she said, the state should be looking to curb spending in other areas, such as welfare.