Memo to state workers: This budget could be all about you

While there is lots of talk about changing Medicaid, there is a growing sense of inevitability of where state lawmakers will try to wring a large amount of savings when they craft the 2010-11 state budget. And that's from state workers.

Senate President Jeff Atwater in an interview last week couldn't have been more blunt. Layoffs of state workers he said is "unavoidable." And Atwater, R-North Palm Beach, made it clear that retooling health insurance benefits and even retirement accounts is also a distinct possibility.

Atwater said that he cannot justify protecting state employees while other businesses throughout the state are shedding workers and trimming costs.

 "They have changed their health plans for their fellow employees, they have had layoffs that tragically became necessary to keep the business afloat, they have furloughed employees, they have reduced wages, they have moved from the strip center back to their garage and the back bedroom to survive,'' he said. "If our orientation is that I should be preserving something here uniquely and differently than what my fellow Floridians have had to do to keep their own small business afloat, I have missed the correct orientation of my job.''

When Gov. Charlie Crist rolled out his budget proposal he made it clear that he did not think it was the "right time" to either cut state salaries or force state employees to pay more for their own health insurance, or even require the roughly 27,000 who pay no health insurance premiums to pay something.

That sentiment so far does not appear to be shared by the GOP-controlled Legislature. The political reality could be that it's easy to go after state employees because in the counties with the highest concentration of workers - except Miami-Dade - those areas lean heavily Democratic.

But it may have just as much to do with budget reality. Republicans have made it clear that they will not entertain tax increases during an election year. Federal stimulus money requirements mean that legislators can't slash expenses easily in places such as Medicaid or even school funding.

Last week the main Senate budget panel heard about how costs in the state health insurance plan are growing at 10 percent a year. That's significant since the state is expected to spend $1.8 billion on health insurance for state workers and university employees during the current budget year. Only an estimated $157 million of that will come from state worker premiums.

But it may not just be health insurance that legislators turn to. They may also force state workers to contribute to their retirement accounts.

Up until 1975 state employees did pay into the pension plan known as the Florida Retirement System. That year legislators opted against a pay raise - but wiped out the contribution requirement - a move that boosted the take home money in paychecks.

Forcing state workers to pay 1 percent of their salary toward their pension would generate an estimated $72 million a year.

Florida pays its employees on average less than employees in such states as Alabama, Louisiana, Kentucky and North Carolina, according to a presentation made earlier this month by the Department of Management Services to the Senate Governmental Oversight and Accountability Committee. But that same analysis showed that other states like Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana also require their workers to contribute anywhere from 1.25 percent to 7.5 percent to their retirement accounts. Tennessee does not charge employees, while Arkansas charges nothing for employees hired before 2005 but five percent for those hired after July 2005.

Comments

[An unhappy State worker!]

So, again, because folks in politics don't want to cut their own salaries, they want to make state workers suffer! Atwater, keep in mind, most of us state workers are low paid state workers, who are barely making it on what we're being paid now! To top it off, we haven't had a pay raise in how long? 3 years? And now you want to cut our salaries, and force us to pay into the retirement plan? I'm barely getting by on what I'm being paid now, and you want to cut it even more? Remember, we are the folks that keep the daily business of running the state agencies going! If you are going to make cuts, why don't you make a cut in your own salary? Most of us are making under 25,000 a year, and can't afford your cuts!

[Christie Mathison]

Senator Attwater,

Instead of cutting state positions or not funding programs such as the wonderful State Park System (a program that brings visitors to the state who then spend money!), suggest you and the rest of the State Legislators pay for YOUR insurance and YOUR retirement first. If you do cut positions, how many of YOUR staff members will be laid off or those that work for other State Legislators? You need to re-think this strategy if you want to be Governor!

An unhappy State employee.

[D]

Atwater,
Have you learned nothing of economics? Oh, wait, perhaps you have and you want your steak while we eat freeze dried! Hummm. You lost my Rep. vote for shortsightedness and for being indifferent to the people who support the vital services that keep our State a great one! The only lard left in Tallahassee is on the hill!! Shame on you for not knowing that State workers are NOT equally compensated compared to those private companies now suffering! Perhaps if they were as prudent with thier finances as the State has been, we would not be in this situation! Public servants have never enjoyed the luxury of expense accounts, unlimited training opprotunites, extra vacation days, company picnics, company paid anything, bonuses, and pay raises! But yet you feel in your ultimate wisdom and hard earn scholar degrees that the public employee should sacrifice their underpaid wages and sing kumbaya by the camp fire with the rest of the state?! Hit the books again, because you missed the chapter on the trickle down effect that with spirial the recession into a depression with tackics your currently proposing! You'll NEVER be Governor unless you start doing the right thing and not the popular!! Call JEB for some advice on that, better still tap into Sinks creative mind, if you still have a back bone to cross the lines for the sake of doing your job!! Also, why not entertain getting rid of the 'special class'? There's more to be saved on that change than the 1% contributory plan, oh but that would mean they would be getting appropriately paid for the job they willfullly choose to do and we can't have that now can we! Perhaps you can continue to recruite and retain the best for all the other public workers positions in you delussional and misguilded plan! My voice begins to be heard today!

Sincerely disappointed, but loyal and proud,
Florida State Public Employee
d.o.

[An extremely peeved state employee]

Attwater...I'm telling you, you got some nerve! How about you take a pay cut? We as state workers have not had a raise is how many years now? The majority of us are underpaid as it is, and overworked, with the cuts from last year! Now, with legistlative sessions back, I wonder who's paying for all you politicians to come to Tallahassee? I'm sure its not coming out of your pocket! And who's paying for your hotel rooms? Meals? Transportation from where ever you politicians live? You want to make cuts, I suggest you start with your own back yard! Because lets not forget who really keeps the day to day operations of the state government going.....Us underpaid state workers!!!

[Phil Bergeron]

To deny Florida State employees any pay raise even for cost of living for three years in a row has already caused "us" to loose about 30% of our "buying power" with gas and food figured into inflation numbers. Many state employee families are living off 1 income now in this terrible economy; to keep giving no raise and no cost of living adjustment year after year is bordering on inhumane. Home insurance for me went from $500/year to $4,000/year in 3 years and now I have none. So I really can take a pay cut? Dogs are treated far better than state emplotyees; shame on you.

[Supra Shoes]

Your blog is too good-looking，I like it very much,hope your new articles.I started blogging,a lot of things are not clear,can you help me,thanks.Why my blog's page view very low.what can I do?