Once we produced the article, the rest of the MSM picked up on it and started writing articles referencing the very same study we either woke them up to or to be kinder, reminded them of.
Nevertheless, I'd been working on an update to that story and I believe you'll enjoy my findings.
The detailed version of the Singer Study is one in which the general public was never made aware of. The study didn't just compare other municipalities. The study ALSO included large private businesses. Now, in my personal opinion, that's a load of crap. Municipalities are NOT in the business of making a profit, therefore the private sector businesses should NOT come into play.
Some might disagree by stating this needs to be done to keep retention. I disagree. WE should NOT have to pay a lawyer $450.00 an hour just because they could get the same in private practice. Most municipalities offer benefits you can't get in the private sector.
Nevertheless, we could argue that point all day long. I'm simply stating how "I" feel about how this study was done. As we move on, on Monday the Council for a second time agreed that they wanted the Mayor's Office to dig deeper into what it might cost to do yet another Singer Study. In that discussion there was talk about this study costing the taxpayers an additional $50,000.00.
Once the meeting was over I sent a text to certain Council Members saying, why can't these numbers come straight from the MML, Maryland Municipal League. That's when it was brought to my attention that the MML, (IF they could do so) wouldn't include the private sector numbers.
I made some calls to other people I know in the MML and guess what, the MML can in fact deliver this study to the City of Salisbury. After all, we're comparing one municipality, (similar to our City) to another, as the singer Study was conducted.
Get this, the MML can in fact do this study and guess what it would cost the city of Salisbury for the MML to do so, $240.00!!!!!!!!
So I was right from the very beginning. The reason I had thought of this was very similar to when the Salisbury Zoo was budgeting HUNDREDS of thousands of dollars for engineering plans for their new animal services building. I got so ticked off because I immediately said, you pay all this money into the AZA, you can't tell me there's not another Zoo in the World that doesn't have a plan similar to what Salisbury needs! What in the heck are we doing paying all of these association fees for if we can't get something back.
The bottom line is, the MML can provide what the City of Salisbury needs and they can do so very inexpensively. We do not have to pay out $40,000.00 to $50,000.00 to another organization to get what we need.
I disagree with the Mayor and Council on this matter. I believe the City should pay the MML the $240.00 for a study to be done.
Look out. Jimmy is going to get drunk tonight at 3rd Friday after reading this.
ReplyDeleteThis is crazy.
ReplyDeleteThis is exactly why you need to Mayor!
ReplyDeleteThis is Total Democrat for ya.
ReplyDeleteWhat are they thinking.
ReplyDeleteGood God, Joe. You always have simple solutions to simple problems, and you've got our backs!
ReplyDeleteI,m a voter!
Why not just get on the phone and call area towns and ask what their employees make and compare?
ReplyDeleteOther peoples money & THEY do not care how they waste it .It's as simple as that!
ReplyDeleteChages Are Coming!!! Oh yeah Salisbury---and some of you are squirming in your shoes, I know.
You Go Joe!
Here's a good idea. Get rid of the fat, lazy wannabe fire chief. He is the biggest waste of tax dollars and has always been.
ReplyDeleteHey Jim if you don't get rid of him before the next election Joe has our vote.
This town is insane in the way tax money is "thrown away" Change is needed-----Change is coming---
ReplyDeleteYelp! Joes on the way folks!
That is how liberals govern.Throw money at every situation and hope for a positive outcome.
ReplyDeleteI agree, get MML to provide salaries and benefits of municipalities of similar size, divide the $50k to the employees, not police or fire who have received furloughs for the last 4 yrs..!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteGive this work to city employees...with some overtime if possible. They can "do figures" too. Hell I'll do it for half that!
ReplyDeleteThis studies are a complete waste, and ALWAYS result in increases. Look at the OC Hendricks study, where everyone including Dennis got a whopping 30% raise. WHY, becuase what goes in comes out ie: they can get a report to show what ever the person that orders it wants. Poop in, poop out.
ReplyDeleteWhy conduct a study just to have a tool to say to the public, our salaries are in line with other similar cities! Public sector idiots, here is the "fair" thing to do to get back the public trust. 1. All salaries should not exceed the local demographic average by more than 15%, 2. Abandon affirmative action and conduct "real" standards of hiring the best, 3. Get rid of annual colas, and make those based on the local economy growth per year, 4. All employees should be pay 50% of their health insurance, like the rest of the people in the private sector, and 5. Give incentives to every public employee rewards for finding savings from the padded budgets they now have. Forget the studies intended for pre-determined results to the foster more lies to the public. If you think we are stupid, we think you are incompetent!
ReplyDeleteAt least someone is watching !! I am told Sheriff Mike Lewis gave his command staff a raise on top of the raise the county gave them. He did not give his deputies anything. He also hired a Maryland State Trooper to take a seargeants spot paying this retired trooper well over sixty thousand dollars. Joe can you confirm this for us. My son works at the Sheriff's Office when I heard this I asked him what was going on. I could not have prepared myself for what I heard. Does Mike Lewis care about the kids he has working for him. I knew Mike when he was a rawdy teenager. I listened to my son when he told my family Mike was the person for the job. I promise you my family will not vote for him this time around. Joe who does he answer to? My son told me so many shocking things. I am really angry Joe. I am not going to repeat some of the stuff. Mike Lewis you should be ashamed of yourself. I can not wait to see you in person.
ReplyDeleteI have tried to call him at least a dozen times they keep saying he is out of town. Who pays for all this travel. I guess we tax payers do. People this man is not what he lets on. Find the truth for yourself
Anonymous said...
ReplyDeleteHere's a good idea. Get rid of the fat, lazy wannabe fire chief. He is the biggest waste of tax dollars and has always been.
Hey Jim if you don't get rid of him before the next election Joe has our vote.
October 19, 2012 11:00 PM
This guy has been one of the biggest spenders in the history of the city and not just the fire department. A new fire boat, a new haz mat truck, a new brush truck, 5new fire trucks, a new ladder truck, a new air light truck, a new Ford Explorer, 2 full body rehabs of 2 newer fire trucks, a multi million dollar fire station and now 12 unneeded paid firemen. Shall we go on!
So are you saying that we should run the city like a business only when it suits you? Pay should be comparable from private sector to public. The problem is that many jobs that exist in public sector do not exist in private sector. So just because someone is paid by tax money they aren't entitled to a comparable wage? You don't support public employees any more than you support private employees. You buy their goods, and the proceeds pay their employees. Same with government....you buy the services (tax) and they pay their employees. Just like the revenue cap...you can't only use it when it works in your favor.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous said...
ReplyDeleteThis studies are a complete waste, and ALWAYS result in increases. Look at the OC Hendricks study, where everyone including Dennis got a whopping 30% raise. WHY, becuase what goes in comes out ie: they can get a report to show what ever the person that orders it wants. Poop in, poop out.
October 20, 2012 9:24 AM
Interesting about the Hendricks study for Ocean City. The same group had just completed the same pay study for the City of Salisbury. Certain departments were told their pay was adequate. Two weeks later they go to Ocean City and tell them they were underpaid. With that they got a significant pay raise and a 5% increase guaranteed for the next 9 years. Now those same employees in Ocean City are making twice as much as their colleagues in Salisbury. What does that tell you about studies?
It would stand to reason that a company that is hired for a specific reason has every motive to give their customers exactly what they want.
ReplyDeleteMeaning is the report really going to be unbiased?
I doubt it.
It is just another example of proving your point by paying for results to be skewed.