DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Sunday, October 11, 2015
Another Lost Dog 10-11-15: UPDATE
Missing Dog 10-11-15
Dog Found 10-11-15: UPDATE
UPDATE: Sadly I haven’t heard anything. In addition, he jumped the fence and I haven’t seen him since. Thank you for your help!
FOUND CAT - RIVERSIDE DRIVE, SALISBURY
A Viewer Writes: Explosion near Beaver Run
Dear Joe,
A friend lives near Beaver Run School, there was a LOUD explosion sound and all power is out. She called Delmarva Power and they said, "under investigation." Don't know if something is going on or not, just thought I'd give you a heads up.
A friend lives near Beaver Run School, there was a LOUD explosion sound and all power is out. She called Delmarva Power and they said, "under investigation." Don't know if something is going on or not, just thought I'd give you a heads up.
NRP Investigating Fatal Hunting Accident
Maryland Natural Resources Police investigators are continuing to gather evidence in a fatal hunting accident late Saturday afternoon in Queen Anne’s County.
Marvin Bowen Coppage, 75, of Henderson was killed by a shotgun blast from a client during a guided pheasant and chukar hunt as he and his dog were flushing a bird from the brush. Coppage was pronounced dead at the scene shortly before 5 p.m. by Queen Anne’s County first responders.
The shooter is believed to be a 14-year-old boy who was a member of the hunting party that had hired Coppage, an employee of Schrader’s Outdoors Ltd. The incident occurred off Ell Downes Road in Henderson.
Coppage’s body was taken to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore for an autopsy.
Troopers Investigate Crash South of Georgetown
The incident occurred around 9:38 a.m. Sunday October 11, 2015 as Laura Cruz, 19 of Bridgeville, was operating a 2005 Nissan Sentra westbound on Shiloh Church Road just east of Scott Land Road. The Sentra drifted into the eastbound lane and upon overcorrecting to the right, the car drove off the north side of the roadway were it struck a tree. The Nissan continued in a westerly direction and overturned and struck a fence before coming to a stop on its side.
Laura Cruz, who was not properly restrained and not ejected, was removed from the scene by EMS and transported to Nanticoke Memorial Hospital where she was treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
Cruz's three month old son, who was seated in a car seat, but not properly restrained in the car seat and not properly affixed to the car, was ejected from the automobile upon it rolling over. He was airlifted by Delaware State Police Aviation (Trooper 2) to A.I. DuPont Children's Hospital where he was admitted in stable condition.
Troopers are continuing their investigation into this incident and charges are pending.
State police investigate two suspicious fires on Eastern Shore
Virginia State Police are now investigating the fire at Tankard Nurseries, as well as another fire at a home about a quarter of a mile away, according to Community Fire Company Chief Greg DeYoung.
The Community Fire Company out of Exmore responded to a call about a residential fire just after 10:00 p.m. The first crews to arrive at Tankard Nurseries saw a storage building collapsed and fully engulfed in flames, according to DeYoung.
Within ten minutes, firefighters got a call about another fire at a home a few blocks away from the nursery and also on Bayside Road.
“Both fires appear to be suspicious in nature, and they’re being investigated,” said DeYoung.
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340 sanctuaries release 9,295 criminals
According to an updated report prepared by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for Congress, between January 1 and September 30, 2014, local sanctuaries released 9,295 alien offenders that ICE was seeking to deport. More than 600 people were released at least twice.
Out of these, 5,947 of the criminal aliens (62 percent) had significant prior criminal histories or other public safety concerns even before the arrest that led to a detainer. Fifty-eight percent of those with a prior history of concern had prior felony charges or convictions; 37 percent had serious prior misdemeanor charges, and 5 percent had multiple prior misdemeanors.
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Four Heroin Overdoses In Wicomico County This Past Weekend
One of the major topics we published, (factual and documented) was all the crime in Salisbury. The next thing I knew I was being sued by the Chief of Police as well as the local Warden and Mayor of Salisbury.
The attempt was to defame Joe Albero in any way they could in the hope this Blog would backfire and no one would trust what we were publishing.
In other words, they did NOT want the public to know the TRUTH. Fortunately we won in all cases and get this, we became the #1 most influential political website in Maryland and Delaware.
All that being said, while we ALL know there's a serious heroin problem here on the Shore, 1st responder's are NOT letting the public know just how bad it is. Don't believe me, just go to ALL of the calls for service for anyone you so choose and all you will see is "medical condition".
I'm not sure if you agree but I personally feel the calls for service SHOULD state, "HEROIN OVERDOSE" so the public can have a much better idea just how bad it is out there. There were FOUR overdoses, two in Salisbury and two in Pittsville this weekend. These are cases in which our people actually heard the calls on the scanner stating they were overdoses, so there could have been much more, we don't know.
With all due respect, 1st responder's work for you and me, TAXPAYERS. It is NOT a HIPPA violation to state an overdose as long as they don't publish a name. Of course ALL 1st responder's, (including police) do not want the public to know just how bad heroin is here on the Shore and I believe it's high time, (pardon the pun) we see first hand just how bad the drugs and abuse are here.
It's OK for them to publish SHOPLIFTERS and DUI arrests, why not illegal drug use and overdoses?
A Viewer Sends Video Of Muslims Living In Tents In Mardela Springs
Exposed rebar on Rt. 50 bridge poses no threat
The SHA will be performing maintenance next week, on Oct. 13 and 14, to address what is known as “spalling” of the bridge’s concrete structure, a phenomenon that has caused concern amongst some boaters.
The right-hand eastbound lane will be closed from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days to complete the process.
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Mayor seeks $150M from Md. in response to Hogan's pledge to help Baltimore
"Today I wrote to put forth a partnership proposal based not only on my experiences of successes and challenges running the City; but more importantly, based on the first-hand knowledge of what my City needs right now," the mayor wrote. The $150 million in state aid would be dedicated to workforce training and re-entry services; economic and community development; public transportation; health; and recreation and parks, said Rawlings-Blake, a Democrat.
Last month, Hogan, a Republican, wrote an opinion piece for The Sun entitled "The Economic Engine of Maryland." In it, he pledged to announce a "series of innovative ideas that have the potential to deliver real change" for Baltimore by demolishing vacant properties, stimulating job growth and improving transportation and education.
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800-pound man kicked out of hospital after ordering pizza
The man's father said he has nowhere to take his son.
Steven Assanti, 33, said his eating addiction lead him to the trunk of his father's SUV with no place to go.
"It's an addiction, and I realize that," said Assanti.
"And it's a disease."
For the past 80 days, Assanti said, he was getting the help he needed at Rhode Island Hospital. There, he lost 20 pounds.
But after Assanti violated his care plan by ordering pizza, he said the hospital told him he could no longer stay.
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Governor Larry Hogan Establishes Governor’s Office of Performance Improvement
Headed by Luis A. Luna, GOPI Will Develop Recommendations to Make State Government More Responsive and Efficient
ANNAPOLIS, MD – Governor Larry Hogan today announced the formation of the Governor’s Office of Performance Improvement (GOPI), a new unit within the administration that will develop strategies to ensure that state agencies are more efficient and provide the very best customer service. The establishment of GOPI through Executive Order 1.1.2015.26 marks an important step in the Hogan administration’s commitment to ensure that state government is focused on delivering outstanding service to the people of Maryland, while also reducing waste and excessive bureaucracy. Luis A. Luna has been named the director of the Governor’s Office of Performance Improvement.
GOPI will work to continuously improve Maryland state government by using performance metrics to determine how efficiently and effectively state agencies deliver their services. GOPI will create clear metrics, collect data, and conduct analysis on agency performance to ensure that state government is as productive, accountable, and transparent as possible.
“Every single agency in Maryland government must be focused on delivering outstanding service to the people of the state, while keeping a close eye on how every single taxpayer dollar gets spent,” Governor Larry Hogan said. “Duplication of services, waste of taxpayer dollars, and never-ending bureaucracy are what people so often resent in government agencies. It will be GOPI’s job to track progress in these areas across state government and make recommendations on how agencies can make improvements over time, and I am excited to have Luis on board to help drive change.”
“It’s an honor to be selected by Governor Hogan to lead GOPI,” Luna said. “The Hogan administration has already made great strides in improving customer service and ensuring that agencies are working more efficiently. I look forward to working closely with the agencies to continue to drive improvements in state government.”
Luis A. Luna brings management experience from the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. He has held many leadership roles in federal government, including as assistant administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and as deputy administrator of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development Program, heading its Office of Community Development. He has also been vice president of corporate communications for Perdue Farms. A Salisbury resident, he has served as the executive director of the Greater Salisbury Committee, a nonprofit that finds solutions for regional challenges on the Delmarva Peninsula, as well as CEO of Lower Shore Enterprises, which provides employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities.
23 snow plows reported missing from Glen Burnie yard
The disappearance of the 10-foot-wide plows, each consisting of a blade and hitch frame, was first noted June 25 and the SHA contacted Maryland State Police, who continue to investigate, said David Coyne, deputy administrator and chief of operations for the highway agency.
"The value (of the plows) purchased new — and these weren't new — would be about $3000 each," Coyne said.
Police were told the plows had been placed in maintenance facility at 910 Stewart Ave. in the spring, State Police spokesman Gregory Shipley said in an email. Police haven't established if a theft occurred.
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Verizon to add $20 to grandfathered unlimited data plans
Verizon is planning to raise the price of unlimited data plans from $29.99 to $49.99 per month. The company confirmed the move to CNNMoney on Thursday morning.
It's yet another sign the company's trying to force people to let go of their highly-prized plans that remain only because they were grandfathered in.
The unlimited data is only part of a cell phone bill. Talking and texting are extra. Right now if you're on Verizon's 450 plan, that costs $59.99 per month. Add the new higher rate for unlimited data, the total monthly cost will look more like $109.99, plus fees.
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Ocean City Issued Three Fines For Smoking Violations In New Restrictions’ First Season
Public Affairs Specialist Lindsey Richard of the Ocean City Police Department added that there were 297 calls for service in regards to smoking violations since May 1, but the department didn’t keep a tab on written warnings because they didn’t write any.
Yet, according to city Council member and Tourism Commission Chair Mary Knight, that lack of a hammer when enforcing the new smoking restrictions shouldn’t be much of a surprise.
“We wanted the first year to be an educational year for our visitors,” said Knight. “It’s like the mayor says, we have 300,000 new people each week to educate so we had the police officers handing out little cards on the first infraction that explained to people what the change in the law was. We never intended to be heavy handed this year.”
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BREAKING NEWS: Rep. Kevin McCarthy drops bid to be House speaker
Rep. Kevin McCarthy -- frontrunner to replace John Boehner as speaker of the House -- stuns Republicans conferencing to vote on a nominee by withdrawing from the race.
Daily Times Online Obituaries - Not Local Anymore!
Even Obituaries Aren't Local Anymore at the Daily Times!
In another step of stabbing its local community, look what now happens when you go to The Daily Times online edition & click "Obituaries" on DelmarvaNow.com:
It connects you to Legacy.com, and you have to "Find Your Newspaper" among St. Louis, Boston, Chicago, Baltimore, Rochester, Salt Lake City and more, before you can even see who died in your own community! This is a recent change and probably saves them tons of money, even though the Daily Times charges families hundreds of dollars to "print" an obituary.
Another slow step in the Daily Times demise! Even the online edition is pretty useless! Why bother with them at all!
In another step of stabbing its local community, look what now happens when you go to The Daily Times online edition & click "Obituaries" on DelmarvaNow.com:
Another slow step in the Daily Times demise! Even the online edition is pretty useless! Why bother with them at all!
Police: Man Chokes Clerk, Smashes Display Cases After Returning Engagement Ring
Arlington County officers responded to the store just after 11:35 a.m., after receiving a frantic 911 call about an assault in progress.
Police say a homeless man, 34-year-old Monbain Brown, had earlier in the day returned a $4,000 engagement ring after having a change of heart about the purchase. He returned shortly thereafter and “engaged in a verbal altercation with one of the workers behind the display case because the money had not showed up in his account yet,” according to ACPD spokesman Dustin Sternbeck.
Brown became increasingly agitated during the argument before jumping the counter and beginning to strangle the female employee, Sternbeck said.
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The Daily Times Tries To Intimidate Sheriff Lewis In Acquitted Jury Intimidation Case Today
Today Valerie Rovin had her day in court and was acquitted of the charges, based on a technicality in state law.
Did Valerie go to the Juror's place of business and intimidate the Juror, yes. One would think that based on the history of law, one thing you cannot do is tamper with a Juror, WRONG. In Maryland, that is.
Now, if this were a Federal case, Valerie Rovin would more than likely be sitting in a jail cell. However, under Maryland law, even though this particular Juror was asked to serve for a month, he was released as a Juror once this threat had happened and technically he was no longer a Juror.
The Judge actually made a legitimate judgment in this case based on the law at hand. Valerie Rovin's attorney certainly did a fine job finding and presenting this flaw in the law and today Valerie Rovin was acquitted of the charges.
All that being said, today, (on line) the Daily Times went after Sheriff Mike Lewis pretty much attacking him for the statement he made several months ago. Wicomico County Sheriff Mike Lewis told The Daily Times in June that this case was probably the "most egregious" incident of juror intimidation that he's seen during his time in office.
This is the problem with LIBERAL YELLOW JOURNALISM. Their reporter was right there in the court room. WHY would the Daily Times make it sound as if Sheriff Mike Lewis was ever in the wrong for what he was quoted as saying and or arresting someone who absolutely threatened a Juror. It was the most egregious incident he had ever seen.
The paper goes on and on explaining, was what Valerie in the wrong for what she did, YES. Was she sorry for what she did, YES. It seems to be the Daily Times will say just about anything to sell papers. I'm sure their hope is to piss off Sheriff Lewis so he'll respond to their ridiculous statements.
One thing is for sure. States Attorney Matt Maciarello has been in high gear for about a month now working with state legislators making damn sure the flaw in this law protecting Jurors is covered and hopefully changed in this upcoming legislative session.
Matt and Mike are very passionate about making sure ALL Jurors are fully protected so this will never happen again. The Federal Law clearly protects Jurors to a much higher level and that is what they are shooting for.
The Daily Times, (in my honest opinion) did a horrible job in their article today. How can they act like they are journalists when they can't even tell the story right. People need to stop buying that rag because their reporters are crap.
Oh, that's right. Maciarello and Lewis are registered REPUBLICANS. What was I thinking.
Ivy League Prof Tweets That Ben Carson Should Win ‘Coon Of The Year’
In a tweet sent out last Tuesday, University of Pennsylvania religious studies professor Anthea Butler, wrote "If only there was a 'coon of the year' award ..." when responding to Daily Beast editor-at-large Goldie Taylor's tweet containing a link to a Sports Illustrated article on the issue.
"Swastikas are a symbol of hate for some people too … and yet they still exist in our museums and places like that," Carson said during an event with Richard Petty in North Carolina last Monday. "If it's a majority of people in that area who want it to fly, I certainly wouldn't take it down."
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Black Lives Matter asks state Dems for 'reparations'
The case for reparations is typically made as a form of economic compensation to descendants of slaves. These days, some racial activists also make the case for reparations as compensation for systemic discrimination in law enforcement.
Several black leaders addressed Democratic state legislators Friday at the State Innovation Exchange in Washington, D.C.
"Thinking about decriminalization with reparations," Marbre Shahly-Butts, deputy director of racial justice at the Center for Popular Democracy, said. "The idea is we that have extracted literally millions of dollars from communities, we have destroyed families. Mass incarceration has led to the destruction of communities across the country. We can track which communities, like we have that data. And so if we're going to be decriminalizing things like marijuana, all of the profit from that should go back to the folks we've extracted it from." That comment received widespread applause from the crowd of Democratic state legislators. Shahly-Butts was referring to decriminalizing more than drug crimes, but also loitering, bans on saggy pants and thousands of other laws that disproportionately affect blacks.
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Apparently Drunk College Student Berates Staff, Demands Mac ‘n Cheese — but It Isn’t Until He Shoves Manager That Karma Strikes
An apparently drunk college student belligerently demanded macaroni and cheese from his school cafeteria. In a nine-minute viral video, he was not only denied service but was eventually tackled to the floor after becoming physically violent. In the end, he was taken out of the student union in handcuffs.
“Just give me some f***ing bacon jalapeño mac ‘n cheese,” the kid, identified as Luke Gatti in police reports as noted by the Hartford Courant, said to a man who appeared to be a manager at the University of Connecticut student union.
“I just denied you service. You can’t come in here with an open bottle of booze, dude, think about it,” the manager said, tapping his head. “Think!”
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Franklin Graham Gave a CHILLING Warning For Our Country
If we as a country turn our back on God’s teachings, then what will happen? According to Franklin Graham, Obama has led the country in celebrating sin, and we’re experiencing a moral decline because of it.
Evangelist Franklin Graham said that both he and his father, famed preacher Billy Graham, are most concerned about the “moral decline” that they see in American culture, accusing the Obama administration of “celebrating sin” in a recent interview with The Church Boys podcast.
“Our country has changed so much, and we’ve seen the moral decline — and that moral decline being led by the Obama administration, and championing things like same-sex marriage, which is really defiance against God,” Graham said. “Same-sex marriage is a sin against God. God made us male and female.”
The evangelist, who was in New York to discuss his father Billy Graham’s new book, “Where I Am: Heaven, Eternity, and Our Life Beyond,” then reiterated his belief that President Barack Obama’s administration has been facilitating and holding up “sin.”
“And then to say that marriage is between two men or two women, this is sin and the Obama administration is celebrating sin and they are pushing sin,” he continued.
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Evangelist Franklin Graham said that both he and his father, famed preacher Billy Graham, are most concerned about the “moral decline” that they see in American culture, accusing the Obama administration of “celebrating sin” in a recent interview with The Church Boys podcast.
“Our country has changed so much, and we’ve seen the moral decline — and that moral decline being led by the Obama administration, and championing things like same-sex marriage, which is really defiance against God,” Graham said. “Same-sex marriage is a sin against God. God made us male and female.”
The evangelist, who was in New York to discuss his father Billy Graham’s new book, “Where I Am: Heaven, Eternity, and Our Life Beyond,” then reiterated his belief that President Barack Obama’s administration has been facilitating and holding up “sin.”
“And then to say that marriage is between two men or two women, this is sin and the Obama administration is celebrating sin and they are pushing sin,” he continued.
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Cardin Calls on Mikulski and Appropriations Committee Leadership for Immediate, Emergency Funding to Increase U.S. Humanitarian Support for Syria, Capacity for Refugee Admissions
U.S. Senators Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Al Franken (D-Minn.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) also signed the letter.
“We urge the Appropriations Committee to immediately consider emergency funding for a two-pronged strategy to provide immediate humanitarian relief and increase the capacity for refugee admissions to the United States. Organizations aiding Syrian refugees are working around the clock to provide food, shelter, medical care and education to refugee families, but these basic services are at dire risk unless the United States and our partners fill the funding gaps. Second, we must support funding to significantly increase the number of refugees screened and admitted into the United States. We welcomed approximately 200,000 refugees during the Balkan Wars, 700,000 refugees from Cuba, and more than 700,000 refugees from Vietnam. Compared with these historic numbers, we can do better than 10,000 slots for Syrian families. We cannot simply sit on the sidelines as this humanitarian disaster continues to unfold,” the senators wrote.
Jim Ireton Promised You'd Be Able To Swim In The River In 10 Years...
Do you still believe him
or
do you think he's a B.S. artist?
Martin O’Malley calls for ‘combat assault weapons’ ban and fingerprinting of gun buyers
A Letter To The Editor: Wicomico County Humane Society
Dear Mr. Albero
I am sending you this email in regard to my experience with the Humane Society of Wicomcio County. On September 25 of this year, I called the Humane Society to ask them if they had room for a black, male kitten I had found in my backyard. The kitten was sweet and affectionate and would come running to me whenever I stepped outside to get into my car. I asked around my neighborhood to see if it had an owner and was unable to find one.
When I called the shelter, I asked them if they would put it down, if they had room for it and what would happen to it. A women who worked there replied that they would not put it down, that they have not put cats down to make room in the five years she has worked there and that they have been lucky. She reassured me that he would held for a few days and then put up for adoption.
I drove down to the shelter to release the kitten to them. The kitten was calm and affectionate. I held the kitten in my arms as I walked inside since I did not have a carrier.
The shelter gave me a carrier to put him into and had me sign a release paper.
Today I drove down to shelter to check on that little kitten. I did not see it inside any of the crates or inside the kitty city. I asked them to look him up under my name and they told me he was euthanized. I asked them why they had put him down and the woman in charge replied that it was feral and that they don't take feral cats. This was a blatant lie since this kitten was held and loved by many neighbors on my street. I feel like I have been lied to. I think that the Wicomcio Humane Society is lying to the public. I know that if I had been told the truth over the phone that I would not have dropped him off there. I don't know who to go to with this.
I am sending you this email in regard to my experience with the Humane Society of Wicomcio County. On September 25 of this year, I called the Humane Society to ask them if they had room for a black, male kitten I had found in my backyard. The kitten was sweet and affectionate and would come running to me whenever I stepped outside to get into my car. I asked around my neighborhood to see if it had an owner and was unable to find one.
When I called the shelter, I asked them if they would put it down, if they had room for it and what would happen to it. A women who worked there replied that they would not put it down, that they have not put cats down to make room in the five years she has worked there and that they have been lucky. She reassured me that he would held for a few days and then put up for adoption.
I drove down to the shelter to release the kitten to them. The kitten was calm and affectionate. I held the kitten in my arms as I walked inside since I did not have a carrier.
The shelter gave me a carrier to put him into and had me sign a release paper.
Today I drove down to shelter to check on that little kitten. I did not see it inside any of the crates or inside the kitty city. I asked them to look him up under my name and they told me he was euthanized. I asked them why they had put him down and the woman in charge replied that it was feral and that they don't take feral cats. This was a blatant lie since this kitten was held and loved by many neighbors on my street. I feel like I have been lied to. I think that the Wicomcio Humane Society is lying to the public. I know that if I had been told the truth over the phone that I would not have dropped him off there. I don't know who to go to with this.
Study: Government Workers Make 78% More Than Private Sector Workers
Employees for the federal government earn far more than their counterparts in the private sector, according to a new study by the Cato Institute.
Federal workers’ pay and benefits were 78 percent higher than private employees, who earned an average of $52,688 less than public sector workers last year.
The study found that federal government workers earned an average of $84,153 in 2014, compared to the private sector’s average of $56,350. Cato based its findings on figures from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA).
But when adding in benefits pay for federal workers, the difference becomes more dramatic. Federal employees made $119,934 in total compensation last year, while private sector workers earned $67,246, a difference of over $52,000, or 78 percent.
Keep reading…
Federal workers’ pay and benefits were 78 percent higher than private employees, who earned an average of $52,688 less than public sector workers last year.
The study found that federal government workers earned an average of $84,153 in 2014, compared to the private sector’s average of $56,350. Cato based its findings on figures from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA).
But when adding in benefits pay for federal workers, the difference becomes more dramatic. Federal employees made $119,934 in total compensation last year, while private sector workers earned $67,246, a difference of over $52,000, or 78 percent.
Keep reading…