11-28-2009, 05:21 PM
Finding a value
November 24, 2009 11:07 AM
BILL GAMBLIN
As a worker one of the first question a person will ask is how much money will I earn.
The thing is that each job pays something different from the man or woman who works on the sewer line to the person who is responsible for public safety.
In today economic down turn the wages of not only works but those elected to office have come into question.
Especially with how it relates to the Federal Poverty Level as it is according to the Federal Government.
This line is a measurement established by the U.S. Government stating poverty is a lack of goods and services commonly taken for granted by members of mainstream society and originally developed by the Supplemental Security Income Administration.
According to the federal government the 2009 poverty level nationally for a family of three is $18,310.
In Santa Rosa County there are some who work in government making less than this according to a survey taken by the Santa Rosa Press Gazette.
According to numbers for 2009, a grade 1 street municipal service worker ($16,973), grade 1 water utility service tech ($17,514), and a grade 1 sanitation service work ($17,888), which are employed by the City of Milton.
“I was very shocked to see some of the salaries,” according to C.J. Allen, who has just become a registered voter. “Now that I have seen this I think it will really effect how I plan on voting for certain positions next year.”
Unfortuantely even the Mayor of Milton, who is gone on record to say he couldn’t make a living as a mayor falls below this level at $8,358 a year.
Others close to this poverty level is a city of Milton sewer operator at $19,656 county road worker at $19,683, while a county secretary makes $20,680 a year.
Allen wasn’t the only one shocked at the numbers.
“What stands out to me is the head honchos are getting the largest pay,” Mark Viau said. “And it is sad to see workers like those in the sewer department and such making so little.”
Viau and fellow PJC student Eddie Beard were wondering how the city employees pay would rate against those who do a similar job in the private sector.
“I am very interested to see how someone who does this for a private company gets paid,” Beard said. “I sometimes wonder what would happen if some of this at times was done by the private sector.”
The highest salary in 2009 for the city, county, and school jobs surveyed is the County Attorney at $136,074.
Constitutional officers like the sheriff, supervisor of elections, clerk of courts, property appraiser, tax collector, and county commissioner is set by the state legislature in Tallahassee who recognize a county commissioner as a part time position at $56,881 a year in 2009.
Sheriff Wendell Hall is the highest paid constitutional officer at $125,890 a year.
Over the last 10 years constitutional officers saw raises ranging from just over $23,000 to a few dollars under $29,000.
Those employed by the county – county attorney and county administrator – saw raises of almost $41,000 for the county administrator and just shy of $36,000 for the county attorney.
Ironically some of the biggest pay raises over the last decade went to a fireman in the city of Milton who makes $29,474 a year and the sewer operator in Milton who has seen a 63-percent plus pay increase over the last 10 years as has a Milton police officer.
In education pay a teacher who starts their first year with a bachelor’s degree was expected to make $32,092 their first year, while a school board member would make under $20 less at $32,076.
Another PJC student, Dakota Fox, found some of the pay troubling, especially when it came to those who work “in the line of duty.”
“County commissioners, the tax collector, county attorney and those sit behind a desk, while those who put their lives on the line or have a greater influence get so much less,” Fox said. “I feel people like teacher, firemen, police officers, and sheriff’s deputies should get more.
“Fireman and police officers are working and putting their lives on the line, while you wouldn’t be able to do any of this work if it wasn’t for your education thanks to a teacher.”
For all of the other education jobs like superintendent, assistant superintendent, and principal was taken from the midpoint of each salary range grade. Some received more than this and others could have received less depending on where they fell on the employment classification.
November 24, 2009 11:07 AM
BILL GAMBLIN
As a worker one of the first question a person will ask is how much money will I earn.
The thing is that each job pays something different from the man or woman who works on the sewer line to the person who is responsible for public safety.
In today economic down turn the wages of not only works but those elected to office have come into question.
Especially with how it relates to the Federal Poverty Level as it is according to the Federal Government.
This line is a measurement established by the U.S. Government stating poverty is a lack of goods and services commonly taken for granted by members of mainstream society and originally developed by the Supplemental Security Income Administration.
According to the federal government the 2009 poverty level nationally for a family of three is $18,310.
In Santa Rosa County there are some who work in government making less than this according to a survey taken by the Santa Rosa Press Gazette.
According to numbers for 2009, a grade 1 street municipal service worker ($16,973), grade 1 water utility service tech ($17,514), and a grade 1 sanitation service work ($17,888), which are employed by the City of Milton.
“I was very shocked to see some of the salaries,” according to C.J. Allen, who has just become a registered voter. “Now that I have seen this I think it will really effect how I plan on voting for certain positions next year.”
Unfortuantely even the Mayor of Milton, who is gone on record to say he couldn’t make a living as a mayor falls below this level at $8,358 a year.
Others close to this poverty level is a city of Milton sewer operator at $19,656 county road worker at $19,683, while a county secretary makes $20,680 a year.
Allen wasn’t the only one shocked at the numbers.
“What stands out to me is the head honchos are getting the largest pay,” Mark Viau said. “And it is sad to see workers like those in the sewer department and such making so little.”
Viau and fellow PJC student Eddie Beard were wondering how the city employees pay would rate against those who do a similar job in the private sector.
“I am very interested to see how someone who does this for a private company gets paid,” Beard said. “I sometimes wonder what would happen if some of this at times was done by the private sector.”
The highest salary in 2009 for the city, county, and school jobs surveyed is the County Attorney at $136,074.
Constitutional officers like the sheriff, supervisor of elections, clerk of courts, property appraiser, tax collector, and county commissioner is set by the state legislature in Tallahassee who recognize a county commissioner as a part time position at $56,881 a year in 2009.
Sheriff Wendell Hall is the highest paid constitutional officer at $125,890 a year.
Over the last 10 years constitutional officers saw raises ranging from just over $23,000 to a few dollars under $29,000.
Those employed by the county – county attorney and county administrator – saw raises of almost $41,000 for the county administrator and just shy of $36,000 for the county attorney.
Ironically some of the biggest pay raises over the last decade went to a fireman in the city of Milton who makes $29,474 a year and the sewer operator in Milton who has seen a 63-percent plus pay increase over the last 10 years as has a Milton police officer.
In education pay a teacher who starts their first year with a bachelor’s degree was expected to make $32,092 their first year, while a school board member would make under $20 less at $32,076.
Another PJC student, Dakota Fox, found some of the pay troubling, especially when it came to those who work “in the line of duty.”
“County commissioners, the tax collector, county attorney and those sit behind a desk, while those who put their lives on the line or have a greater influence get so much less,” Fox said. “I feel people like teacher, firemen, police officers, and sheriff’s deputies should get more.
“Fireman and police officers are working and putting their lives on the line, while you wouldn’t be able to do any of this work if it wasn’t for your education thanks to a teacher.”
For all of the other education jobs like superintendent, assistant superintendent, and principal was taken from the midpoint of each salary range grade. Some received more than this and others could have received less depending on where they fell on the employment classification.