Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > California > Orange County
 [Register]
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
Reply Start New Thread
 
Old 05-12-2011, 02:28 PM
 
Location: Declezville, CA
16,806 posts, read 39,777,101 times
Reputation: 17679

Advertisements

Derek nailed it. These aren't the tower-sitters getting this pay. These are the Lts, Capts and Chiefs. Most, if not all, of the employees at this level are also PC 832 certified peace officers.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 05-12-2011, 03:00 PM
 
Location: Verona, WI
1,201 posts, read 2,404,587 times
Reputation: 830
It's probably cheaper in the long run to have a small staff with little turnover and who have spotless attendance records, even if they get paid more annually. Hiring and training costs add up quickly, and from a benefits cost perspective, it would be better to have less people on the payroll who work more hours, even if they make more money doing so. $100K still seems excessive for a lifeguard, but there are a lot of factors to consider that these articles leave out. In addition to the compensation package, there is probably a significant prestige factor to being a Newport Beach lifeguard, making it a very desireable job that stays in high demand.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 05-12-2011, 03:14 PM
 
1,855 posts, read 2,900,431 times
Reputation: 3992
Quote:
Originally Posted by jazznblues View Post
Is a 20 year lifeguard better than a 2 year lifeguard? I don't believe there is a huge skill development that comes with vast experience for lifeguards. It is possible that older, more expensive lifeguards, are not as fit as a 22 year old ex-NCAA swimmer that California produces in large quantity. And that 22 year old is probably happy to do this luxury job for $35,000.

This job should not be structured for long term employment. It should be thought of as a 5 year job at most. Set max pay at $50K and you'd get turnover, with a steady flow of younger people willing to work for much less than they are paying now.
Can we do this with your job as well once you've been there for 5 years?
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 05-12-2011, 03:21 PM
 
Location: Metro Phoenix
11,048 posts, read 16,759,976 times
Reputation: 12942
The main thing I take fault with are the pensions.

When cities pay 90% pensions and someone retires at 50, the city/state/county can dole out $90k+ per year for another 30, 40 years. Times 14 lifeguards, you're looking at over a million dollars a year. Over 2 and a half decades (let's assume people start to die off around then), you're looking at about $25mil for people who are no longer working.

The government does need to provide retirement for its employees for their years of service, but hell...
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 05-12-2011, 03:47 PM
 
Location: So California
8,704 posts, read 11,051,411 times
Reputation: 4794
Quote:
Originally Posted by 415_s2k View Post
The main thing I take fault with are the pensions.

When cities pay 90% pensions and someone retires at 50, the city/state/county can dole out $90k+ per year for another 30, 40 years. Times 14 lifeguards, you're looking at over a million dollars a year. Over 2 and a half decades (let's assume people start to die off around then), you're looking at about $25mil for people who are no longer working.

The government does need to provide retirement for its employees for their years of service, but hell...

I agree, there should be a retirement age closer to social security age for pensions, at least 60-65.
I dont think a head lifeguard should ever make $200k. Can you survive in Newport Beach for less than $16k/month!
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 05-12-2011, 03:57 PM
 
Location: Everywhere and Nowhere
14,129 posts, read 31,130,987 times
Reputation: 6920
Quote:
Originally Posted by hoffdano View Post
Do you comment only on things happening where you live? There is nothing wrong with people not from OC to comment on this. Public policy, use of tax money, etc. are issues interesting and relevent to almost everyone. Did you care about the corruption and excessive pay in Bell California of their city officials?.
Why? As a matter of fact I couldn't care less what people are paid elsewhere if I'm not paying for it. That would be like me whining about why taxes are so high in Sweden. If that's how folks elsewhere want to run their own governments that's up to them. Where I live we pay our public safety folks well and nobody complains about it. Frankly if my house is about to burn down I'd like to know the guy trying to save it has a few years under his belt and knows what he's doing. If it's a jealousy thing and you think you're underpaid relative to someone else, go get a better job and stop complaining about what the other guy makes.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 05-12-2011, 05:14 PM
 
Location: Long Beach, CA
32 posts, read 106,445 times
Reputation: 38
I'm not upset by this at all. Newport Beach is the closest beach from the 55 FWY and that's where just about everyone from IE goes to, it gets very crowded. I grew up in Costa Mesa and would go there a lot as a kid and have seen lots of close calls and even a couple deaths there. I'd say their pay is fair.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 05-12-2011, 05:41 PM
 
Location: the illegal immigrant state
767 posts, read 1,736,568 times
Reputation: 1057
How ungrateful you are. When a lifeguard saves your life, you'll change your tune. LG's selflessly put their lives on the line everyday for other people- for you. Every time they go out there, they might not come back. Next time you see a LG, maybe you should look them in the eye and say "thank you".

That is usually the self-righteous sermon/rebuttal given when someone criticizes overpaid police officers/firefighters. I think I got it right.

We all like to forget that those civil servants want and choose their careers rather than being thrust into them, and that they retire at an age when many are considered to be in their prime career years.

It must be nice to be able to watch TV all day when you retire well before you're sixty. I'll never know what that's like.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 05-12-2011, 06:23 PM
 
Location: So California
8,704 posts, read 11,051,411 times
Reputation: 4794
Quote:
Originally Posted by sjnative View Post
How ungrateful you are. When a lifeguard saves your life, you'll change your tune. LG's selflessly put their lives on the line everyday for other people- for you. Every time they go out there, they might not come back. Next time you see a LG, maybe you should look them in the eye and say "thank you".

That is usually the self-righteous sermon/rebuttal given when someone criticizes overpaid police officers/firefighters. I think I got it right.

We all like to forget that those civil servants want and choose their careers rather than being thrust into them, and that they retire at an age when many are considered to be in their prime career years.

It must be nice to be able to watch TV all day when you retire well before you're sixty. I'll never know what that's like.

Your mixing several different topics. This has nothing to do with appreciating law enforcement, fire fighters, lifequards whatever. This has to do with an over-correction on our "appreciation" through pay and benefits that has put cities, counties, and the entire state budgets and economies in jeopardy. Thats like saying its ok to pay them $2 million dollars a year because they put their lives on the line. Its not sustainable.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 05-12-2011, 06:31 PM
 
Location: Declezville, CA
16,806 posts, read 39,777,101 times
Reputation: 17679
You've been in Texas too long. That post went plumb ovuh yo haid.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:


Settings
X
Data:
Loading data...
Based on 2000-2020 data
Loading data...

123
Hide US histogram


Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > California > Orange County

All times are GMT -6.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top