Cindy Chavez to Increase our COL

[zombocom]

Originally Posted by bigdumbgod

While the details may be debatable and Cindy is surely in the unions' pockets, funding public health, safety, and social services doesn't sound like the most awful use of taxes. Shall we do away with these instead?

That's a bit misleading. I think most people would like to fund those actual services, but that's not what tax increases go towards funding.

[zombocom]

Originally Posted by Generaltao

Thank you for your service. I have a question: does the pension have anything to do with why you are working for the city for $45.5k? If they did away with the pension, would you stick around or go to the private sector? What about others you work with?

Generally speaking (as a government employee), the pay is about on par with the private sector (if not more), and the benefits just blow it out of the water. The starting salary for an attorney with santa clara county is about 95,000, starting salary for a nurse is 83,000 - and that does not include the 75% pension, or the fact that the work is much less stressful than in the private sector.

Even if the county switched over to a 401k tomorrow, it would still be a better deal than working in the private sector.