by Jack Lee
Despite the recession state employment remains strong. Few concessions or layoffs have occurred in the public sector when compared to the private sector and in some areas of government employment has grown. Currently the State of California employs over 240,000 people that requires a monthly payout of $1,475,309,510! Hundreds of State jobs now pay over $200,000 annually and when the benefits are added in that number grows by $50,000 a year.
Where it gets downright insulting is in our state legislature. Lawmakers can hire anyone they want, even friends and family and they do and in great numbers! We may be at our highest unemployment since 1983, but there’s always good jobs within the state Legislature for the well-connected, so says the LA Times.
“Yolie Flores Aguilar, a longtime friend and political ally of some powerful California Democrats, last year supplemented her income as vice president of the Los Angeles school board with more than $32,000 as a consultant assigned to a state Senate committee that, during her tenure, did not meet or release any reports.
State Sen. Rod Wright (D-Inglewood) was paid at least $27,900 by the state Senate last year for miscellaneous tasks as he was campaigning for his current job. And Californians pay Marisela Villar, daughter of L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, $68,000 annually as a field representative for Democrats.
Lawmakers have broad powers to hire whomever they wish, and those they employ need not go through the Civil Service exam process that requires applicants to compete for jobs on merit. Some are paid as consultants, with vague responsibilities or assignments. Others have titles that bear little relationship to what they actually do.
At least a dozen political allies, relatives and friends of legislators, including political candidates in need of a salaried landing or launch pad between elections, were on the legislative roster last year at a cost of $754,000.”
Once again, it’s your tax dollars at work.