Minnesota Senate pay, hiring freeze turns partisan

To help reduce the state budget deficit, Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller, DFL-Minneapolis, on Thursday ordered immediate pay and hiring freezes for Senate employees.

[Downtown]

Politicians sounding and acting like Kids. He took the milk out...yea, but you used it last.....I'm telling mom on you. Would you politicians please grow the "F" up and start doing whats best for the people for a change and stop acting WORSE than kids. How shameful, how shameful!!!!!

[Disgusted]

Pogemiller should be the first one to be laid off!!

[Butt Heads]

And who is surprised with this type of childish behavior? No one should be. Tax and spend baby. That's the cry all the way to DC when they found out that their toy projects were too much for us taxpayers to handle. So go get a bailout and refuse to cut spending. Next year what will happen? the year after? Tax and spend. I can tell you this, the TAXPAYER REVOLT is under way. And I hope and PRAY that our democrats will get the boot out of office and have their pensions reduced by the same amount that ours are. Pogemiller is pathetic.

[Skippy]

Why would anybody expect anything different from Pogemiller? He's always acted like a spoiled brat.

[human too]

I am a Republican. I just checked, and there appear to be 21 Republicans in the Minnesota Senate. If each of these 21 Senators kicked in 5% of their pay (which is the cut they themselves proposed), they could hire a Chief of Staff out of their own pockets.

It would be a truly noble gesture, and the PR value of this move, demonstrating that they are willing to "walk the talk" and play by the rules (even rules targeting them) would far outweigh the 5% pay cut.

[human three]

I am a Democrat and I would almost concur.

The Republicans should refuse or refund 5% of their pay as they recommended in their proposed pay cut and not use it to hire a chief of staff.

They then should hire their chief of staff on their own dime.

Then, turn around and challenge the Democrats to do the same!

Now that's political drama!

human too wrote:

I am a Republican. I just checked, and there appear to be 21 Republicans in the Minnesota Senate. If each of these 21 Senators kicked in 5% of their pay (which is the cut they themselves proposed), they could hire a Chief of Staff out of their own pockets.
It would be a truly noble gesture, and the PR value of this move, demonstrating that they are willing to "walk the talk" and play by the rules (even rules targeting them) would far outweigh the 5% pay cut.

[LGA Larry]

"I think it's simplistic and naive to say people can spend their money better than the government.... "The notion that everybody can individually spend their money better than government I, I just think is trite, wrongheaded and anti-democratic."
-Larry P

[salisbury sucks]

first of all you must know the salisbury is the democrat go to guy. that means he is in bed with these guys and when they need to get a spin out ,he is their guy. his stories cannot be trusted for he spins to make the dems look as good as possible when they are in the wrong. he is one of the main reasons that I dropped the stpaul paper. I urge you to consider dropping this rag until the rein is this "reporter". he left the ranch a long time ago and now he needs to be put out to pasture

[Government layoffs]

How about laying off some of the government employees. I know layoffs are not fun and sometimes necessary to get rid of the so called extra weight and yesterday was a prime example when I went to a local licensing station to get a replacement plate. I am the only tax paying customer in building with four ladies standing at the counter trying to look busy. The processing fee was $8.50 while the actual cost of the plate $4.50. I just don't get it. I am sure tax payers would not mind taking a number and waiting in line for an extra couple of minutes instead of paying for extra staff.

[Why Shouldnt They]

While I will agree they sound more like 5 year olds squabbling over Lego’s, I would let them have this “key post” and I think the cost cutting measures are fare: Freezing wages, reducing allotments, and limiting or banning “unessessary” travel.

Instead of a 5% pay cut, I think they should take a 10% pay cut, Federal Express (who turned a profit last year) upper level management recently took a 30% pay cut.

I also think that before they drop state sponsored health care programs, then the govenor and state representatives should go without health care also.

Whats good for the goose is good for the gander.

[Mel]

I'm not a Dem or a Rethug, but I'm just sick & tired of their petulant game playing. The Republicans seem to be in it only for themselves and their rich cronies, while the Dems can't get their act together and act like spurned high school girls. Crooks and whiners, the lot of em!

[TAC]

The problem with over generalizing is that you are not "the expert" when it comes to the job people are doing. Yes there may be 4 people at the counter, but 3 could be working on internet or phone issues, and there could be general office needs that are being completed. This statement is like say "well I went into McD's the other day and 3 people in front were standing around, maybe they should let them go!", or Maybe they don't need all of those people in back, because it should only take one person to cook my Hamburger. It's short sited and it is the problem that we have it today's society.

Government layoffs wrote:

How about laying off some of the government employees. I know layoffs are not fun and sometimes necessary to get rid of the so called extra weight and yesterday was a prime example when I went to a local licensing station to get a replacement plate. I am the only tax paying customer in building with four ladies standing at the counter trying to look busy. The processing fee was $8.50 while the actual cost of the plate $4.50. I just don't get it. I am sure tax payers would not mind taking a number and waiting in line for an extra couple of minutes instead of paying for extra staff.

[Disgusted with the DFL]

Ironic that the Dems would institute a hiring freeze only after they themselves had swelled their ranks of staff and committee support to record levels.
I am as sick as I can be hearing about "listening sessions," when all the DFLiberals are doing is pounding the pavement for negative publicity against Pawlenty's proposed cuts in spending.
They are seeking public permission, via rigged local meetings, stuffed with ringers, to continue the spending binge that got us into this mess in the first place.
Shame on the media for portraying this as a bipartisan event!

[rich]

Mel wrote:

I'm not a Dem or a Rethug, but I'm just sick & tired of their petulant game playing. The Republicans seem to be in it only for themselves and their rich cronies, while the Dems can't get their act together and act like spurned high school girls. Crooks and whiners, the lot of em!

well when you say you are not a rethug that kind of makes you a demorate don't yeah think

[Uff Duh]

human three wrote:

I am a Democrat and I would almost concur.
The Republicans should refuse or refund 5% of their pay as they recommended in their proposed pay cut and not use it to hire a chief of staff.
They then should hire their chief of staff on their own dime.
Then, turn around and challenge the Democrats to do the same!
Now that's political drama!
<quoted text>

Exactly. If the Rs did it then the Ds would look bad by not also doing it...

[Buster]

If the Republicans did do that, I'm sure the Dems, being the vermin that they are, would find some way to "weasle" out of it.

human three wrote:

I am a Democrat and I would almost concur.
The Republicans should refuse or refund 5% of their pay as they recommended in their proposed pay cut and not use it to hire a chief of staff.
They then should hire their chief of staff on their own dime.
Then, turn around and challenge the Democrats to do the same!
Now that's political drama!
<quoted text>

[Mayor McSpendy]

Pension gap divides public and private workers (2007 article but timely)



http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-02-2...

You can bet the politicians will be looking for ways to steal the 401k savings of the non-government retirees to fund the bloated benefits of the government retirees. The former group has nobody to defend them. The latter has politicians and unions feeding at the trough.

[Dumbness]

LGA Larry wrote:

"I think it's simplistic and naive to say people can spend their money better than the government.... "The notion that everybody can individually spend their money better than government I, I just think is trite, wrongheaded and anti-democratic."
-Larry P

Well Larry, it appears you have had just too much kool aid to drink. Exactly where would you draw the line in letting folks take your hard earned dollars? You do work don't you? I hope so, but in the event you don't your post would make perfect sense in that it's ok with you since you don't contribute. You would be a drain on system. I feel no need to allow more of my money to be taken and provided to those that don't work/contribute. I see hundreds daily at the Government Center, walk in with head phone, cell phones, black berrys, nice clothes, lots of kids dragging behind to get OUR money that we worked for but they just come in to get. You watch that never ending stream of OUR dollars going out to those that won't work and you want to puke. So yes, I will NOT allow more of my money to go for crap like that. You can, if you want. Like the democrats say, write the check baby and send it in. They won't even tell you thanks, and it will be gone.

[TAZ]

Hey they are there supposedly representing Us the Taxpayer. Why not let us decide whether or not they get a raise or a paycut?

[SallyMe]

Government layoffs wrote:

How about laying off some of the government employees. I know layoffs are not fun and sometimes necessary to get rid of the so called extra weight and yesterday was a prime example when I went to a local licensing station to get a replacement plate. I am the only tax paying customer in building with four ladies standing at the counter trying to look busy. The processing fee was $8.50 while the actual cost of the plate $4.50. I just don't get it. I am sure tax payers would not mind taking a number and waiting in line for an extra couple of minutes instead of paying for extra staff.

When your wait time is beyond what you're willing to wait in line for, will you advocate hiring more staff?

Most wait times are hit-and-miss. You happened upon the miss. Be happy.