State workers feel the burn - Hawaii Editorials

What is very bothersome about the governor's position to balance the budget on the backs of the 46,000 state workers, their spouses, children and extended families they support is there seems to be an inherent desire to foster or perpetuate resentment between public and private-sector employees, which is absolutely the worst thing that could ...

[Von]

Don't you think that we are all fighting for survival? There are many great people in our state government and we all know someone that works for the state or city and county.

The problem is when the government workers are criticized it's just a way to let off steam from the private sector. It's like going home and kicking the dog sleeping on the doorstep because there is no one else is left?

A three day furlough is still not too much to ask for in these hard times as there are many people out of a job from the private sector that get nothing. No benefits of any kind and yet our taxes are going up like crazy in order to support the government. It seems like many of us don't have a word to say about anything. We don't have large unions backing us up. We are pretty much treated as non-mentionables. We don't have anything really to say about the rail system, gay bills or making a state Islam holiday? Were is our input?

So again there are many great people out there in our government, but when we go home all we see is a big dog sleeping on the door step.

We all are one in the end.

[Linda]

Von wrote:

Don't you think that we are all fighting for survival? There are many great people in our state government and we all know someone that works for the state or city and county.
The problem is when the government workers are criticized it's just a way to let off steam from the private sector. It's like going home and kicking the dog sleeping on the doorstep because there is no one else is left?
A three day furlough is still not too much to ask for in these hard times as there are many people out of a job from the private sector that get nothing. No benefits of any kind and yet our taxes are going up like crazy in order to support the government. It seems like many of us don't have a word to say about anything. We don't have large unions backing us up. We are pretty much treated as non-mentionables. We don't have anything really to say about the rail system, gay bills or making a state Islam holiday? Were is our input?
So again there are many great people out there in our government, but when we go home all we see is a big dog sleeping on the door step.
We all are one in the end.

Well, let me kick you Dawg, you stay home 3 days a month and donate those earnings to me to help balance the budget. That way I won't have to make my Filipino cook take 3 days furlough. You need to think before you stick your foot in your mouth.

[Mike]

"There are almost no alternatives for the services provided by state workers. This will absolutely affect every citizen. There is no possible way for the state to provide the same level of services with a 15 percent to 18 percent cut in staff time". C Spencer

You are completely, totally, wrong Mr. Spencer. Not only can less people do this work, there is no denying there is less work to do, and that is what working in the public sector all of one's life does. One becomes 'immune' to reality, the cycles that affect all of us. The only way you will ever see this, is if you leave the so called security of the public sector, and go to the private sector for a minimum of 7-10 years, and work through a cycle. What you don't 'get' is that economic cycles, up and down, will always happen, and have always happenend. The cause is totally irrelevant, cycles are called cycles for a reason. You are focused on the down economy, where were you during the up economy? I didn't read anything about your complaining about TOO much work?

You have been immunized by the public/union mentality, and unfortunately for you, you bought into it. You want to survive? Go to the private sector, be the best person for the job the private sector offers, and you are secure...FOR LIFE!!!

[Von]

Linda wrote:

<quoted text>Well, let me kick you Dawg, you stay home 3 days a month and donate those earnings to me to help balance the budget. That way I won't have to make my Filipino cook take 3 days furlough. You need to think before you stick your foot in your mouth.

What's wrong with Filipino cook books?

I would'nt mind to stay home and make Filipino cook books? Black Dog sounds good. Actully that's a very good idea.

Keep me update :)

Aloha

[Von]

Mike wrote:

"There are almost no alternatives for the services provided by state workers. This will absolutely affect every citizen. There is no possible way for the state to provide the same level of services with a 15 percent to 18 percent cut in staff time". C Spencer
You are completely, totally, wrong Mr. Spencer. Not only can less people do this work, there is no denying there is less work to do, and that is what working in the public sector all of one's life does. One becomes 'immune' to reality, the cycles that affect all of us. The only way you will ever see this, is if you leave the so called security of the public sector, and go to the private sector for a minimum of 7-10 years, and work through a cycle. What you don't 'get' is that economic cycles, up and down, will always happen, and have always happenend. The cause is totally irrelevant, cycles are called cycles for a reason. You are focused on the down economy, where were you during the up economy? I didn't read anything about your complaining about TOO much work?
You have been immunized by the public/union mentality, and unfortunately for you, you bought into it. You want to survive? Go to the private sector, be the best person for the job the private sector offers, and you are secure...FOR LIFE!!!

Your my man Mike.

I agree 100%.

Aloha

[Midpacificpat]

There is no way that it will be business as usual and the same level of services maintained anywhere in goverment because all branches are inter-related. Cuts to one results in cuts to all. With most departments on different furlough schedules, if one has to schedule a meeting that involves several departments, you'll only be able to meet on Tuesday and Thursday. How is that efficient?

What makes more sense is for our elected officials to do their jobs and "eliminate" inneffective, inefficient programs. There are many and they are a drain on the economy and our tax dollars. Of course, the employees in those programs would loose their jobs, but maybe they'd get more on unemployment that they would with furloughs.

For some reason, the across-the-board furlough fix is the only one being considered by the Governor. So in that sense, everyone will pay because all programs will be effected. It's just that some, namely those who need the services and all state workers, are going to feel the pain more.

Furloughs will further reduce state tax revenues due to the loss of revenue from state worker pay in the form of income tax as well as the multiplier effect on the GET. This further loss of revenue will prolong local economic recovery and may result in requiring additional furlough days in order to balance continuing budget shortfalls in future years.

Forloughs coupled with the 29% increase in health insurance premiums and the refusal of the employer to pay it's full share will undoubtedly cause many state workers to forgo health insurance and/or place their children on Medicaid. This will increase costs to the state and will put the budget further out of whack.

The thought that backlogs can be made up later is absurd especially as regards the courts, hospitals, unemployment benefits, etc. Furloughs have been proposed for 2 years and it is highly unlikely that the Governor will reduce or eliminate them during her remaining term which will only increase the backlog here and elsewhere.

If the Governor hires additional workers with the savings realized from the furloughs she'll actually increase costs by having to pay for additional benefits because more employees will be doing the same work.

For those families with 2 or more members employed by the state, the hit will be especially severe. Expect to see foreclosures and bankruptcy filings increase dramatically if the furlough plan is actually implemented for an extended period of time, which will again, prolong the recovery of the local economy.

[Flexo]

"This should not be about any one side against the other, but should be about keeping the aloha spirit alive"

Wrong, it's about balancing our budget. Realistically we should go with layoffs, the government payroll is far too big and needs to be trimmed, permanently.

[kahaluuboi]

Linda wrote:

<quoted text>Well, let me kick you Dawg, you stay home 3 days a month and donate those earnings to me to help balance the budget. That way I won't have to make my Filipino cook take 3 days furlough. You need to think before you stick your foot in your mouth.

If your a government employee and can afford to pay for a "Filipino Cook" you are definitely over apid and out of touch. Go ahead and furluogh your cook, the rest of us have to cook for ourselves and our family. Comments like yours is the reason we want to reduce the cost of government.
We don't need all of these junk programs here. All we are doing is throwing money away. I say, send most of the people who rely on government programs to California, and give them some money monthly not to come back. They will be better able to make it there, and we aren't stuck paying an ever increasing bill to take care of the dregs of humanity, and the endless parade of human debris we see everyday.
I have love and aloha for people that show it, most of these leachers don't care about anyone buut getting a free ride. If they cared they would take high school more seriuosly than they do.
I'm not rich, I'm barely getting by, but I don't have more money to pay to entitled government employees.

[whats]

don't worry, be happy. strike

[Edwatch]

This is a great time to dismantle and revamp the extremely inefficient DOE, the largest portion of our state budget. Education is one of the central pillars in attracting industry, hence good jobs, and stabilizing our state economy. The are good people in the DOE and their are bureaucrats. Let's get rid of the dead weight and create a local control education system--this will, of course mean eliminating the constitutional entitlement of unions' to the 2.5 billion dollars in the DOE budget.
The smoke and mirrors of "cutting" the DOE budget is part of the current problem--they publicly decried a 10% cut this year. The legilsature allocated nearly 2 billion in state funds for DOE. A 10% cut would be 200 million. DOE took only a $38 million cut. Had they taken the same cut their charter school cousins took (15% across the board), the DOE cut would have been closer to $300 million!
And, back to furloughs--why are our legislators sitting on their hands?

[datruthandfacts]

Mike from Atlanta forgets a major point. When Joe construction worker was making $70 an hour here in Hawaii during the good times, C. Spencer did not see half that kind of money. Joe construction worker should have saved for the "down" cycle but instead bought himself that $45,000 high lifted truck and $500,000 house (Which was really worth $200,000 until the "Up" cycle kicked in). In fact he probably bought the house down the block from C. Spencer which caused C. Spencer's property values to go up and cost him additional taxes because of this. Government workers often pick that job, knowing they will not get rich and just hoping that "slow and steady" wins the race. Now that Joe can't afford gas for his truck or to pay the mortgage - he wants C. Spencer to feel his pain even though C. Spencer NEVER got to feelor live the good times like Joe did. But hey WHO CARES? What I have written is the truth and the facts!!

[Wake up]

What a self-serving editorial. If its writer were to read the news, the writer would know that the private sector has been bearing 100% of the burden of the recession for the past two years and will continue to do so for the next two years.

The 44 mass layoffs in Hawaii this year (through April) and the 88 last year were all in the private sector.

The hundreds of smaller layoffs this year (like Bankoh's 12-person layoff this past week) were also all in the private sector.

In addition, Hawaii's unemployment rate has soared to 7.4%-- the highest in 30 years -- due to layoffs in the private sector.

Many private sector employees who haven't been laid off have seen their hours reduced and their benefits cut.

My pay is down 30%. My spouse's is down 20%.

My employer discontinued the company's pension plan.

State government employees, by contrast, have not born a single bit of the burden of the recession.

Now they are being required to take a 3-day/month furlough so that the state can balance the budget.

Some state employees, like the writer of this editorial, get all bent out of shape at the thought of their having to bear a portion of the economic burden that so far has been born entirely by the private sector.

Hey, welcome to the real world!

Do what the rest of us are doing and trim your household budget. Find part-time work to try to make up a portion of your lost wages or start your own part-time business. Don't act like a helpless twit.

[privatesectoryeh right]

to simply everything to private sector v. govt is stupid in Hawaii
how many Topix posters are actually earning money that they created through pure private sector capitalism
if we want to generalize --- Hawaii is basically Government money and Tourism
the private sector jobs are supportive of these two or they support the money generated by these two
to yell out that we need pure free enterprise and everything will be solved is pure ignorance

[Start your own business]

If you are a state government employee and you want to protect yourself from a furlough, just quit your state job and start up your own business.

Be your own boss. That way, you will have no boss above you to furlough or fire you.

And you can pay yourself the salary and give yourself the benefits that you feel you truly deserve.

90% of the companies in Hawaii (and on the mainland) are small businesses. Grow a pair and start your own business if you think that you are being dumped on by the governor.

[Dman]

Stop whining and get a grip. This state CAN'T afford to pay this bloated state workforce. Its either furloughs or layoffs, take your pick. One thing for sure is this state will be hurting even with the furloughs, as tax revenues will be down for years to come.

To top it off we are going forward with a train to a shopping mall that we CAN'T afford. Its going to get a lot worse so buckle up and get ready for a very bumpy ride.

[nope]

Start your own business wrote:

If you are a state government employee and you want to protect yourself from a furlough, just quit your state job and start up your own business.
Be your own boss. That way, you will have no boss above you to furlough or fire you.
And you can pay yourself the salary and give yourself the benefits that you feel you truly deserve.
90% of the companies in Hawaii (and on the mainland) are small businesses. Grow a pair and start your own business if you think that you are being dumped on by the governor.

state workers don't have the political connections that the private businesses owners have

the majority of private business owners are able to suck money out of the economy because of who they know

state workers are at the bottom of the totem pole

[Manoa]

Private sector workers need help too.
State workers can retire with a pension. How many private workers have a pension now? You get a savings plan so you can save for your own retirement. Today private employers are cutting the matching for these savings plans, so you are on your own. Same for medical.

[yep]

Manoa wrote:

Private sector workers need help too.
State workers can retire with a pension. How many private workers have a pension now? You get a savings plan so you can save for your own retirement. Today private employers are cutting the matching for these savings plans, so you are on your own. Same for medical.

the private sector working class in Hawaii is one of the most abused in the nation

the taxes and fees and expenses placed upon a family with earners bringing in $10 an hour makes it nearly impossible to live

the state government sector working class is that far behind

Hawaii is not a place for the plebicite to get ahead

the politicians have no vision and only seek to protect the well-connected class

[NoBanks]

All the hiring and pay raises that State workers received for the last 6 years were fake and should never have happened.
Fake wealth created by cheap credit. Feel the burn!!! And no the State cannot afford to fund and house all the Micronesians.

[SMART TALKING]

Start your own business wrote:

If you are a state government employee and you want to protect yourself from a furlough, just quit your state job and start up your own business.
Be your own boss. That way, you will have no boss above you to furlough or fire you.
And you can pay yourself the salary and give yourself the benefits that you feel you truly deserve.
90% of the companies in Hawaii (and on the mainland) are small businesses. Grow a pair and start your own business if you think that you are being dumped on by the governor.

I totally agree with this so why isn't the people in the private industry CRYING ABOUT LAYOFFS? GROW A PAIR START YOUR OWN COMPANY...... THEN YOU WOULDN'T BE LAID OFF TOO.......YOU SO SMART I BET YOUR COMPANY LASTS ABOUT 5 SECONDS........HAH HAH HAH HAH..........