Whether it's the Vital Signs--or Money Sense--report, different numbers tell varying stories.
Often, it's reading between the numbers that provides a more accurate picture than the numbers themselves.
Today's Morning Star story "Fewer staff, large salaries highlight report" is no exception.
The City of Vernon states there were 16 fewer jobs in 2013 than 2012, with total compensation dropping from $21.46 million in 2012 to $21.2 million.
At first glance, that seems to merit a congratulatory remark.
But hold on, Humphrey, do the math.
It works out to an average of $69,508.20 per employee last year, up from the previous $66,853.58. So with 16 fewer employees, each retained employee averaged $2,654.62 more than the previous year.
And those 16 fewer employees?
Apparently some jobs were transferred to the regional district.
Huh?
Need we remind folks that we area residents pay for the regional district employees too?
Two pages further into the newspaper, Rolke's editorial says the City of Vernon's community profile verifies the median income for men is $35,575 and for women $23,000 (below the provincial average).
So...the $66,853.58 averaged City of Vernon wage is $31,278.58 more than the median wage of residents ... the residents who are paying the City employees' wages. And those of the Regional District.
"If teachers weren't on strike, these folks could enrol in remedial math class," offers Kia.
Because numbers don't lie.
Do a spelling bee on S-U-S-T-A-I-N-A-B-L-E too.
I have thought for a long time that the province could come up with some sort of algorithm that could be used to determine compensation for elected municipal officials.Even as I make this comment I realize that is probably placing too much faith in the bureaucrats in Victoria . Nevertheless it would spare us the angst as we watch our politicians hand wring over how much they should get paid. Cheers Shawn Lee
ReplyDeleteThat's all we need...more policy out of Victoria! They're already mandating the minimum price for beer under the Liquor Policy Review recommendations. Wonder what they think green fees should be...
ReplyDeleteThis story was about bureaucrats who make, on average, at least double (often triple) the income of residents whose job it is to pay their salaries.
Elected officials, with one or two exceptions, are worth every penny they're paid. If only they'd stop letting bureaucrats--the tail--wag the political dog.