Hermosa Beach Meter Maids Making Nearly $100K
It's a tough job, walking around in temperate, sunny weather, writing out little pieces of paper and sticking them on windshields.
That must be why it pays so well. Brian Calle writes in the OC Register that Hermosa Beach meter maids, in total compensation, are making nearly $100K in total compensation:
There are 10 parking enforcement employees for the 1.3-square-mile beach city southwest of downtown Los Angeles, and they pull down some disproportionate compensation, considering their job functions. In fact, the two highest-earning employees for fiscal year 2011-12 are estimated to have made more than $92,000 and $93,000, respectively, according to city documents provided by Patrick "Kit" Bobko, one of five council members and who also serves as mayor pro tem. Those two have supervisory roles. The other eight parking-enforcement employees make from $67,367 to $84,267 in total compensation.There are four qualifications for being a city "community service officer," Bobko told me: "You have to be able to drive a standard transmission; you have to able to handle large animals; you have to read and interpret statutes and regulations; and you have a high school diploma or equivalent."
...Bobko also wrote in a memo that the retirement costs for these 10 employees "from [fiscal year 2011-12] through their retirement age at 62 was nearly $1.6 million, and the medical costs for these employees from this fiscal year to their retirement at age 62 would be $1,353,827." Excluding salaries, the [retirement] contributions and medical costs for the 10 employees performing parking enforcement will cost, on average, nearly $300,000 apiece."
...Bobko is pushing a plan to outsource the city's parking enforcement operations, which he says will save money, reduce maintenance costs, relieve the city of accounting functions related to parking enforcement, increase efficiency and, perhaps most importantly, increase revenue and "reduce the city's pension and salary obligations."
There has been opposition to the outsourcing proposal from Hermosa Beach's Police Chief Steve Johnson and Councilman Howard Fishman. Both expressed concerns about letting go full-time city staff. Bobko accurately characterized the resistance: "When you outsource, you take away union jobs."
via Marc Danziger
That's more than I make. And I have a high tech job.
The government needs significant pruning. And RICO cases brought against the unions.
Jim P. at August 11, 2012 6:01 AM
Gee. This looks like another cue for me to say that the public and the public employee need to be aware what the payer is doing... and for Crid to object to this for some insane reason.
If you have a problem with what someone is doing in a particular job, the best remedy is to take that job from them and do it yourself. Then, there will be a big test: whether you decline what you now think is excessive pay.
I don't think many people will do that.
Radwaste at August 11, 2012 7:45 AM
The problem is that the politicians gives the unions what they want to get the union to vote for them. The union then delivers the votes to the politician to keep said politician in office. The politician then kisses the union's ass. Rinse and repeat.
This is similar to the mob showing up at a business and saying as long as you pay us, your business won't burn.
If we can get rid of the collective bargaining and go to merit pay -- wages will probably go down.
Jim P. at August 11, 2012 8:25 AM
No, the union problem is worse than that.
1. unions bargain with the city reps, and get their demands approved by the city council.
2. the unions collect dues from their members
3. the unions contribute some part of those dues to their favorite city council members (read that to mean "most likely to approve a raise")
4. the unions encourage their members to work for the aforementioned city council members' campaign
5. and then vote for them
The more money the council votes to approve means more money to finance their campaigns. It's a rather corrupt relationship. In more civilized places it would be called money laundering or perhaps vote buying.
As for whether I think they're overpaid, I'll be blunt: it's a $10-$15/hour job.
I R A Darth Aggie at August 11, 2012 9:56 AM
Are the beach meter maids hermosa?
Maybe they get paid extra for being beautiful?
Perro at August 11, 2012 10:57 AM
Meter maids wear a government uniform making them, by post-9/11 definition, heroes.
Stop the hero hate! 9/11.
Gog_Magog_Carpet_Reclaimers at August 11, 2012 7:16 PM
is that nearly 100k salary or total compensation? If it is total compensation that is not much - depending upon how they calculate it.
When I worked for the bank they used to send us this paper work for our total compensation.
This included
salary with some wierd adjustment for vacation that made it higher
medical & dental (portion they payed)
401k payments made by them
various insurances they paid (e.g. unemployment, on the job death)
One year they even included use of my cube & computer.
TC was nearly 3x my salary.
The Former Banker at August 12, 2012 12:59 AM
The Former Banker has a point. If these people are taking home, say, 40k a year and the quoted number includes their benefits package, I doubt quite as many people would object. So which is it?
Astra at August 12, 2012 5:28 AM
Outsource the jobs. No private company would pay its meter maids that much.
Snoopy at August 12, 2012 7:34 AM
Benifits are a big part of total compensation, but not tripple. In private sector it's about +25% in government +35% govt union more like 40-45%.
Police it is higher due to the short time in before qualifying for retirement.
So 100,000 total comp works out to be about 70,000.
joe j at August 12, 2012 9:12 PM
I realize I was thinking of total employee cost when I was thinking of the 3x. Benefits are usually around 50%....a bit more for public employees.
The Former Banker at August 12, 2012 11:03 PM
"No private company would pay its meter maids that much."
But a private company would gleefully ticket everything to make money, right away.
How DO you get MONEY out of the equation?
Radwaste at August 13, 2012 11:57 AM
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