Comments on: Many county workers enjoy generous benefits

By: They Are Nutso!

They Are Nutso! — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 07:52:36 +0000

JUST CUT THE FATCATS PERKS AND LET THEM HAVE FURLOUGHS FOR 2 WEEKS LIKE THE SOCIAL WORKERS…SSA IS A TERRIBLE PLACE TO WORK! BAD MANAGEMENT AND POOR PLANNING UNLIKE HCA. COMBINE THE WATER DISTRICTS, AND GET RID OF THE CAR ALLOWANCES! NO MORE FREE GAS EITHER!

By: Ipolitico

Ipolitico — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 08:36:35 +0000

We need to urgently pass a county-wide measure that controls the pay and perks for all the higher ups working in the County of Orange Government, from the CEO thru the BOS and down to the Adminstrative mangers.

If they don’t think they get paid too much, unlike what the taxpayers believe we need to immediate start a signature drive that controls their compensation and rids them of perks.

There is a special election in early 2009 so lets do it.

I would say given the current economic conditions and all these stories in the OC REgister regarding the pay and perks of these so called public servants, the OC voters would wait in a hour line just to sign a petition to put this measure to the voters.

Let’s do it … All these Water district execs, county execs, BOS need to cut it out the fat and since they are not willing to cut their pay and their fellow cronies, we need to do it.

If they don’t like it, too bad. They all can try their hand in the private sector or file for unemployment.

By: CountyEmployee

CountyEmployee — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 06:23:32 +0000

All workers - from executives to grunts - get $3,000 a year for educational and professional advancement? Grunts? lol.

Mr. Sforza, why don’t you publish it like it really is. You make it seem as if we get $3,000 a year on top of our salary - and the thruth is; we have to pursue higher education that is job related to the county agency your work for. It has to be approved by the elected/appointed official. you have to maintain at least a C average on every class. We, grunts pay for our education, and THEN get reimbursed up to $3000.

Don’t make it seem to the public as if we get $3000 a year on top of our salary.

Geez, does the register hire just anyone now a days?

By: One Voice

One Voice — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 04:38:59 +0000

Just to re-state what has been stated on 2 points:
One:
We do not “get” $3,000 for professional and educational advancement. This is strictly a tuition reimbursement program with very strict eligibility requirements. The employee must pay all expenses out of pocket and then submit certain paperwork for reimbursement- IF the county agrees that this will benefit the county, such as social work or counseling, for example. We may not pursue our acting degree, although with all of the BoS and Mauk drama lately, one might think so! If the county does not agree- No reimbursement. If your paperwork is not correct- No reimbursement. This is a great benefit to be sure, but one that benefits the county and agency in the long run. We do not by any means “get” $3,000 the way apparently the managers GET their bonuses or whatever Mauk chooses to call it.
Two:
If you join the county employment later in life, and have worked another job previously, surprise! You do not just get the benefit of your true social security (which by the way you have paid into for years as had your employer) AND county pension (which by the way is a huge portion taken out of our paycheck-). There is something called a government pension off-set which reduces your social security by a majority of the amount, no matter how many years you previously worked outside of the county. Even if you have very little county pension. We do not all retire with full pay after 10 years or at 55 years of age as many previous “rumors” of stories might lead the public to believe.
There are great benefits for working for the county, but there is more to it than meets the eye of the average sensational newspaper story. But I do comment the Register for much of the accurate reporting on this issue- both sides.

By: gimmeabreak

gimmeabreak — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 17:47:00 +0000

OC Taxpayer? You are DEAD wrong. Maybe OCERS does. We caseworkers don’t. We get NO retirement benefits, save the money we are mandated to pay in. Also, the county doesn’t want to have to obey federal law, so we don’t pay into Social Security, like most workers do, so all we have is what WE, the workers, save.

Get your facts straight, Scooter.

By the way, this reporter’s “facts” are pure fiction. PURE FICTION. What horrible reporting. Shame on the OC Register. I always knew you were biased to the right, but man, I didn’t know you were Mauk and Moorlach’s pets.

By: Sean

Sean — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 01:54:07 +0000

I really, really must add here that people get the government they deserve. So either do something or stop whining, and remember that the truth is usually somewhere in the middle.

Having said that, working for government is not like working for McDonalds - one can’t just plug people into jobs, particularly in middle management that oversees and directs much of the real work. There is often much institutional knowledge that goes away when valuable employees retire, and such knowledge cannot be measured as a “merit” factor. It just is what it is.

Government benefits may seem “lavish” to today’s worker, but who is to blame for that? Look in the mirror, if you dare, because you have elected individuals who have a disdain for government and its employees, who see little value in public service other than to enrich themselves (the last eight years ring any bells?); and who aid and abet corporate greed that ships good jobs overseas. These are the same representatives who subscribe to a philosophy that seeks not to reward competence, but those who are of the monetary elite, who attend their country clubs, and whose children all attend the same (private) colleges.

To show scorn for average workers who, I can assure you, live middle-class lives, is not only mean-spirited and petty, but grossly misdirected.

By: OC Taxpayer

OC Taxpayer — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 22:35:27 +0000

All these benefits are obviously quite lavish on their own, but keep in mind this DOES NOT INCLUDE THE OCERS PENSION PLAN THAT GIVES THESE EMPLOYEES 60 - 100 PERCENT OF THEIR HIGHEST YEARS PAY AT THEIR RETIREMENT FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES PLUS COST OF LIVING INCREASES!!!

By: CB

CB — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 20:58:10 +0000

The OCR trying to stir up jealousy and resentment agauinst gov’t employees. I’m shocked, SHOCKED.

By: gimmeabreak

gimmeabreak — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 20:41:09 +0000

Teri Sforza has not responded to one single worker who has told them they are wrong in their fanciful facts. In fact, from start to finish, the OC Register has misreported and misrepresented the true facts of the entire fiasco, serving as lap dogs for Mauk, Moorlach and their corrupt crew.

What I want to know is, how much are the BoS and Mauk paying your reporters to work as Public Relations lap dogs for them? Corruption, lies and spin. Man, what a joke.

By: bpsqwerty

bpsqwerty — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 20:31:36 +0000

“They don’t make it easy, you’re out of pocket for quite a while, who has ‘extra’ right now on our salaries?”

then don’t go… it may be time consuming and strenuous to wait to be reimbursed, but they also don’t make it rocket science. imagine paying that out of your pocket w/ no reimbursement program, like the general public