Not that many workers

EDITOR:

A Lynn Muzzy letter to the editor on Feb. 5 identified public budget items that "deserve discussion."

He said the "SAGE" Commission report identified state employees as making "much more than private sector counterparts."

No, the report said state worker salaries are "equal or above the private sector" but retirement and health care benefits "greatly exceed the private sector."

The report contained no supporting evidence. However, the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce last month released a publication with tables showing that Nevada state workers in 2008 averaged $55,266 annually (more than 60 percent were below that figure) and local government employees averaged $55,786 (not $66,609 stated by Mr. Muzzy).

The chamber report also provided evidence that nationally Nevada ranks "dead last in terms of the number of state and local government employees per 1,000 residents."

However, public employees seldom receive the high salaries of many private sector employees, nor bonuses, stock options and other "perks" paid by we consumers of business goods and services.

Mr. Muzzy referred to Web site TransparentNevada.com to address Douglas County employee examples of positions with "annual compensation" ranging from $60,000 to $115,784. That's incorrect.

These amounts incorporated base pay and accrued benefits like sick and vacation time carried forward from prior years.

With some top management exceptions, all high dollar employees are fire, sheriff, legal and judicial personnel.

Douglas County mirrors Nevada city and county governments, especially in Clark and Washoe.

Their wages and benefits are higher than state workers even as many State of Nevada employees have undergraduate, master's or doctoral degrees and professional certifications.

Muzzy intimates that government salary and benefit amounts are too high in an area where he perceives living costs are not so high as to justify the amounts.

Actually, cost-of-living tables for 2009 show Nevada ranks 14th most expensive for grocery items, housing, utilities, transportation, health care and services.

Already implemented state government salary and benefit reductions will hurt Douglas County's recent distinction of having Nevada's highest percentage of home ownership, highest assessed property value, and highest annual household income, per U.S. Census data. Ironically, Mr. Muzzy's lament about "too many job seekers," "too many available houses and too few buyers" may turn worse as more public sector salary and benefit reductions occur.

Bill Hamilton

Minden