Supporting Public and Private Sector Workers
Wisconsin communities benefit from the crucial work done by Wisconsin’s public employees and private sector employees. Our neighbors, families, and friends work together to build thriving, caring communities.
One of my grandsons lists public school personnel as his friends: the ladies in the lunch room, the playground supervisors, and the school secretary. He knows these people care about him.
Public school teachers work more than 50 hours a week teaching and preparing lessons to meet the diverse needs of our children while maintaining high quality public
schools. One of my grandsons cites his history teacher as his favorite teacher.
Bus drivers greet our children each day and deliver them safely to and from school.
During a recent severe thunder and lightning storm, the county road construction crew continued to work making the road safe for me and others.
A home health aide cared for my neighbor while the spouse was at work. County employees tend to our needs at the courthouse. Nurses, counselors, and others serve the disabled, the ill and the elderly.
Our Governor, at age 47, has been a public employee for 20 years:
• Ten years in the Wisconsin Assembly during which his salary increased by more than 26%.
• Eight years as Milwaukee County Executive at approximately $120,000 per year.
• Almost four years as Governor at about $140,000 per year.
All the while, he’s enjoyed good retirement and health benefits all paid for by us, the taxpayers.
Why then does the Governor show such little respect for public employees with these disparaging remarks? (From the Top Ten list as it appeared on the Daily Caller website–Feb. 21, 2011)
• “It takes longer to fire you than the average killer spends on death row.”
• “You know by having the Holy Koran on your desk your job is 100% safe.”
• “On a snow day when they say ‘non-essential’ people should stay home, you know who they mean.”
• “You get paid twice as much as a private sector person doing the same job but make up the difference by doing half as much work.”
Does the Governor apply these and other disgusting remarks to himself as a 20 year public employee or just “other” public employees like our friends and neighbors?
On November 4th, Wisconsinites will have the opportunity to vote for candidates who will respect the public employees as well as the private employees.