One of the difficult choices, public VS private sector employment, was a choice facing many in the post World War II era and thereafter. With memories of the depression the choice of a guaranteed, though small salary motivated many to choose teaching, law enforcement and government jobs instead of the uncertainty of chasing the pot of gold in the private sector. A promised pension and health insurance (less costly to government than pay raises ) seemed to sweeten the pot. Thus over the years public sector employees were content to be less affluent than their counterparts in the private sector, secure in the knowledge that at least their future and retirement was not subject to the uncertainties of the stock market and the fluctuations in value of the 401K plans.
Now, however, with the contractions of the wage markets and high unemployment in formerly lucrative endeavors, the public sector has become the scapegoat of our financial woes. Conservative pundits call for the abolition of collective bargaining rights and civil service, advance irrelevant, apples to oranges comparisons to private sector practices and call for requiring contributions to health and retirement plans, ignoring the fact that these “benefits” were bought and paid for with lower salaries and lifestyles over the years. The financial crisis brought about by years of excess borrowing and regressive taxes will now be cured by scapegoating the teacher, police and other government employees by depriving them of their “just due” to balance the budget.
While carping about the cost of public service pensions and benefits our Governor supports a virtual elemination of taxes in the business sector, rewarding the rich while imposing the entire burden of the current short fall on public sector employees.
