I met with representatives from Colorado WINS last week. They challenged me to learn about how the employees of the state of Colorado are compensated. They threw out two terms that were not clear to me: Pay for performance and Pay for Progression, and said it would all become clear if I read House Bill 1409.
Yesterday Governor Ritter vetoed House Bill 1409. His reason for vetoing the bill was that it would add just one more mandated thing to the already impossible budgeting process for the state. I understand Ritter’s reasoning. I get a headache every time I start reading the state budget in conjunction with the state constitution. Revenue can’t be increased without a vote of the people; education funding has to increase every year unless there is deflation. The two requirements mean that the rest of government has to decrease in a recession, even though increased government services are needed for unemployed workers. Budgeting constraints mean bridges are about to fall down; inspections of oil and gas operations are falling behind; the fund to pay unemployed workers is about to go broke.
I also understand the disappointment of Colorado’s employees. In the private sector job categories have salary ranges. The salaries of actual employees cluster toward the middle of each salary range, with a few long time employees at the top of the salary range, and a few entry-level employees at the bottom of the salary range. Among Colorado’s employees, however, there is no cluster in the middle. The vast majority of employees are at the bottom salary range in part because there have not been any salary increases for years. The state has balanced the budget on the backs of workers. To add insult to injury, Colorado’s employees are watching their take-home pay decrease as they pay more for their PERA retirement benefits.
The only glimmer of hope for Colorado’s employees is that Ritter directed the Department of Personnel and Administration to develop a plan to correct the problems with pay progression. He asked that the plan be ready for him to introduce in January 2011 before he leaves office.
Homework:
Text of Ritter's Veto Message
Blow to Ritter's Relationship with Labor
Colorado WINS
Yesterday Governor Ritter vetoed House Bill 1409. His reason for vetoing the bill was that it would add just one more mandated thing to the already impossible budgeting process for the state. I understand Ritter’s reasoning. I get a headache every time I start reading the state budget in conjunction with the state constitution. Revenue can’t be increased without a vote of the people; education funding has to increase every year unless there is deflation. The two requirements mean that the rest of government has to decrease in a recession, even though increased government services are needed for unemployed workers. Budgeting constraints mean bridges are about to fall down; inspections of oil and gas operations are falling behind; the fund to pay unemployed workers is about to go broke.
I also understand the disappointment of Colorado’s employees. In the private sector job categories have salary ranges. The salaries of actual employees cluster toward the middle of each salary range, with a few long time employees at the top of the salary range, and a few entry-level employees at the bottom of the salary range. Among Colorado’s employees, however, there is no cluster in the middle. The vast majority of employees are at the bottom salary range in part because there have not been any salary increases for years. The state has balanced the budget on the backs of workers. To add insult to injury, Colorado’s employees are watching their take-home pay decrease as they pay more for their PERA retirement benefits.
The only glimmer of hope for Colorado’s employees is that Ritter directed the Department of Personnel and Administration to develop a plan to correct the problems with pay progression. He asked that the plan be ready for him to introduce in January 2011 before he leaves office.
Homework:
Text of Ritter's Veto Message
Blow to Ritter's Relationship with Labor
Colorado WINS
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