They're Not There for Just a Paycheck

I grimmaced this morning when I read the annual "Labor Day" stories about how much local government employees earn. Particularly offensive is the way those quoted in the stories are labeled by their name and salary, such as, "...Shasta County Support Services Director Michelle Schafer, paid $102,970 a year."

It seems to me that such labels are the antithesis of what brings someone to public service. Attorneys, doctors, and administrators can all make more money outside of government agencies.

It occurs to me that for most County employees, the monetary value placed on their jobs is the least of their achievements. Why is it that Michele Schafer was not quoted in the paper as, "Michele Schafer, Support Services Director who manages over two dozen employees, provides recruitment and hiring services for a workforce of 2,000; manages the interface between hiring and payroll services; provides oversight of compensation and classification activities; manages risk management activities through self-administered, self-insured risk management programs; provides oversight for County purchasing activities; manages a fleet program of several hundred vehicles; manages labor activities with nine separate bargaining units; and a host of other activities for which she will never seek or receive credit." Why is that?

Local government employees are by and large professionals who are dedicated to public service. The fact that they are willing to take on large responsibilities for understaffed, underfunded programs and still manage to provide services to the community is laudable, and deserves more than just an article in the local paper sniping about salaries.