Ken cockrel gives staff big raises

[cman710]

Cman, how big was the raise Cockrel gave you? Seriously man, this is Detroit. The mayor's about to lay off a couple thousand people, cut the salaries of a couple thousand more, all while the city's biggest industry is getting ready for its funeral. And um, time to start handing out 40% raises, paid for by a city that's $200 million in the hole?

Hey, sounds like a great plan! I sure hope YOU'RE running for Mayor this time around!

While I hate to disappoint you, I do not work for Ken Cockrel, nor have I ever worked in the public sector.

I can understand your point that now is not the time to be handing out 40% raises, but is there any evidence that Bing's staff is making any less than Cockrel's did? Second, if your problem is that Cockrel is spending too much of his budget, then do not vote for him. Perhaps he did not want to reduce the salary of his staff after just having increased it, which would not seem entirely unreasonable.

Finally, in response to Thames, the private sector argument is not dead. Right now, Detroit is in an awful position. Don't we want the smartest, most educated, and most effective people to staff the city government? The people who are the most qualified are for the most part employed and in private sector jobs, even with the economy being poor. So we have a choice, which is to pay a reasonable rate for these people's time [[and they often work far longer hours than normal jobs), or to have things run by political hacks. We have seen where the latter choice has gotten everyone.

[kraig]

I wonder if some of the posters above will address Ken Cockrel's rebuttal. I'm guessing they won't.

What say you Buy American?

Ken Cockrel's rebuttal simply attempts to deflect the issue. Monica Conyers, for all her shortcomings, had nothing to do with how much he decided to pay, or in this case overpay, his staff.

Face facts. He did it. He got away with it as long as he could. He got caught. After getting caught, and only after getting caught, he admits that he may have handled it wrong and will make changes. [[Kwame, anyone?)

By the way, considering the fact that he was not on Council for over 7 out of the 12 months of the fiscal year, coming in under budget would be relatively easy. Given that he was gone for 7 months, the question is. Did he return 7 months worth of his budget? I'm willing to go out on a limb and say that he probably didn't.

[bailey]

Finally, in response to Thames, the private sector argument is not dead. Right now, Detroit is in an awful position. Don't we want the smartest, most educated, and most effective people to staff the city government? The people who are the most qualified are for the most part employed and in private sector jobs, even with the economy being poor. So we have a choice, which is to pay a reasonable rate for these people's time [[and they often work far longer hours than normal jobs), or to have things run by political hacks. We have seen where the latter choice has gotten everyone.

That argument is total bullshit and these people ARE political hacks. It is public service. By it's very definition that means a lower pay. Especially if one is working for Detroit in a time of fiscal crisis. If all these high flying lawyers and PhDs [[lets not pretend the Film Office is a real job) can't live on the salary, then they can bounce and get a job in the private sector. Somehow I think most if not all are employed by the City for life and have no intention of ever disengaging from the government teat.

And what sort of 'expertise' do any of these people bring that commands a higher salary...let alone a job at all? Any of them recruited from other cities that actually manage to function? No. they are all local and have all been long time employees of the city. This is sort of like GoldmanSachs employees whining about not getting million dollar bonuses. A) its practically a depression and your company was/should be bankrupt if not for the bailout...so take it or leave it..and b) YOU PEOPLE CAUSED THE PROBLEM.

So, yeah, let's just give raises all around. Don't want to lose ANY of these people to all those high powered government consulting firms in Detroit. I hear Maestro Inc is looking for some good folks.

[Steve Wilson]

I’ve found this thread very interesting. Let me make just a couple of comments.

I’m not sure how many people in Detroit—not to mention city workers getting cut or laid off—would agree with gazhekwe who believes cushy raises for staffers are okay as long as the budget isn’t exceeded. Since when is the point of the game to spend as much as you can without going over some budget amount. Detroit is now run like The Price Is Right?

Also, I made it clear in my report that nobody questioned higher pay for more responsibility in the mayor’s office. But those employees no longer had those responsibilities when they returned to their jobs at the council. Even Cockrel tacitly admits they were no longer earning those bigger paychecks.

Look at it this way: If Channel 7 made me an anchorman and paid me, say, $500,000 a year, but then management changed and they demoted me back to reporter, I’d expect my salary would/should drop, wouldn’t you agree? Different job, different pay…and as so many folks around Detroit will tell you these days, you can up, you can go down.

What’s really distressing is how Cockrell responded. Note he disputed not one fact I reported. Instead, he tried to argue that no rule, policy or law was broken. I never suggested it was. Kwame broke no rule when he leased the Navigator for a dollar less than the threshold that would have required Council review. As so many thoughtful posters have noticed, this story was about judgment, pure and simple.

It’s hard to say on camera, as he did, “Yeah, you could a make an argument that says they’ve made a little too much and you could make an argument that says they should have been cut immediately. That’s how I chose to handle it…� and then turn around and argue that my reporting these facts was “a politically motivated slam piece.� Oh puh-leeeeze. Mr. Cockrel.

He and I do agree about one thing he wrote: “...the good and fair-minded people of Detroit will see this story for what it is and draw the appropriate and right conclusion.� Methinks that’s what he’s most worried about!

[kraig]

I wonder if his staff has donated to his campaign. I also wonder how those donations, if made, stack up against previous donations that they have made.

[Trumpeteer]

Actually Steve that's EXACTLY how the "private sector" "corporate world" has always worked up to this point. The old addage for budgeted dollars was "if you don't spend it, you'll lose it next year". NOW companies are actually mandating reductions in budgeted expenses just to prop up earnings and stay afloat.

Also Thames makes a VERY sweeping statement in that while there are many companies that are cutting wages, doing more with less, cutting health benefits or raising cost, and losing pensions, NOT all are in that mode. My health insurance cost will in fact go down 4% in 2010 with exactly the same benefit package I now have. That's due to a stronger focus on personal responsibility for your own health, i.e. quit smoking, lose weight, better diet, exercise, etc. So while it's certainly tough it's not the doom and gloom all over the country as it is in MI.

[jt1]

Steve - How is that Insurance redline story going?

[Mista Alan]

I think anytime a public employee uses "I could make more in a different position" argument, they ought to send out their resume immediately.

[1KielsonDrive]

I'd just begun to think Cockrel had turned a corner and was a stand-up guy. Sucker I am.

[Mista Alan]

I think he's a good guy, but as you can see, not perfect.