Mayor cuts cop, firefighter pay to minimum wage
The mayor of Scranton will likely have to buy his own coffee cup too.
The Michael Scott style of management must be infectious.
In Scranton, Penn., home of the mythical Dunder Mifflin paper company, the mayor has reduced the pay of all city workers, including his own, to the federal minimum wage — $7.25.
Let’s hope Mayor Chris Doherty doesn’t need a firefighter or cop anytime soon. He’s not likely to receive quality service.
NPR reports Doherty made the move after city council voted to reject a proposed tax hike. Scranton, the sixth largest city in the state, had only $5,000 in the bank and owed $1 million in pay to its 400 or so employees.
There’s no indication in the article that salaries for city workers are out of control — one firefighter said his gross income was $1,500 every two weeks. Now his check is for $600 after deductions. He’s probably pawning the fire station’s Dalmation to pay his mortgage.
Employees are suing. Lackawanna County Judge Michael Barrasse issued an injunction but the mayor ordered the city issue paychecks based on the minimum wage.
A protracted legal battle is just what a city with a $16 million budget shortfall needs.
I’ve not looked closely at Scranton’s budget woes, but why didn’t the mayor do the American thing and simply declare bankruptcy?
After all, what’s good for General Motors is good for America … and maybe Scranton.
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43 comments Add your comment
Tyler
July 10th, 2012
11:04 am
To Michelle @ 10:47 – If the Mayor is anything like you, I can see why he made such an idiotic decision.
Keggar
July 10th, 2012
11:05 am
$5,000 in the bank… payroll to meet. Sounds like the council has waited a bit too long to make changes… perhaps several years too long. I’ll bet it was the prior councils and mayors who made he problem… and they are all either dead, or have moved to Naples. Thi is pretty typical of governments where there is no opposing side to determining wages and benefits based upon revenues… kind of like Wisconsin used to be.
Road Scholar
July 10th, 2012
11:19 am
Michelle: Please give your home address so the police and fire dept. personnel can provide you stellar services. (wink wink)
polo
July 10th, 2012
11:20 am
Marcs – you betray your ignorance. Most cities in the US spend 50% of their budget providing public safety services – Police, Fire and EMS. It may be a little high but it’s also a bigger CIty. As a tax payer you have the right to request less servives which will reduce the budget. However, when your emergency arrises, don’t complain about the time it took, the equipment not working or them not having the appropriate training. Everyon wants to cut the service but they don’t cut their expectation of the service. If you buy a car for $1,500, do you expect it to be like a $15,000 car? Also, Public Safety doesn’t have earnings. They are a cost center unless you bill for EMS services which will never fully fund an EMS or Fire Department but it does help. You are the citiznes, cut services but remember that you have to cut your expectations also. I completely empathize with you on reduce home values, but that doesn’t mean that they don’t need protecting. I guess it’s the problem of the people, they want cheaper services but delivered at the same level.
brandi2626
July 10th, 2012
11:36 am
To Michelle: Do you know anyone who is a cop here in Atlanta? The cops here in the city of Atlanta have not received a raise in at least 3 years, so do not say they are overpaid. They are actually underpaid compared to most major cities around the United States.
CobbGOPer
July 10th, 2012
11:37 am
Michelle
July 10th, 2012
10:47 am
“If their cops are anything like ours, they’re already overpaid!”
^This.
@Goosenco 11:02 am
The police are always too late to help most people anyway. People are better off arming themselves against criminals than depending on the police to keep them safe.
Can’t argue with firemen/emt though. Those guys save lives and should be paid like it.
Rick in Grayson
July 10th, 2012
11:59 am
I would have expected more comments on the debt that cities, counties, states, and the nation in general have accumulated over the last 10 years.
Spending is out of control! 47% of US “taxpayers” pay no federal income tax! We have too many low skilled workers already in the US and the government continues to bring in more each month (legally and illegally).
http://www.mckinsey.com/Insights/MGI/Research/Labor_Markets/The_world_at_work
The US already has a debt to gdp ratio that is higher than Greece. Our government policies are not changing and Obama continues to spend money like there is no tomorrow.
What was the Mayor to do…the city council would not RAISE TAXES and there was no funds to pay city employees. If our national government does not wake up and stop spending this scenario will play out across our nation. Scranton, PA is not the only American city on the edge of bankruptcy.
adam
July 10th, 2012
12:10 pm
Teachers at minimum wage is coming soon to a town near you.
Ollie
July 10th, 2012
12:23 pm
These people who complain and groan about taxes need to realize that without taxes we have no future. This country is falling apart because the RepubliKLANs refuse to pay in for what it takes to keep the wheels turning. Taxes are a necessary part of our democracy if we are to have schools, teachers, supplies, roads, bridges, firemen, policemen, EMT’s, etc. I tell ya what: why don’t we break our society into two groups. Group one will continue to pay taxes, more if needed, and we’ll benefit from schools, teachers, good roads, safe bridges, policemen, firemen and EMT’s in our time of need. Group two can eliminate their taxes and find their own teachers, build their own schools, pave their own roads and fill those potholes, ensure bridges are safe to cross, and by god they better learn CPR for when Dad drops from a stroke or heart attack cuz there won’t be any emergency medical people there to assist!
Worm
July 10th, 2012
12:23 pm
DohertyDeceit.com tells it all. Spend about 2 years reading all the posts of corruption and you will have an idea what it is like to live there.