Dear Editor,
Columnist Tom Mulhern has once again stuck his foot in his mouth. It was with great joy that I read Mr. Mulhern’s proposal: “Any local, state, or federal employee should have their salary benchmarked against the average salary in their town, county, state, or the country (depending on what part of the government they’re part of). Then set a limit on their pay – say, 120 percent of average, which is more than generous.”
As a teacher, and thus a public employee, I am more than willing to agree with Mr. Mulhern’s proposal with a couple of minor adjustments. If Mr. Mulhern agrees to pay me the average of individuals in the community who also possesses a bachelor’s degree and who are employed within the area of their degree and are employed full time, then I look forward to seeing the implementation of Mr. Mulhern’s proposal.
Unfortunately for Mr. Mulhern, his proposal as amended means I am due a pay raise. The average salary in the state of California for a male of my age with a bachelor’s degree (excluding benefits) is $62,399. That is more than I make now. Mr. Mulhern’s “more than generous” offer of giving me 120 percent of that amount comes to $74,878.80. I have little doubt that if data were to be restricted to full time employees in Santa Clara County who are working in the area of their degree, these figures would be much higher.
I look forward to hearing from Mr. Mulhern as to how he proposes to pay for my 46 percent pay raise.
Wayne Scott, Mathematics Teacher Gilroy High School
