Comments on: Highly Paid Government Workers http://www.wheredoesallmymoneygo.com/highly-paid-government-workers/ A Canadian Personal Finance Blog Sun, 14 Mar 2010 00:53:22 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: SBT http://www.wheredoesallmymoneygo.com/highly-paid-government-workers/comment-page-1/#comment-15694 SBT Sat, 18 Jul 2009 01:58:21 +0000 http://www.wheredoesallmymoneygo.com/?p=1188#comment-15694 Addendum: The above was, of course, an 'at-par' comparison in terms of currencies. The PM's end result comparison wage of US$178,500 is, at today's exchange, C$200,000 (rounded up). Thus, the grand PM ends up being over-compensated by a mere 50% (instead of 68%). Hoorah. Addendum:

The above was, of course, an ‘at-par’ comparison in terms of currencies.

The PM’s end result comparison wage of US$178,500 is, at today’s exchange, C$200,000 (rounded up).

Thus, the grand PM ends up being over-compensated by a mere 50% (instead of 68%).

Hoorah.

]]> By: SBT http://www.wheredoesallmymoneygo.com/highly-paid-government-workers/comment-page-1/#comment-15690 SBT Sat, 18 Jul 2009 00:34:17 +0000 http://www.wheredoesallmymoneygo.com/?p=1188#comment-15690 Before everyone gets outta whack about the poor PM being grossly underpaid, let's have a comparision, shall we? "The [United States] President earns $400,000 per year, along with a $50,000 monthly expense account, a $100,000 non-taxable travel account and $19,000 for entertainment." That equals out to $1.119 million per year -- 3.73 times that of the PM. As of 2006, there are approximately 22 million tax payers in Canada. As of 2007, there are about 138 million taxpayers in the United States -- 6.27 times that of Canada. So...mathematically (because math, unlike politicians, never lies), the PREZ has a tax base SIX times that of the PM, yet his compensation is not even FOUR times that of the PM. Something amiss? Let's work the other way: the PREZ's compensation/tax base = 1.119 million/6.27 ~ $178,500 is what the PM's salary "should" be in comparison to the PREZ's. Thus, if you work from tax bases, the PM is OVER compensated by a margin of almost 1.5 times --or he makes 68% more than he should! Poor PM my A$$! Before everyone gets outta whack about the poor PM being grossly underpaid, let’s have a comparision, shall we?

“The [United States] President earns $400,000 per year, along with a $50,000 monthly expense account, a $100,000 non-taxable travel account and $19,000 for entertainment.”

That equals out to $1.119 million per year — 3.73 times that of the PM.

As of 2006, there are approximately 22 million tax payers in Canada.
As of 2007, there are about 138 million taxpayers in the United States — 6.27 times that of Canada.

So…mathematically (because math, unlike politicians, never lies), the PREZ has a tax base SIX times that of the PM, yet his compensation is not even FOUR times that of the PM. Something amiss?

Let’s work the other way: the PREZ’s compensation/tax base = 1.119 million/6.27 ~ $178,500 is what the PM’s salary “should” be in comparison to the PREZ’s.

Thus, if you work from tax bases, the PM is OVER compensated by a margin of almost 1.5 times –or he makes 68% more than he should!

Poor PM my A$$!

]]> By: Michael - Fat Loss Tips http://www.wheredoesallmymoneygo.com/highly-paid-government-workers/comment-page-1/#comment-15680 Michael - Fat Loss Tips Fri, 17 Jul 2009 17:20:37 +0000 http://www.wheredoesallmymoneygo.com/?p=1188#comment-15680 That's it? Unbelievable. Just for comparison sake, what does Obama's yearly salary look like? That’s it? Unbelievable. Just for comparison sake, what does Obama’s yearly salary look like?

]]> By: Stockpiling, Ponzi Schemes and Other Links - July 17, 2009 | Financial Freedom http://www.wheredoesallmymoneygo.com/highly-paid-government-workers/comment-page-1/#comment-15668 Stockpiling, Ponzi Schemes and Other Links - July 17, 2009 | Financial Freedom Fri, 17 Jul 2009 11:48:31 +0000 http://www.wheredoesallmymoneygo.com/?p=1188#comment-15668 [...] Preet lists some highly paid government workers. [...] [...] Preet lists some highly paid government workers. [...]

]]> By: Stockpiling, Ponzi Schemes and Other Links - July 17, 2009 | Million Dollar Journey http://www.wheredoesallmymoneygo.com/highly-paid-government-workers/comment-page-1/#comment-15667 Stockpiling, Ponzi Schemes and Other Links - July 17, 2009 | Million Dollar Journey Fri, 17 Jul 2009 10:31:32 +0000 http://www.wheredoesallmymoneygo.com/?p=1188#comment-15667 [...] Preet lists some highly paid government workers. [...] [...] Preet lists some highly paid government workers. [...]

]]> By: Preet http://www.wheredoesallmymoneygo.com/highly-paid-government-workers/comment-page-1/#comment-15609 Preet Thu, 16 Jul 2009 01:00:58 +0000 http://www.wheredoesallmymoneygo.com/?p=1188#comment-15609 @Sean - thanks for the great info! I like your idea of protecting the names of the salary list and just listing the position. For the higher ups, this won't matter much as a little digging will quickly yield the names, but still - it makes a bit more sense I think. @Sean – thanks for the great info! I like your idea of protecting the names of the salary list and just listing the position. For the higher ups, this won’t matter much as a little digging will quickly yield the names, but still – it makes a bit more sense I think.

]]> By: Sean http://www.wheredoesallmymoneygo.com/highly-paid-government-workers/comment-page-1/#comment-15595 Sean Wed, 15 Jul 2009 17:43:15 +0000 http://www.wheredoesallmymoneygo.com/?p=1188#comment-15595 @Brian and @ Preet: $151k seemed low to me too, so I did some investigation: Apparently the base salary for a Canadian MP is approx. $150k, with the following bonuses if you have additional duties: Prime minister: $150,800 Minister: $72,200 Minister of state: $72,200 Commons Speaker: $72,200 Leader of the Opposition: $72,200 Leaders of other parties: $51,400 Whip: $27,200 Committee chair: $10,700 Committee vice-chair: $5,500 That would put the PM more around the $300k range. (Source: http://www2.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=ea318a9c-4e24-4556-847e-2c162a7f1d36) Interestingly, the US President's salary is only around $400k. He does however have one badass Cadillac. @Brian and @ Preet:

$151k seemed low to me too, so I did some investigation:

Apparently the base salary for a Canadian MP is approx. $150k, with the following bonuses if you have additional duties:

Prime minister: $150,800
Minister: $72,200
Minister of state: $72,200
Commons Speaker: $72,200
Leader of the Opposition: $72,200
Leaders of other parties: $51,400
Whip: $27,200
Committee chair: $10,700
Committee vice-chair: $5,500

That would put the PM more around the $300k range. (Source: http://www2.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=ea318a9c-4e24-4556-847e-2c162a7f1d36)

Interestingly, the US President’s salary is only around $400k. He does however have one badass Cadillac.

]]> By: Sean http://www.wheredoesallmymoneygo.com/highly-paid-government-workers/comment-page-1/#comment-15592 Sean Wed, 15 Jul 2009 17:09:23 +0000 http://www.wheredoesallmymoneygo.com/?p=1188#comment-15592 While I do understand this is in the interest of transparency, I don't see why public employees must be identified by name. You'd think this could make them vulnerable to things such as fraud or identity theft. They could instead be identified solely by position where they work. At least this would provide some protection and privacy, while still declaring these salaries. Along the same thread: why not make public companies disclose all salaries over a certain threshold? Either publicly, or at least to shareholders. I understand that some salaries are disclosed, but why not all above a threshold like in the public sector? It would seem the rationale for releasing public sector salaries is so the taxpayer can see where their money is going, but aren't shareholders of a public company akin to taxpayers? Just some thoughts :) While I do understand this is in the interest of transparency, I don’t see why public employees must be identified by name. You’d think this could make them vulnerable to things such as fraud or identity theft. They could instead be identified solely by position where they work. At least this would provide some protection and privacy, while still declaring these salaries.

Along the same thread: why not make public companies disclose all salaries over a certain threshold? Either publicly, or at least to shareholders. I understand that some salaries are disclosed, but why not all above a threshold like in the public sector? It would seem the rationale for releasing public sector salaries is so the taxpayer can see where their money is going, but aren’t shareholders of a public company akin to taxpayers?

Just some thoughts :)

]]> By: Jason http://www.wheredoesallmymoneygo.com/highly-paid-government-workers/comment-page-1/#comment-15493 Jason Mon, 13 Jul 2009 20:10:31 +0000 http://www.wheredoesallmymoneygo.com/?p=1188#comment-15493 Yah, quite the parody between the PM vs. CEO of the bloated energy company getting our tax dollar. What I don't know is the perks a government employee gets vs. to a Hydro One employee. Yah, quite the parody between the PM vs. CEO of the bloated energy company getting our tax dollar. What I don’t know is the perks a government employee gets vs. to a Hydro One employee.

]]> By: Preet http://www.wheredoesallmymoneygo.com/highly-paid-government-workers/comment-page-1/#comment-15492 Preet Mon, 13 Jul 2009 20:08:23 +0000 http://www.wheredoesallmymoneygo.com/?p=1188#comment-15492 @Brian - well, he does get a $2,200 (or thereabouts) car allowance too... :) @Brian – well, he does get a $2,200 (or thereabouts) car allowance too… :)

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