I’m looking at an 11% plus cut in my pay due to Governor Walker and that is on top of the 3% I already took with the furloughs. This is significant as it will put me from making it to not making it. I’m a public employee and proud to be serving the public. I do the best I can in my job, helping as many people as I can regardless of what they are asking of me. I don’t just say that isn’t my area I can’t do it. I say it isn’t my area but let me see who could help you. I did this when I worked at the DMV, BPD and now at the University.
Unfortunately this is not seen or appreciated by those in power. My bosses have appreciated me and given me pats on the back but the legislature and governor apparently can’t be bothered to promote workers.
I don’t know Scott Walker at all. I didn’t vote for him. I don’t like his way of treating people. I find him arrogant and irresponsible. He is not a person I would choose to run anything let alone our state. However, now that he is in power I have to deal with the fall out.
For me this means, we are no longer going to have any cash to spend on anything other than the absolute necessities. We may even be looking at dropping services. I’m not sure what we will have to sacrifice but something will have to go. I may have to drop my insurance – if that is allowed mid-year. Other options are to drop cell phones or cable… I’m not sure what else.
This will not mean tightening our belts. It will mean that we are doing without. I was working on paying off my credit card debt but we may have to let our credit rating tank in order to pay for our basics with this type of drastic cut in pay.
I know the propaganda out there is that state workers make six figures and they don’t do anything. There probably are a few who are like that. However, the majority of state workers are not that well off. Between my husband and I we don’t make six figures. We are not living high off the hog. We get paid. I pay the bills. The money is gone. There is no emergency fund. There is no huge retirement fund. There is no savings. It is just us working to pay our bills.
Does Scott Walker understand that is how most of the state employees are? Does he understand that we are just like all the other workers in Wisconsin who are struggling to stay afloat during these difficult economic times?