Posted on Friday, 16th October 2009 by Bruce
Earlier this week, we filled you in on the surprising fact that Milwaukee County’s cost of fringe benefits represented 74.35% of the total cost of county wages paid in 2008. In budget year 2009, that number is projected to have increased another 8-10%.
I received an e-mail yesterday from County Supervisor Joseph Rice, who wanted to fill county residents in on another surprising detail surrounding the county’s “economic issues” as they process arguments from both sides surrounding Scott Walker’s proposed 2010 budget.
Supervisor Rice cites data compiled by the office of the county’s Fiscal Benefits Manager, which issues the opinion, based on budget projections, that in 2010 the total cost of fringe benefits for county employees will represent 93.31% of wages paid by the county.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates the average cost of fringe benefits for private sector employees is 29.3% of total wages paid. In 2010, Milwaukee county will pay well over three times the private sector average for employee fringe benefits.
Yet, the usual suspects conspire to single out individual county supervisors whom they think aren’t being “sympathetic” enough to their “plight.”
Wow. You Milwaukee County taxpayers are some generous folks.
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2 Responses to “Milwaukee County employee fringe benefit cost UPDATE”
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October 16th, 2009 at 6:29 pm
I expect that a large part of that cost is the cost of retiree benefits, including pension contributions required to fund them.
You could have some fun, though, if Spr. Rice were able to obtain “average wages paid/hour to all Milwaukee County employees 2008.”
No bennie costs, just pure wage.
October 18th, 2009 at 7:16 pm
I blame AFSCME.