If you don't pay them you kill them

[SSG Snuggle Bunny]

Hannah Bell Donating Member (1000+ posts)  Journal Click to send private message to this author Click to view this author's profile Click to add this author to your buddy list Click to add this author to your Ignore list    Wed Mar-30-11 02:17 AM
Original message
Facing layoff, California city worker commits suicide   Updated at 2:29 AM
   
On March 17, nearly half of the workforce in the Southern California city of Costa Mesa received “pink slips,” termination notices effective in six months. That afternoon, one of those workers, 29-year-old Huy Pham, a city maintenance employee, committed suicide by jumping off the fifth floor of the Costa Mesa Civic Center building.

Pham, who had worked for the city for four and a half years, was helping to support his mother and an extended family....At about 3:20 p.m., witnesses saw him leap from the eastern rooftop of City Hall.

As workers gathered at City Hall, several lashed out at City Council members and blamed them for Pham’s death. One man cursed at the city manager. Others rushed at council members entering the building. One worker, stricken with grief, had to be restrained by his comrades from physically assaulting two city officials.

Costa Mesa is in its fourth year of budget deficits, largely due to a much smaller tax base as a result of collapsing housing prices and falling sales tax revenue from large area retailers... City Councilman Jim Righeimer, a right-wing real estate developer, is leading the attacks. He is a vociferous backer of targeting labor costs, including pensions.

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2011/mar2011/mesa-m30.shtm...

So even if there is no more money you HAVE to pay to keep the employess lest they do something drastic.

aquart Donating Member (1000+ posts)  Journal Click to send private message to this author Click to view this author's profile Click to add this author to your buddy list Click to add this author to your Ignore list    Wed Mar-30-11 02:30 AM
Response to Original message
1. Won't be the last time.

We can certainly hope.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x771608

[Karin]

Well that's a shame.  

I thought the thread was referring to another one of their "Not One Damn Dime Days."  I have marked on my calendar that today was going to be one of those days.  They're not going to go to work, go to school, or buy one damn thing.  I expect they'll eschew their electric company and ISP, and refrain from posting at the DUmp.  Check for suspicious absences in your place of work.

So that reminds me, I think Cindie or Tots was going to go shoe shopping.  I could also use a new pair of shoes, and a dinner out.  

P.S.  Be sure to pick up some Koch Bros. Brand Georgia Pacific Quilted Northern bathroom tissue!   

[NHSparky]

The guy who committed suicide was already on leave for an injury when he received notice.  He had been working towards a contractor license, but given the state of California's economic and building woes, that was about as useful as a football bat.

Oh, and tax revenues in CA NEVER go down.  I can guaran-damn-tee that they're still getting their 2 percent increases per year.  Despite the "collapse" of housing prices, many of them are still worth far, far more than they're assessed for.

Had I kept my home in CA that I bought in 2001, the assessed value today would be just under $400K.  This on a house that sold in 2006 for $700K and neighborhood comps are still running well into the $500-550K range.

[GOBUCKS]

City Councilman Jim Righeimer, a right-wing real estate developer, is leading the attacks. He is a vociferous backer of targeting labor costs, including pensions.

Only a "right wing" person would do that. But I wonder if anyone has pointed out what costs, other than labor/pensions, are available for the city to reduce in order to balance income with expense. Oh, there are none?

[NHSparky]

The problem with ALL California government, both city and state, is that the whole house of cards is predicated on several things:

--That the tax revenues collected will always increase.
--Concurrent with that, property taxes will always increase at rates significantly greater than the 2 percent per year under Prop 13 because of new construction and sales.

Guess what happens when 1--property values fall, 2--houses don't sell, 3--houses aren't built, 4--taxpayers leave the state?

And oh, BTW--the STATE and COUNTY dole out the money to the various cities.  I never paid a check to the city.  It was always to the Orange County Tax Assessor's Office, every June and December.

[DumbAss Tanker]

If you don't pay them you kill them

Well, it is thinking outside the box, but given the effects on recruiting and insurance payouts, it doesn't look like there's a good ROI on this plan.

[BlueStateSaint]

Well, it is thinking outside the box, but given the effects on recruiting and insurance payouts, it doesn't look like there's a good ROI on this plan.

But, it they off themselves, they don't get their life insurance, do they?

[DumbAss Tanker]

But, it they off themselves, they don't get their life insurance, do they?

Yes, in most states, if they've been on the policy for two years or more.

[Karin]

In addition to what NHSparky pointed out, their models also assumed a DJIA of 30,000 in their investment assumptions.  Genius. 

[BlueStateSaint]

In addition to what NHSparky pointed out, their models also assumed a DJIA of 30,000 in their investment assumptions.  Genius. 

Well, with the way Helicopter Ben has been printing money, it very well could be that high soon.

[thelaughingman]

So we've had layoffs going on for months and this one guy (named Huy Pham, which might be a clue as to why he committed suicide -- Eastern honor and all that) commits suicide and suddenly that means it's happening or going to happen all over the place?

[thundley4]

The DUmmies are only concerned as far as it might effect Obama's voting base of public union employees. They don't care for the individuals.

[GOBUCKS]

If you don't pay them you kill them

So...we really can get something for nothing! This sounds like one of the few true win-win situations.

[DefiantSix]

If you don't pay them you kill them

So...we really can get something for nothing! This sounds like one of the few true win-win situations.

I was going to say; I don't see a downside to this arrangement.