Open Letter to Governor Rick Scott

The problem with implementing the changes you propose Mr. Scott, are as follows:
It would appear that you and your commission have given no thought and put no research into the impact to the employees on which you’re inflicting your proposal. Thus it became obvious that you shot from the hip while blind folded. This isn’t the wild west, you’re dealing with people and their livelihoods. This isn’t a company out for profit, governments don’t and can’t run that way.

I came to the state two years ago knowing I was taking a pay cut from the private sector in exchange for a little security and stability. Now I am doing far more than my hired in position requires – and am qualified for – two levels above my current position soon to be three and can’t get promoted because no one is allowed to do anything to promote people and reward them for excelling. Realistically, how long do you expect people to stay? How long will you have good qualified people who care about their job, and making sure the taxpayers get what they’re paying for each and every time we build a new bridge or improve a road.

Each department is different, i.e. teachers & DOT workers. I have had conversations with people who are all for your plan, until I explain to them Florida is not like other states going through this. A large portion of us are not unionized; our pay scale is far below what other states pay their unionized workers. For example if your plan passes in its entirety you would in effect be inflicting a 50% pay cut on me – thus bringing my take home pay below what I could get from unemployment.

If you want to bring us in line with the private sector you’ll need to adjust our pay first. So what you gain in your benefits changes you’ll lose in salaries.

Looking at your proposal more – if passed I have 3 choices, 1. Keep my insurance and pension and apply for food stamps and any other government aid I can get my hands on. 2. Drop all benefits and keep my pay check where it is and hope no one in my family gets sick and/or I die before I need a pension 3. Quit and go on unemployment, welfare, food stamps and whatever else is out there. Ok so here is a fourth option. 4. I could go back to the private sector. Well there’s a big problem there, jobs in the private sector are few and far between so my best bet is out of state. Not my preferred option, packing up the family and moving them, but the option I’ll most likely choose.

I agree cuts need to be made and government agencies need to be streamlined. Even our department needs it in a bad way. However you’re going about this all wrong.

In short your plan lacks vision and planning. Fail to plan = Plan to fail. You’re off to a good start.