Who is exempt from concessions and cutbacks?

This morning I was listening to the Wall Street Journal's morning program on NewsTalk 1370 WSPD and they were talking about some of the cutbacks private industry is making when it comes to employees and benefits.

They mentioned the lack of pay raises, the elimination of bonuses, the decrease in or elimination of pension contributions, charging employees more of their health care costs, and the elimination of direct or matching charitable contributions.

My husband then wondered aloud why it was that government wasn't taking a cue from these private businesses and making similar cuts. My response was that our local governments were endeavoring to do just that, and that Gov. Ted Strickland had ordered many cuts.

But he was referring to the federal government. And I realized that we've not heard a single news story about the federal government doing any of the things that local and state governments are having to do. In fact, we find the federal government increasing spending (bailouts and loans) and considering requests by states to make up their shortfalls.

So I'm wondering - what is the benefit plan for federal employees? Do they pay a portion of the costs for their medical coverage? Have federal unions been asked to make concessions like our local city unions? Are there opportunities for reducing the cost of the federal government by evaluating and tying federal employee total compensation to the marketplace?

If you know, please share the information or provide links. I can't help but believe that there are things the federal government can and should do in this regard.

Carty Finkbeiner's wish list for federal funding

You may have read in today's paper about Toledo City Councilman Joe McNamara complaining about Mayor Carty Finkbeiner's submission of funding requests through the U.S. Council of Mayors to President-Elect Obama and Congress.

Despite requesting the information from the mayor, the article reports that McNamara found the list on line.

Crowdsourcing Accountability has a searchable database of all the requests and allows you to actually vote on which projects you think deserve the support of the federal government. Below is a listing of the projects submitted by Finkbeiner (click to enlarge).

Some of the largest amounts of money are for retrofitting buildings/vehicles for energy efficiency and for roads and bridges. Interestingly, despite voting to pull all but $100,000 from the Ottawa River Dredging in order to balance the 2008 budget, they are asking for $3 million for this purpose.

There is also a line item for $3 million for a Marina District Road - but I thought we were already building the road in the Marina District - and $2 million for Marina District Improvements. There's also $4 million for Southwyck Blvd. improvements, "entire road."

The largest single amounts are:

* $26.4 million for public housing Modernization
* $25 million for a "Mega Garage Facility with City/County/State"
* $18 million for Municipal building retrofit for energy efficiency
* $10 million for an Intermodal connection road

As a limited government proponent, I really don't find anything on the list that comes under the authorized powers of Congress. I suppose some could make the argument that the dredging of the Ottawa River and the railroad connector are within their purview because of the authority Congress has assumed with the Corps of Engineers and interstate commerce.

I also understand the 'logic' of getting as much of our tax dollars back into the community since Congress is going to spend the money anyway and if we don't get it, some other community will.

But if the federal government didn't take so much of our tax dollars in the first place, we'd have the money locally to cover these costs and we wouldn't be pitted against every other community for 'favors' dispensed by Washington's elite who then use the money obtained on our behalf as a reason to keep electing them.

NOTE: There are no other area cities listed on the website, so I do not know if they've made requests as well.