WHO: The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees
WHAT: A state commission is recommending benefits for state workers be scaled back. Predictably, the Maryland chapter of AFSCME says there will be an exodus of state workers from Maryland if benefits are trimmed.
WHY IT’S A BAD IDEA: These workers will go where? The jobless rate is rising nationwide — who would give up a job that pays well and still has better benefits than anything in the private sector? Stop trying to scare us. Even if some employees do leave, there would be a waiting list of unemployed people to fill their positions. Besides, a Blue Ribbon Commission found state employees’ benefits are some of the most generous in the nation. AFSCME needs to realign their wishes with reality.
WHERE TO VENT: Call AFSCME at 410-547-1515 and let them know you’re not buying their what they’re selling.
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BRIGHT BULB Calculus or bankrupt We know students are graduating from Maryland high schools with no idea how to handle their personal finances. So wouldn’t it be great if personal finance made its way into the federally required math standards? Let’s be honest, the majority of students need personal finance much more than they need calculus. We’re not saying calculus shouldn’t be taught, but there should also be space for the kinds of math necessary to balance your checkbook and calculate the size mortgage you can afford.
Quote of the day: “The slumping economy affects jobs — but not a career in the Baltimore Police Department.” — Man in a Baltimore Police Department Media Unit video from the department’s Web site
