Va. Beach officials: Raises for workers likely doomed

First, I work for a city that is losing people to VBch because they already pay better than we do. Secondly, one does not necessarily make more working for a city than in the private sector. My job pays 22,000 dollars a year. The job I do part time in the summer---for 8 weeks---NETS me 8,000 to 15,000. Why do I not do that job all the time? That's the only time the race track is open. Finally, to all of you who say you don't need the military in your town I have one word for you to bring back some memories---BRAC.

Under normal circumstances I could understand reducing the % of employee raises, but we hear this every year. I have NEVER heard, "Ya' know, we have extra money and we're going to give our hardworking, dedicated employees a decent raise."

Teacher salaries are closer to salaries in southwest Va, than to those in No. Va...but, our cost of living, while not as high as NoVa, is certainly higher than Bristol.

The school division has numerous "double-dippers'...retired administrators hired back by VBCPS at a consultant's pay (collecting retirement on an administrator's salary AND collecting a consultant's salary). We need a little more transparency (the buzzword of the day) from both the City Council and School Board. They spend millions on textbooks, but print out much of their own curriculum. Some textbooks are never used.

VBCPS and the City, is the largest employer in the Hampton Roads area (outside the military). For those employees to forfit a salary increase will impact spending and tax collections. Who will be walking on that crosswalk over Va Beach Blvd to shop at Pembroke Mall or to eat at a downtown chain restaurant?

The VBCPS's is lucky to have us!

How is one "lucky to have a job" when having a job is part of one's civic responsibility? More like the city is lucky people have a job and are not living off the welfare system, off the taxpayer's money. I'd like to know why the private sector has better benefits than those working for the City of Virginia Beach. I have an idea, take the money from the pedestrian bridge and spread it to the employees. And since when does having degree make any person a better (or worse) cop? I never knew there were degrees in guns fights, drug busts and going home at night unharmed. Criminal Justice doesn't teach any of that. I do ride-a-longs as often as I can and there is a difference between what you read in policing books and what the streets are like. Thank you to all the underpaid cops keeping me safe while I sleep!!!!

From the VBPD web site: "Typically, about half of the recruits selected for an academy class possess a bachelor's degree.... In recent years, approximately 40% of our recruits have had prior military experience." Considering the recent troubles VB has had with the justice department because of the too-difficult exams (basic arithmetic is apparently too much to ask), I don't foresee the situation improving. BTW, I am not arguing against pay raises for police officers, brave souls who are underpaid and under appreciated. It's just that your assertion that they all have degrees is untrue.

As for nurses, you might want to call Sentara. They seem to believe they have nurses without bachelor's degrees. Being an RN does not require a B.S Additionally, comparing nurses to service members is fallacious, as the former are not (typically) government employees. They work in the private sector, and the market at the moment favors nurses - there is a shortage nationwide.

So I guess on top of everything else, our city's great law enforcement officers should just be happy to have a job, eh? Happy with that 1% raise they got this year? After they daily put their lives on the line for YOU? some way to say "thanks"... same goes for the teachers. geez. they have to be parents/ guidance counselors/ security officers these days because parent have failed to be parents (novel idea), on top of making sure that all their little hellions pass the SOLs.

great way to show appreciation virginia beach.

your efforts should be applauded.

I sure would like to know where the writer of this article gets their information. According to the 2 year budget plan that was approved by City Council, city employees such as myself are NOT getting the 2.5 or 3.5 percent merit increase that we would normally receive. I am due to receive my 0% increase this December. We were told that no one would receive a merit increase for the next 2 years! Two years without a raise sounds great, doesn't it? By this article, it sounds like it may be more than 2 years. I can't honestly say that that makes me too happy.

... but disagree. None of the nurses at any of the local hospitals are short of a B.S. in Nursing. Cops: I work with them every day and night, weekends, and holidays, when most of the local military population is "off duty." Va Beach cops these days have degrees and go through psyc screening that would wash out most of the local military population. That the military contribute to the "economic growth" of the area is B.S. Sure, franchises like Target and Sears reap the benefits, but the local employees only get part time, minimum wage, no benefit jobs from military spending. Get this: Oceana claims that each officer and sailor creates 1.9 jobs. Their spouse takes at least one of those jobs and their kids easily take up the other 0.9. Military spending does not create career jobs.

Yes, 895000, you say "nobody around here makes money off the military but the car dealers" but I believe you underestimate the importance of the DoD to Tidewater's economy. James V. Koch, former Old Dominion University president, writes in his 2008 State of the Region report, "DoD spending is responsible for more than 70 percent of the economic growth of Hampton Roads since the start of the new millennium and perhaps as much as 45 percent of our gross regional product. ... The most important component of defense spending is military compensation, which accounts for 56 percent of spending in the region." Incidentally, not all nurses and police officers have a college degree - the NPD recruitment web site, in fact, lists a "High School Diploma or GED" as the requirement, which looks a lot like the military's enlistment prerequisite. And before you attack me, you should know that I was born and raised in Norfolk and had no connection to the military until after college. It just seems I understand the regional economy better than you.

Yes, beandaddy, I for one do mind another military know-it-all overpaid blowhard butting into local economic discussions. I like the military. I came here as a small child as a Navy brat. I enjoy the daily air shows and the ships. But I am sick and tired of the small handful of military bellyachers like you who think the their presence is God's gift to Tidewater. From an economic standpoint, nobody around here makes money off the military but the car dealers. E6 an above make more than teachers, police, and nurses, all of whom have a college education and none of whom can afford local rents without a second job... but most of them work two jobs anyway. And the military do get cost of living increases; it's a matter of public record.

With things being the way they are thanks to the democratic congress and especially Barney Frank, ignoring the problem two years ago, this is the smart and prudent thing to do. Otherwise like stated in the article people would have to lose jobs in order to keep the few with a pay raise. Everyone will be just fine until the banks and the all too important auto industry get themselves squared away.

With things being the way they are thanks to the democratic congress and especially Barney Frank, ignoring the problem two years ago, this is the smart and prudent thing to do. Otherwise like stated in the article people would have to lose jobs in order to keep the few with a pay raise. Everyone will be just fine until the banks and the all too important auto industry get themselves squared away.

"Six months from now, there are going to be a lot of people just happy to have jobs."

What a lousy thing to say, that's such a condescending attitude. That's like smacking your kid and telling them at least you didn't hit them twice. Pay raises are an incentive to perform beyond expectations and do a great job. If your employer is not willing to put forth the extra effort for you they should not be surprised when their sales, numbers, productivity or whatever stagnate. It should be like paying rent...you pay first then get the benefit. I'm not going to work my tail off for a whole year because I MIGHT get a raise.

And whoever said that not one dime better not go to developers is right...building your ridiculous "skyscrapers" on the backs of the bruised is unacceptable if you won't even give someone a cost of living increase.

...just keep on coming!
Would the last person leaving the VB schools turn the lighst off?

"city and school employees 2.5 percent and 3.5 percent average pay raises, respectively. Those pay increases, the same as employees received this year"
What this article didn't tell you is that police and fire were the only departments to get only 1%. How easy is it for us to live on only a 1% raise and be told not to expect anything next year? I guess that's how much City Council respects those people putting their life on the line every day.

The First Director of Equity Affairs for Beach public schools.. She is paid 97K for doing a job that should already be done by the School Board.. If Va Beach has 100K for a job like this but can not raise the Police or Fire department salary.. I fear for the city almost as much as I fear for the people

Forgive me for intervening in this discussion, but COLA is not offered in this area. This isn't Italy or an area that competes with the Euro. I don't see the navy driving up the cost of everything, I see the greedy landlords and realtors who know exactly what the housing allowance the military receives and adjust the rent and utilities to milk every cent from the servicemember. With the BAH we receive for this area, E6 and below personnel and junior officers are fortunate enough to be able to only afford to live in questionable apartment complexes. But we are fortunate because we are able to leave this area and never return, hopefully to an area that doesn't rely on the military to stimulate the economy. You can hem and haw out of one side of your mouth about what the military does to the budget in VA Beach or wherever, but on the other side of your mouth you all complain that if the military left, the area would be doomed. What about the fear that a carrier is leaving the area? Wasn't that headlines all last week? What it would do to the economy? Or if Oceana packed up and left?

The lack of proposed raises for city employees is one of the exact reasons we need a ward system. The average working person and "tax payer" is "not represented" with this system. We need people who are like us and not all multi- millionaries setting on council to fill their pockets and throw money away on a useless convention center, town center, sports plex. They don`t understand or care that hamptonroads is a cul-de sac on the north/south routes, nothing is coming HERE ! If so where is it after all these years ? We need a ward system to respent us working people (neighborhoods )

Why in the world do employees always have to make up for the budget shortfalls? I am so tired of the capital projects moving forward while city employees fall behind. The Virginia Beach Police Benevolent Association supported the incombent canidates this election. What a mistake that was! I knew it was politics as usual when they smiled and promised their support.

The key to success is taking care of your people first. "Put the welfare of those who work for you above that of your own." Try it. It works. I know. I live by it. When your people know that you care about them more than you care about yourself or your self gain the results will blow you away. If you led this way from the beginning these folks might have volunteered a lesser or no increase in pay knowing that your leadership which as taken care of them in the past won't forget and will do everything possible to make things better. Do you think these employees feel that way now? Surely they don't. Think how they may feel and react if your only goal was to lead by example and take care of your employees needs first above all else. We have a serious leadership problem in this country where leaders ignore the basic principles of taking care of those who work for them first before they pad their own ego and pockets. Sad. Very sad.

895000 wrote:

>>>"Just happy to have a job" is a worn our cliche. Private sector folks who lose jobs are typically highly paid to begin with...<<<

I'd like to know what utopia you live in. City/federal employees are, usually, paid more than their equivalent private sector peers (many receive better benefits as well). A collegue of mine went to work in Norfolk doing the same thing he did here and got a $10K/year pay raise and 5 additional paid holidays off.

Not getting a COLA this year? Cry me a river. Join the private ranks and forget about a COLA. Oh and last year, after my company went private, my merit increase was a whopping 3% and that was with an outstanding performance appraisal.

So, yes, you should be happy to have a job...