A face of the NV budget crisis, and another side to the public employee story

Saturday, Feb. 19, 2011 | 2:32 p.m.

You may have read about the conflagration in Wisconsin, where state employees have taken to the streets and Democratic lawmakers have fled the state. Gov. Scott Walker has been lionized as a hero to the right and demonized as a villain to the left. But many observers see some similar movements in other states, including Nevada, where reports of high pay (more for local government employees) and benefits have been used by conservatives to bludgeon public employees, even teachers.

If only painting with a broad brush could solve problems, rather than create wedges. So to that point, here is a long missive I received from a state worker here, telling a very personal and wrenching story. He agreed to allow the use of his name and story:

I am not sure how many of these emails you read, or the producers sift through, and it doesn't really matter, as perhaps writing this correspondence will help with my overwhelming rage regarding the current state economic situation.

That being said, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Sean Alto, I am a 31 year old husband and father of a spunky little red-headed daughter who is quickly approaching three years of age. My wife is a shift manager at Applebee's here in Carson City and also a full-time student in the distance learning program for a bachelors in hospitality management. I, on the other hand, work for the Department of Employment, Training, and Rehabilitation for the State of Nevada as an IT Tech IV. I also attend school full-time, currently at WNC, in a university transfer program to obtain a Bachelor of Science in Physics and hopefully move into a doctorate program directly after graduation. I explain all this because it is easy for someone to say they have a lot going on; however with my family, the proof is in the schedule.

I was born in Reno, and have spent the good part of my life here, even in the military, stationed at Nellis AFB. I absolutely love Nevada, as it is the only home I have ever truly known, however recently I cannot say that I appreciate anything about the folks I helped to elect, or voted against. When I was first hired for the state I was simply looking for a career with better work hours than bartending, as like most parents I wanted to provide a conducive environment for raising my daughter to meet the world head on, providing a stable platform to excel in life long after I am gone. Shortly after I began, furloughs were introduced; and though most people saw them as a reduction in pay, I saw them as more time I get to spend with my family and my small share to help the state recover from an economic emergency. At this same time, I sat back and watched people around me lose compensation for being in supervisory positions while watching their benefits erode away after paying a third more than they had previously. We all have to take a few for the team, and though there were murmurs of complaints, almost everyone understood why these sacrifices were necessary.

More recently, the elections were upon us, and like every other election since the dawn of time, the individuals running were explaining how they could fix the problem created by the economic downturn. They boasted about helping Nevadans in every facet, from finding hidden money to solve our recession and bringing this state out of the gutter in education and family values. After election day, I sat back and waited for my salvation. Finally my deepest fears regarding the quality of life in Nevada would be calmed, I could continue my higher education and work without impending doom of layoff or pay cuts, like a halo of protection against those who would sacrifice me for the good of the whole. This lasted almost a month, then Brian Sandoval held the State of the State, and outlined a budget that would go a long way to "help" hardworking Nevadans like myself. I sat through that whole speech carefully listening to the Governor's plan, EVERY SINGLE MOMENT of that speech! Every minute Governor Sandoval spoke, the more nervous I became, this sounded more like preparation for the end of days.

So, I am to understand that the furlough days are going away, and in its place I get to pay the state .8% of my salary to work an extra day. No furlough, which equates to 4.2%, but my salary will be cut by 5%. Hey, that doesn't sound like help... I then went to class, and was told that if Sandoval's plan for higher education goes through for a 16% cut, I can expect to pay more for books, credits, and expect far less for a selection of class variety, not to mention I would have to wait a year for my second semester Chemistry class, which is required. This also didn't sound like the help my family needed in these critical times. Back in the basement I work in, more snippets of information met my ears. Brian Sandoval would not be accepting the $8500 pay increase and encouraged other elected officials to not take their pay increase as well. Well, isn't that wonderful, not take an increase in pay, this seems worthy of praise when relating to a state employee that has NEVER known a raise in pay, yet cringes when going to buy groceries. Do you think Sandoval or ANY of his staff worry about having enough money to cover the increasingly expensive cost of living? I am really glad to see that the Attorney General, Lt. Governor, Controller, and Secretary of State will be getting some well due pay increases, that should help Nevada a ton, as we all know, you get what you pay for, so why not pay more? I suppose the dinner party for Sandoval's inaugural speech was a pot luck, right? The other day I looked out the window to see a few new government owned cars in front of where I work, glad my furlough could pay for something. Walking through the halls of the Legislative Counsel Bureau I notice a plethora of large LCD TVs, like the one my wife and I saved for half a year for a family Christmas present, I guess this is why the 5% supervisory benefit was cut. The Nevada Appeal reported that $60,000 dollars was going to an office remodel and top-of-the-line exercise equipment, I am glad these politicians will be lighter from all this exercise, especially when they are standing on my back to get ahead in life. Just yesterday I saw the purchase order for new computers for the Unemployment Insurance representatives in the TIC centers for Carson City, and Las Vegas...NEW computers for everyone, with dual-monitors to boot. However Nevada is in too much debt to raise my pay to keep up with inflation.

I guess I kind of lost my train of thought for a minute. Maybe that is because I know how much study time writing this took, I would take the whole weekend, but I have to work Sunday and the holiday Monday and no, I won't get paid overtime, I will 'flex' time my hours because I want to do my part (or at least someone wants me to do my part). The reason why I have to work these two days is to run the payments and print the checks for everyone who is on unemployment right now, yes I have to work a holiday weekend to pay people who don't have to work. Now I just await the day that I get to pay the Nevada government 5% to come in on a weekend like this, because I need to sacrifice. It used to be hard work paid off in life, but in Nevada, the only way to be paid off is to get elected, or not work at all.