If 2 days/month for 2 years, that's 48 days (but I'd bet it's been fewer than 48 days). $17,000 lost in 48 days over two years equates to an approximate $88,500 annual income. If you've been furloughed fewer than 48 days, it equates to MORE than $88,500 annual income. $88,500/year is more than I make now, more than I've ever made in income in any single year, and I'm paying for it through my taxes (if, that is, you do work for the state).

There are a lot of people out of work completely. They're the ones I have sympathy for, not you...

Suitcase
We have met the enemy and he is us

No way did I say that others aren't hurting worse, forgive if I left that impression.

Your numbers both furlough and salary are low, but the reality is pretty poignant regardless of payscale for those like me who are employed in California State Government.

Please consider this morning's piece in The Bee if you doubt the impact.
http://www.sacbee.com/2010/08/30/2991668/cal-epa-office-maintains-food.html

The clowns are the ones who spent the first month after the budget wasn't in place lounging by their pools in their districts and now are back fund raising.

No, I never voted for the Governator and the distinct lack of leadership rests squarely equally on the legislature and on him, IMHO.

I changed my tagline to it when the people of the State of California, in one of the great economic downturns of all-time, voted in favor of spending billions of dollars on a high-speed rail system for the state.

I DID vote for the Governator, first to get rid of Grey Davis and then because he hadn't yet had a full term in office and I wanted to give him time to "fix things"... yea, he fixed 'em, alright. Who else was there to vote for? The California State Legislature has to be the most gutless, leaderless body ever created... instead of making decisions, which is what they're elected to do, they abdicate that responsibility and simply put things on the ballot so that the electorate makes the tough decisions (and, as I tried to point out in the high-speed rail example, usually incorrectly).

People are hurting all over. I'm sorry if I came down on you a little hard, SL, but I'm retired and on a pension and trying to help support two unrelated friends in addition to myself, a retired provider battling cancer in the North Bay, and a retired stripper recovering from a serious auto accident in Las Vegas, and then someone who's employed and makes double what I do, probably more, begins whining, well, it's just a bit much...

Suitcase
We have met the enemy and he is us

I've heard lots worse, so I certainly wasn't offended and didn't intend to come off as defensive.

The best part of RB 2nd only to sharing 411 is open vigorous respectful discussion, IMHO. If my comments came off as whining, that wasn't my intent. Not sure many would like to endure cuts the way that we have that have set some of us back 6 or 7 years in what we're earning now with zero hope of ever getting ahead.

This morning's article is being discussed among state employees including upper management today because it appears there's no end in sight to the current meltdown. If you've not seen it, it's worth a read:
http://www.sacbee.com/2010/08/31/2993914/the-buzz-california-lawmakers.html

Certainly sounds like you're making a difference in your little corner of the globe, kudos to you, Sir. Yes, people are stretched damn thin and many have taken 2nd jobs and 1 secretary who works full time in my office works 3 jobs to cover the bills.

Dan Walters had a column awhile back that it won't really matter given the dynamics of the legislature and CA politics who ends up in the governor's suite.

Oh, and BTW, my favorite candidate among the porn stars, former child actors and countless nameless wannabes in the race to replace Gov. Davis was Trek Thunder Kelly, the performance artist who wore blue for a year and is on Abbot Kinney in Venice, CA.

Figured we needed to lighten this up a bit... Thanks again.