Is any prison guard worth $200,000 a year? According to the San Francisco Chronicle, 

Jose Chacon, a lieutenant in the state prison system, earned $228,971 in 2005

He has plenty of company among state employees.

77 state employees earned at least $200,000 —— including overtime and other payments —— a 60 percent jump from 2004, according to payroll records obtained from the state controller (excluding employees in the state university systems and the Legislature)[....]

If you lower the threshold to a mere 100k, you find that the state is paying an enormous number of employees this much.

More than 3,600 prison guards earned more than $100,000 last year

The secret, of course, is manipulation of the system so as to qualify for stupefying amounts of overtime pay. What with state employees earning lavish vacations, and a failure to properly hire extra employees, some employees are able to rack up huge amounts of overtime.

Years ago, a study was done comparing pay levels in the state bureaucracy with those in the private sector. The study concluded that state employees earn 30—40% more than private sector employees with comparable responsibilities. When you add in the huge pension liabilities, the ample vacation benefits, and other fringes, the conclusion is inescapable: California taxpayers have been taken for a huge ride.

The Democrats who dominate the State Legislature will never reform. They are in thrall to the public employee unions.

Thomas Lifson   7 24 06