Addressing Baltimore: 1200 City Workers Making Six Figure Incomes Doesn't Help

Some time ago, I had worked as a counselor for a major city in the state of Virginia. It was the first time I had worked in the area of local government. I was an eager twenty-five year old man who was two years removed from college. There was much to do then and so many people to help.  

In the first year I received an award for performance excellence, and I am still very proud of that accomplishment to this day. However, all I had really done was perform my job efficiently. I did nothing (at that time) out of the ordinary.  I was actually still learning my job duties. My true difficulty centered on dealing with city employees who were blatantly more focused on receiving big pay checks rather than assisting those who were in need. Helping people in the community was actually the reason our jobs were created. 

When I read that 1200 city workers in the City of Baltimore received six figure incomes, it agitated me somewhat. We've all seen the issues pertaining to police brutality in the city of Baltimore.  We've all seen the poor handling of the matter by the city's administration. Just like most major cities, there are key issues regarding youth education, poverty, and race relations. Yet, the funds distributed to these areas remain few and infrequent. While investigating the matter in Baltimore, I've found that people who are on a $70,000 a year salary are making upwards of $160,000 due to excessive overtime pay.  I have no quarrels with anyone receiving money for a good day's work.  My concern is that there are people in need who are not receiving assistance because local government is improperly handling its resources. 

It reminds me of the time when my department was being audited by the state during an annual review. There was an unlimited amount of overtime pay being offered just to get our files in order.  It was if a red flashing siren was turned on by the administration just to cover our overwhelming amount of negligence. Clinicians were making double and triple their monthly salary just to cover a facade, meanwhile funds that could have been given to the homeless, the mentally ill, or the hungry were never being considered for dispersing. 

Twelve hundred people made six figure salaries, yet these same people who are in the position to help those in need are basically benefiting from other's misfortune. This is what many would call a broken system. Sadly, when I'm traveling or interacting with various people, I often hear complaints that the protests in Baltimore, St Louis, New York and Oakland are all cries over spilled milk. Truly?? Spilled milk?

Why are we so blind to the mistreatment of the many who are in need? It's as if we feel better about our own lives knowing that there are others out there doing worse than we are? I suppose that is a question that is more suited for those who have recently moved to a higher tax bracket courtesy of an inadequate government system. Because obviously there are deceitful activities occurring right under our noses; yet somehow, we continue to accept it.