While the Occupy Wall Street protesters’ wrath has been focused on "the rich" from the private sector, there are plenty of public-sector employees in Michigan who are among the top wage earners in the country.
The Tax Foundation found that the top 5 percent of income earners in the U.S. in 2009 made at least $154,643.
Michigan Capitol Confidential took a look at some of Michigan’s government employees who are paid with tax dollars who fall in that top 5 percent. The salaries listed are the most recent available from public records or news reports. Those “rich” employees came from all areas of the public sector; from schools to universities to state economic agencies, from libraries to zoos.
Mary Sue Coleman, University of Michigan president, made $585,783 in 2011. On top of her base salary of $585,738, Coleman also received a $100,000 retention bonus and $100,000 in deferred compensation.
Ann Arbor Public Schools Superintendent Patricia Green makes $245,000 a year.
Michael Finney, who is the CEO of the Michigan Economic Development Corp., makes $250,000.
Richard Homberg made $288,528 in 2009 as Detroit Public TV’s president and general manager.
Ron Kagan, CEO of the Detroit Zoo, made $231,461 in 2009.
Michigan transit entities also have people in the top 5 percent. Peter Varga, CEO of Grand Rapids’ transit authority The Rapid, made $192,153 in 2010. Michael Ford, CEO of the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority, made $183,195 in 2010.
In 2009, Josie Parker made $154,675 as executive director of the Ann Arbor Public Library.
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See also:
MichCapCon Coverage of Public Employee Compensation
Tight security locked out dozens of anti-right-to-work protesters from the State Capitol as Governor Snyder was delivering his "State of the State" address. Protesters tried to disrupt the speech by banging and chanting outside the building.
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FROM MICHIGAN HOME HELP PROGRAM PROVIDERS — OFTEN FAMILY MEMBERS
ATTORNEY GENERAL ORDERED THE STATE TO STOP TAKING MONEY ON MAY 25, 2012
opinion May 25, 2012
The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) "organized” Michigan's self-employed Home Help Program providers for the purpose of skimming dues from their ailing and disabled clients' Medicaid subsidy checks. The majority of these providers are relatives or friends taking care of loved ones. It’s been estimated that less than 25 percent of the providers are hired in an employment setting.
The first counter tallies SEIU dues skimmed since the union and state officials first launched this scheme in late 2006. The second shows the amount skimmed since June 9, 2011, when the Michigan House passed and sent to the Senate a bill to ban this and all similar “stealth unionization” efforts. The third counter shows the dues skimmed since the Governor signed the bill into law on April 10, 2012. The fourth counter shows the amount skimmed since May 25, 2012, when the Attorney General opinion was announced.
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