On Obama’s first day in office, he
ordered that the salaries of senior staff earning more than $100,000 a year be frozen. … “During this period of economic emergency, families are tightening their belts, and so should Washington,” he told about 30 members of his senior staff. “However long we are keepers of the public trust, we should never forget that we are here as public servants.”
- The Wall Street Journal, January 22, 2009
Singapore reports ’similar’ pay cuts:
Cabinet ministers in recession-hit Singapore will earn a salary of about US$1 million each this year – even after a 20 percent pay cut, a cabinet minister told parliament yesterday.Ministers can expect to take home about 1.54 million Singapore dollars (US$1.04 million) after the cuts, said Teo Chee Hean, the minister in charge of the civil service.
There was no discussion in yesterday’s parliamentary session of Lee’s salary but The Straits Times reported in November that he will earn 3.04 million Singapore dollars after a 19 percent cut due to salary components linked to economic growth.
Singapore officials have said high salaries are necessary to recruit and retain talented individuals, and to prevent corruption.
- AFP, January 20 2009
Hm…
0 Responses to “Because public service is…”