The Sharing of Wealth

[ChenangoRenegade]

“Share the wealth”, a once dry, innocent phrase, has elicited great passion during the past few weeks. Approach a dozen random people and ask about its meaning, and you’re apt to receive twelve different answers, a few with striking similarities, others varying so greatly you’ll swear they’ve responsed to completely different inquiries.

The current state of affairs here in Chenango County will see no drastic change in the near (and quite probably distant) future. A concept of share the wealth has already taken a stronghold in our area. Love, hate, or indifference for the “originator” of this phrase has no relation to my observation of its work (or lack there of) locally. Sure the obvious is legalized theft – stealing from working Chenangoans and handing the pilfered funds to idle human blobs. But I’ve already beaten that horse into an unrecognizable state.

Another form of wealth sharing is occurring in perhaps even greater magnitude across all businesses, trades, and professions in our area. It’s called low wages. The buck passers ignore it, chalking it off in non-chalant fashion as the result of a low income area. That sad argument is nothing more than a weak attempt to interject the chicken and egg analogy. But this economic glitch has a clear cause.

Our property and school taxes are among the highest in not only NYS but the nation (per assessed value). Such financial burden placed on Chenango County citizens certainly does not lend itself to low priced daily life. The cost of living index is based on an average of 100. When the 2000 census was conducted, the median household income level in Norwich hovered around $29,000 and respectively for NYS as a whole, at $41,900. The cost of living index for Norwich was measured to be 101, actually 1% above the national average. We have a cost of living slightly above most places and an income level some 30% below the national median. Our income level falls to a disparity of nearly 40% when compared to our state’s median. Clearly, there exists a financial dilemma of monumental proportion. The income gap has widened in recent decades between Central NYS and our nation as a whole. This trend shows no signs of subsiding. Our politicians in Albany have succeeded in alienating new businesses from the state and taxed many existing businesses, both large and small, right out of our state.

Equally significant, wages are painfully low in this area. More disheartening, they continue to lose ground to both inflation and pay raises elsewhere. Many are to blame for this predicament. Private companies pay relatively low wages to employees in the Norwich area. People who have the same job, with the same responsibilities but happen to live elsewhere in our state often are paid 20%, 30%, even 50% more. So let’s get this straight. Realize that you are getting a far smaller paycheck than another person with the same experience, competence, and job responsibilities as yourself. The only difference being that they live somewhere else. Outrageous and discriminatory.

State, county, and town funded jobs are fair no better in Chenango County as they provide equally poor paychecks. Five yrs ago, I was laid off and sifting through the employment ads. A probation officer job in Norwich caught my attention. The yearly salary, after jumping through several hoops (ie. college, civil service exam, etc) was a paltry $27,000. Pathetic. I vividly recall reading an Evening Sun article about our current code enforcement officer in Norwich. It quoted his starting pay in the same ballpark -- high $20,000’s range. That’s insulting to a professional with such responsibility. New York state obviously sees its Chenango County workers as tools for the Hudson Valley and NYC. They’re making a conscious effort to pay us less so they can spread money which is deservingly ours (we pay our fair share in taxes) to their political cronies in the downstate region. Yet another instance of the good ol' boy syndrome.

Private industry owes fair pay to its employees based upon their responsibilities, productivity, experience, and in some cases, education. It is also the obligation of towns, cities, counties, and states to pay workers equally. Your place of residence has no bearing on your ability and skill as a tradesman or professional. Thus, logic dictates that your income should not be dependent upon this either.

Our forefathers built this great nation on the ideology of equality for all. I do not recall exemptions being made for private or public employers.

[criedi]

Well stated, Chenango Renegade!!

[odon11]

I could survive here on minimum wage, it would be a lot more difficult on minimum wage somewhere else.
You can find a place to rent for $500 a month, can't do that in the larger cities. You'd get paid double what you make here if you had the same job in NJ, but you'd pay triple to live there.

[criedi]

I could survive here on minimum wage, it would be a lot more difficult on minimum wage somewhere else.
You can find a place to rent for $500 a month, can't do that in the larger cities. You'd get paid double what you make here if you had the same job in NJ, but you'd pay triple to live there.

I guess one could survive on about 1200 bucks a month (minimum wages) here if one was single & only paid bills & didn't own a car.

[issylu]

And used the food pantries!!!! Unless you live in the same town you work in, you need a vehicle. It's not a luxury.

[criedi]

And used the food pantries!!!! Unless you live in the same town you work in, you need a vehicle. It's not a luxury.

True.
And I don't see a lot of rentals around for $500 either.
My sister was looking for an apartment for her son who wants to move back to Norwich & everything was 600 plus for anything decent and utilities on top of that.

[odon11]

Where are there rural counties with high paying jobs in this country?

[criedi]

Where are there rural counties with high paying jobs in this country?

Don't know...I don't think that exists, frankly.

[ponder]

Where are there rural counties with high paying jobs in this country?

There's plenty of overpaying jobs all across NY.

A carpenter on a prevailing wage job in Chenango Co. gets paid $41.73/hr
A laborer $38.00/hr
An electrician $45.23/hr
A truck driver $33.41/hr

Look at Delaware Co.
A laborer $45.75/hr
A heavy equipment operator $62.97/hr
A mason $41.94/hr
A painter $49.25/hr

Is it no wonder our taxes are so high here in NY?

[islesfan01]

Where are there rural counties with high paying jobs in this country?

There's plenty of overpaying jobs all across NY.

A carpenter on a prevailing wage job in Chenango Co. gets paid $41.73/hr
A laborer $38.00/hr
An electrician $45.23/hr
A truck driver $33.41/hr

Look at Delaware Co.
A laborer $45.75/hr
A heavy equipment operator $62.97/hr
A mason $41.94/hr
A painter $49.25/hr

Is it no wonder our taxes are so high here in NY?

just one problem with that..most/all contractors don't pay a prevailing wage unless it's a big construction/union job

[ponder]

Where are there rural counties with high paying jobs in this country?

There's plenty of overpaying jobs all across NY.

A carpenter on a prevailing wage job in Chenango Co. gets paid $41.73/hr
A laborer $38.00/hr
An electrician $45.23/hr
A truck driver $33.41/hr

Look at Delaware Co.
A laborer $45.75/hr
A heavy equipment operator $62.97/hr
A mason $41.94/hr
A painter $49.25/hr

Is it no wonder our taxes are so high here in NY?

just one problem with that..most/all contractors don't pay a prevailing wage unless it's a big construction/union job

Any job funded by taxpayer money is required to pay the prevailing wage and it does not have to be union.