Natalie Gonnella
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With scrutiny growing over government employee salaries as the debt debate continues in Washington, a recent Congressional Research Service report, requested by Senator Tom Coburn, reveals that over 77,000 federal workers earn more than state governors.
In examining 2009 salary figures (the most recent available for review), CRS found that 77,057 government employees earned more than their respective state executives, with doctors and air traffic controllers accounting for the highest percentage of those "outearning" governors:
The most common occupation for an employee who earned more than the governor of the state in which he or she worked was medical officer; 18,351 medical officers earned more than the governor of the state in which they worked. Medical officers equaled 23.8% of all employees who earned more than the governor of the state in which they worked.
And Colorado topped the list with the highest number of government workers who earned more than the governor in 2009:
According to the Washington Times, Senator Coburn said of the report's findings:
Across America, governors are being asked to do more with less, often at lower pay than federal employees in their states. The pay gap between governors and federal employees should prompt Congress to take a closer look at federal salaries...With our debt and deficits spiraling out of control, now is the time to ask agencies — not just governors — to do more with less.”
The full results of the CRS's recent analysis is available to view here.
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