Now, now now, Taymdint, yourself being a taxpayer, know darn well it's the state legislatures that determine budgets, which determine how much you would get being a "state" worker. Not taxpayers.

And Baysaw, I know for a fact that governments workers many times get passed over for cost of living increases. I'm not a retired state worker, but a retired federal worker and I 'm about living at a poverty level with my retirement, before it, I was just above poverty level.

Both of you guys are a little bit wrong, maybe it was the beer, or the problems with state budgets in "Calli" that cause this thread to stray.

I know I and many of my co-workers always gave a serious 120% back when, also I nearly died with a, (work related), bleeding ulcer when I was working in another state and they didn't recognize my government health care until the next morning and they could get someone on the phone. Try laying in intensive care in Cape Fear Memorial Hospital in your own diarrhea-like excrement, (partially digested blood), for about seven or eight hours before they decide to treat you. I was just too suborn to die.
I also lost a friend to a, (work related), heart attack and he was on the road with his government job.
Life ain't easy on that end of the stick.
So let's return this thread to it's intended path....
A better mouse trap! 