Iowa state salary levels questioned, defended

Figures showing Iowa's state employees ranked in the top 10 in average salaries in 2007 are raising concerns from some Republicans and business interests, but other state officials are questioning their accuracy.

Numbers compiled by the Legislative Services Agency showed Iowa ranked ninth in the country for average monthly salary of state employees. The ranking was based on U.S. Census Bureau data compiled by the LSA.

Those numbers found the average monthly salary of state workers or "full-time equivalents" was $4,479 in 2007.

Those numbers were quoted on the Iowa House Republicans' Web site last month and have been circulated recently.

House Minority Leader Kraig Paulsen, R-Hiawatha, said any data he's seen has shown state employees make "significantly more" than the average Iowan

"I think that state government should reflect, you know, what's going on with real, everyday Iowans, and I'm not sure in this case that it does," Paulsen said.

Troy Price, spokesman for Gov. Chet Culver, said the figures by the state's Department of Administrative Services, or DAS, show the state would not be ranked in the top ten for employee salaries.

DAS had lower salary figures for nearly 20,000 executive branch employees in fiscal year 2007. The average salary for those full-time employees was $49,762 in 2007, or $4,148 per month. Those numbers would not include employees of the Regents universities, community-based corrections or the Fair Authority.

DAS Marketing and Communications Director Robert Bailey said if Regents' employees were included it would likely drive up the average.

But he still found the figures in the LSA and Census Bureau data to be high compared to their own figures, and questioned their numbers for total full-time equivalent positions.

"My biggest question is how they come up with some of the totals-what their metrics are. I think from state to state it really varies," Bailey said.

According to DAS, the average monthly salary for judicial branch employees was $4,446 in 2007. The average monthly salary was $3,931 for legislative branch employees that same year.

Danny Homan, president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 61, also disputed rankings that put Iowa in the top 10 for employee salaries.

He said compared to Midwestern neighbors, Iowa is generally fourth behind Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota.

"I can guarantee you nobody that I know of in (the) public sector took the job because they felt they were going to get rich, with the exception of the football coaches and the basketball coaches at the three universities," Homan said.

Price, Culver's spokesman, said in a competitive market, a reasonable salary is required to attract high-quality state employees.

"However, he recognizes that these are tough times and that all Iowans -- including state employees -- must share in the pain," Price said pointing to upcoming wage freezes.

The state negotiated a contract this year with AFSCME Council 61 that calls for a base wage freeze in fiscal year 2010. An increase of 2 percent in base wages would go into effect July 1, 2010, and a 1 percent increase would go into effect Jan.1, 2011. Step increases also are part of the contract.

The estimated cost of the increases in fiscal year 2010 will be $121 million if those increases are fully funded by state agencies.

Dave Roederer, executive director of the Iowa Chamber Alliance, said in the private sector, employees are taking pay cuts. And he said with state budget shortfalls, state employee salaries should be evaluated.

"When government looks at how is it going to curb its costs, as in the private sector, you have to look at wages and benefits, and I think it's just something the state's going to have to take a look at," Roederer said.