The story, "Feeling poorer, Northland? You've earned the right to say so," in the Aug. 10 News Tribune, reported that the Bureau of Economic Analysis, or BEA, has found that per-capita earnings in the Twin Ports has declined from 2008 to 2009 and is less than other cities in Minnesota and North Dakota.
Want to feel even poorer? Also on Aug. 10, nationwide data from the BEA was published by USA Today showing that pay for federal employees was $81,258 per year -- 61 percent above that for those in private employment. And President Obama has asked for a 1.4 percent increase in 2011. State and local government employees averaged 5 percent more than private-sector workers. And, of course, annual benefits for government employees are much higher, averaging $45,791 for federal and $16,857 for state and local as compared to $10,589 for the private sector.
Jim Wright
Duluth
