Barnyard Education

The University of California system must be rolling in plenty of moolah. It is absurd that any person merits the money spent on her as Janet Napolitano is receiving for her services as University President. I am sure the State of California could better spend its limited resources on services that are for more necessary items like housing subsidies for the poor, senior discounts on public transportation, or increases in WIC payments to single moms. Or tuitions.

Instead, Ms Napolitano will be receiving $9,950 a month ($119.4K annually) for housing plus an annual $570,000 salary, $8,916 a year for car expenses and $142,500 for one-time relocation costs. 

Seems about right. Right?

After all, in-state undergraduate students pay $32,000 a year for tuition, board and other expenses, while out-of-state students pay $55,000 for the same items. Then, if no scholarship is used to offset these costs, some graduates leave with a diploma and a bill for well over $200K.

Seem fair to you? No? Me either!

The major problem for this is that in this economy, it is impossible, to find work in their field of study. In addition, in most cases they have only ten years to satisfy this debt.

What seems to be unfair in this process is the absurd cost the state incurs to house the school president and to transport her around. Students are required to pay $13,800 a year to live on campus and $2,200 for transportation expenses, along with tuition at another $13,000, plus other expenses, totaling approximately $32,000.

As a comparison, to attend Rutgers University New Jersey residents pay $10,700 for tuition and about $12,000 for board plus expenses, totaling approximately $25,000 a year.

Certainly, no one will deny Ms Napolitano the opportunity to negotiate a salary she feels is commensurate with her experience, network contacts or overall value to any company or entity to which she applies. After all, we all think our value is worth more than our companies pay us. If we didn't, we would be content to work for less than even a minimum wage. And no one would.

But, the issue at hand is three-fold: we, not our employer, pay our rent through our income, anyone who has a car allowance generally is approved for IRS minimums and anyone who has moved cross-country gets an allowance for the value of the truck and perhaps a discount on the airfare, not the value and then some of the move. What Ms Napolitano has received in perks is beyond the pale. And does she pay the tax on these benefits or will the UC Regents?

So folks, perhaps a letter writing campaign to your state assembly representative and your state senator is in order to show your displeasure for this absolutely grossBarnyard abuse of the public largesse. It seems officials have no problem thinking the sheeple will herd themselves up to the trough and eat whatever slop is dished out.

It's time to stand up to this abuse of the public by the government, whether at the national, state or local level, or by the administrators the government puts in place for our "benefit". Or soon enough, we really will become the tranquil sheeple we are assumed to be.