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BikerHikerHorse t1_jdzyu4e wrote

Four hundred seventy thousand dollars a year base salary!

Does that strike anybody else as absolutely fucking insane?

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fireismyfetish t1_je0242m wrote

No. If anything he's probably being underpaid for the scope of work and authority given he could probably take an easier job and make double that working for private rail companies or something.

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[deleted] t1_je05iyz wrote

[deleted]

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tateotw t1_je06l8a wrote

People have no grasp on how the world works beyond the scope of their bubble. Total comp would be over a mil for any exec at this level in the private sector.

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Pinwurm t1_je03dxy wrote

That’s low, considering the level of engineering and management skills required in the industry/for-profit equivalents.

It’s part of why it’s so hard to find talent.

But many people that run big city-transit companies don’t do it for the money. Especially if they’re already retired like Eng is. If he fixes the T, he does it for legacy.

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cycler_97 t1_je04e2y wrote

I despise this low IQ take. Any working professional like a software engineer, doctor, or lawyer in the late stage of their career can make that much or more.

This dude with 40+ years of engineering experience is hired to turn around an entire public transit system. I understand the potential for political corruption of civil servants but at the same time our bureaucracy is crippled because we can’t provide competitive financial incentive to hire top talent.

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WinsingtonIII t1_je04w40 wrote

I also find it kind of funny how reddit always gets outraged about government employees making a decent salary for their level of responsibility, but then turns around and talks about how private sector workers deserve to get paid more.

And as you point out, for the level of experience and responsibility involved here, this salary isn't actually that crazy. He could certainly make more in the private sector for a similar level role.

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donkadunny t1_je04bfk wrote

Not really. A job with this type of public scrutiny and the current state of the T should be getting paid a whole lot more tbh.

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tryingkelly t1_jdzz810 wrote

Wouldn’t you ask for top dollar to be the governor’s fall guy?

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TorvaldUtney t1_je03sys wrote

There is some of this - but also, you need to pay highly to attract high level talent. Why would someone go to the MBTA when they would go to private corporations/engineering and make $500k instead? the MBTA offer needs to be commensurate with competitive private offers to actually attract someone talented/qualified.

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tryingkelly t1_je06um9 wrote

I understand the resentment behind high pay for public servants but if you want the best you need to make it worth their while. Public service for the good of the commonwealth is a lost thing

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John___Stamos t1_je06hiz wrote

You're gonna be really mad when you see what the guys down in Fenway get paid to put on a costume and hit a ball with a stick.

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WinsingtonIII t1_je04byp wrote

Someone with this much responsibility in the private sector (essentially the CEO of a company with $2.55 billion annual budget and 2,700+ employees) would almost certainly make much more than that. For that reason, I tend to have a hard time getting outraged about paying very high level government employees with lots of responsibility a reasonable salary for that level of position (and still way below what someone similar in the private sector would get).

If you want a decent candidate with enough relevant experience to actually take these sort of jobs, you have to pay well. There aren't that many people out there who have experience leading a large transit organization.

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dan_marchand t1_je04t1a wrote

Private sector engineering/management at this level of experience pays more than that. Doesn’t seem unreasonable to me.

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dkharms t1_je0864m wrote

It's kind of low? A well running MBTA will generate billions in additional wealth, a poorly running MBTA will destroy the same. What's the cost of 100,000 people losing a 30 minutes of their day? That's just immediate cost, not downstream effects.

Pay them a few million, if they can do the job.

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eaglessoar t1_je0853m wrote

should be more, with the amount of money they touch

imo govt jobs should be among the highest paying, i think this would lower costs overall

in MA the Office of the Secretary of Health and Human Services spent 18B, if you can pay someone 1M a year to lower those expenditures by 1% you just paid that person's salary for 180 years

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ta-dome-a t1_je0ikun wrote

Truly a smooth-brained take. For this level of responsibility and accountability you need someone with this kind of resume and experience, and that is expensive. If anything he is underpaid, and he surely could make a lot more doing a lot less in the private sector.

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Illustrious-Nose3100 OP t1_jdzz1zm wrote

Doesn’t the US president get like..$400k? Seems a little crazy but who am I

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-CalicoKitty- t1_je01nmf wrote

Yeah but the US president is way underpaid for the position. BU president's base pay is like $1m.

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donkadunny t1_je0502f wrote

The president also has all expenses paid and has quite a cushy for-life benefits package. Not to mention what it does for your career earning potential thereafter.

Edit: oh and all those sweet insider stock trading tips.

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Chippopotanuse t1_je049t9 wrote

Don’t state-employees who coach football teams make $10m+?

Seems a lot crazy but who am I

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Illustrious-Nose3100 OP t1_je04mlh wrote

Well, I don’t know anything about football but yes, that’s also crazy.

If they’re a winning coach then whatever.. but if they’re getting paid that to lose every game…

Edit: and my crazy I mean I’m salty I’m apparently in the wrong field of work but alas

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