Bruce On Overtime

Bruce Warren reaches a pinnacle at the Auburn Journal, on a story about overtime:

Placer County spent more than $4.8 million on paid overtime to employees in 2008 during a year of budget cutbacks and layoffs.

The Sheriff’s Department spent more than $3.1 million on overtime, with one officer pulling in more money in overtime than his base pay.

Some residents are concerned about the expenditure, while Sheriff’s Department officials say the overtime is inherent to law enforcement and is a necessity to maintain levels of service.

...Debbie Putnam, a self-employed businesswoman in Loomis, questioned whether all the overtime was necessary.

“It seems excessive to me,” Putnam said. “I would want to know the fiscal oversight. Why is so much overtime needed in the Sheriff’s Department?”