Fightin_Aggie said:

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Teslag said:

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What would a private sector CEO make for a company with similar number of employees, assets, and responsibilities?

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A private company CEO gets fired when he doesn't deliver on results

What kind of results does this guy deliver at the TVA?

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Are you even reading the thread? I already said he wasn't delivering and should be fired. And said the biggest problem with federal jobs is lack of accountability and ability to easily fire them for poor performance.

ABATTBQ11 said:

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fixer said:

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Teslag said:

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fixer said:

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Teslag said:

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4 said:

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Well I will tell you something, that is exactly how the founding fathers saw their roles in government.

None of them wanted to be in DC. They approached their service in government as necessary and as a sacrifice to their country. As a sacred duty.

Not a place to make a living and get rich.

They could not wait to get back to their businesses and private lives.

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So what kind of employee will you find to run the $13 billion a year TVA for $195,000 a year as some form of "civil service"?

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So what kind of employee will you find to run the most powerful military in the world, a 27 trillion dollar economy, and get paid $400,000 a year to do it?

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Again, for about the 5th time, the president and cabinet positions come with prestige that makes it worth it.

Do you think Trump ran for president so he could be paid $400k a year? Did Kamala spend $1.5 billion so she could earn $400k?

People will do that for president. They aren't going to do that to run a public utility.

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That is your narrative.

Just because you say it for a 6th time doesn't make it true by virtue of you saying it.

So the TVA position must be paid millions in salary because it doesn't have prestige?

Or is it because of the responsibility inherent in the role?

The presidency has tons of prestige but about 500 times the pita and responsibility.

The pay should reflect that or be proportional.

It isn't. Not even close.

So try something other than prestige to justify this discrepancy.

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You know how much ex-presidents make in speaking fees and book deals? Bill Clinton charges anywhere from $250k-$500k per appearance, and you're talking like half hour to hour at most 2-3 dozen times a year. You know how much former TVA CEO's charge? Probably nothing because who wants to listen to them outside of an industry conference?

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Teslag said:

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fixer said:

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Teslag said:

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fixer said:

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Teslag said:

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4 said:

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Well I will tell you something, that is exactly how the founding fathers saw their roles in government.

None of them wanted to be in DC. They approached their service in government as necessary and as a sacrifice to their country. As a sacred duty.

Not a place to make a living and get rich.

They could not wait to get back to their businesses and private lives.

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So what kind of employee will you find to run the $13 billion a year TVA for $195,000 a year as some form of "civil service"?

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So what kind of employee will you find to run the most powerful military in the world, a 27 trillion dollar economy, and get paid $400,000 a year to do it?

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Again, for about the 5th time, the president and cabinet positions come with prestige that makes it worth it.

Do you think Trump ran for president so he could be paid $400k a year? Did Kamala spend $1.5 billion so she could earn $400k?

People will do that for president. They aren't going to do that to run a public utility.

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That is your narrative.

Just because you say it for a 6th time doesn't make it true by virtue of you saying it.

So the TVA position must be paid millions in salary because it doesn't have prestige?

Or is it because of the responsibility inherent in the role?

The presidency has tons of prestige but about 500 times the pita and responsibility.

The pay should reflect that or be proportional.

It isn't. Not even close.

So try something other than prestige to justify this discrepancy.

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So what kind of employee do you think you'll find to run a $13 billion a year public utility for less than $400k a year?

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Someone who fulfills the qualifications and finds the compensation acceptable.

So no one? You think running a $13 billion a year enterprise is a $195k a year gig?

Seriously?

That's barely more than what an experienced petroleum engineer makes and you think that's acceptable for an entire energy company?

For reference, the CEO of Texas New Mexico Power, which only has $2 billion in revenue and far less infrastructure than TVA, makes $7.5 million a year.

It's patently absurd to think someone of that caliber is going to run the ****ing TVA for $195k.

TVA have engineers making $195k. Good ones, too, who rate it.

I'm a GS14 with USACE and make $168k. To think for $30k more I could just run the whole damn thing.

Hell, double it and I'll be ****ing President according to some.

Teslag said:

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So no one? You think running a $13 billion a year enterprise is a $195k a year gig?

Seriously?

That's barely more than what an experienced petroleum engineer makes and you think that's acceptable for an entire energy company?

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What is the reference point? $195K per year or something closer to $400K?

Or are you just gonna throw figures around until your narrative makes sense?

Teslag said:

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For reference, the CEO of Texas New Mexico Power, which only has $2 billion in revenue and far less infrastructure than TVA, makes $7.5 million a year.

It's patently absurd to think someone of that caliber is going to run the ****ing TVA for $195k.

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Justifying one absurdity based on another?

$195k is GS15 Step 10 for Tennessee. It's the very top of the federal wage scale.

$400k is the salary of the president.

fixer said:

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Teslag said:

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For reference, the CEO of Texas New Mexico Power, which only has $2 billion in revenue and far less infrastructure than TVA, makes $7.5 million a year.

It's patently absurd to think someone of that caliber is going to run the ****ing TVA for $195k.

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Justifying one absurdity based on another?

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You think it's absurd for even a private CEO to make $7.5 million?

I should have known better to engage with a Bernie bro

Not sure I want to get involved, but I will hopefully enlighten some. I worked for the federal government for 34 years. I oversaw 175 to 210 employees and managed between 1.5 million to 650,00 acres. Most were good employees with the exception of a few. At the best I made 145,000 annually while working 24/7. I was always on call and responsible for all those employees good or bad. Was I over paid? Absolutely not and probably an idiot for doing it, but I enjoyed the job. It was fun until the bureaucracy became ridiculous. I hope Trump will change it. I had a good career, but I earned every dime I got. Most federal employees are good folks just trying to make a living.

Doc2244 said:

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Not sure I want to get involved, but I will hopefully enlighten some. I worked for the federal government for 34 years. I oversaw 175 to 210 employees and managed between 1.5 million to 650,00 acres. Most were good employees with the exception of a few. At the best I made 145,000 annually while working 24/7. I was always on call and responsible for all those employees good or bad. Was I over paid? Absolutely not and probably an idiot for doing it, but I enjoyed the job. It was fun until the bureaucracy became ridiculous. I hope Trump will change it. I had a good career, but I earned every dime I got. Most federal employees are good folks just trying to make a living.

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Thanks for your input much appreciated.

Teslag said:

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It is absolutely relevant. To compete with private industry the military has also been forced to raise pay to retain talent, especially as the motivations to serve erode every year.

If we want competent talented people running government organizations and be good stewards of our tax dollars you will have to pay for them.

And you won't find them on the GS wage scale.

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Well damn, we could have hired a bumbling idiot for $190,000 instead we hired a bumbling idiot for $10.5 million a year.

Teslag said:

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fixer said:

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Teslag said:

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For reference, the CEO of Texas New Mexico Power, which only has $2 billion in revenue and far less infrastructure than TVA, makes $7.5 million a year.

It's patently absurd to think someone of that caliber is going to run the ****ing TVA for $195k.

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Justifying one absurdity based on another?

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You think it's absurd for even a private CEO to make $7.5 million?

I should have known better to engage with a Bernie bro

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Now you are talking about private ceo pay?

Never seen goalposts move so much.

Texas New Mexico Power is a private company.

So the government utility ceo should make more?

Whose the Bernie bro here?

Yes. Texas New Mexico power (TNMP) has $2 billon in revenue compared to $13 billion for TVA. TNMP produces 2.7 gigawatts for 800,000 customers. TVA produces 37 gigawatts for 10 million customers along with additional flood control duties.

By every metric the TVA CEO should be paid more. Much more. $10 million is underpaid.

Teslag said:

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agent-maroon said:

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Quote:

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If we want efficiency and effectiveness we are going to have to pay for it.

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Seems like paying a fraction of that $10+ million is a good first step towards achieving an efficient spending budget.

So what private sector industry do you work in that makes you so wise in the matter of efficiency & fair compensation?

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I know that you get what you pay for. And if you want someone to run a $13 billion a year company you're going to need to open the check book.

My preferred choice would've for the FedGov to spin off TVA as a private enterprise.

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They are 30 billion dollars in debt and the taxpayers are on the hook for it! Why am I on the hook for a power company in Tennessee? I pay my own power company in Texas.

https://nypost.com/2020/04/08/fed-official-who-earned-8-million-last-year-faces-big-coronavirus-pay-cut/

When you are proportioning pay between private and government positions such that they are equal, you are creating an incentive structure for the growth of government.

Last I checked this was a menace to freedom.

whoop1995 said:

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Teslag said:

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agent-maroon said:

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Quote:

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If we want efficiency and effectiveness we are going to have to pay for it.

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Seems like paying a fraction of that $10+ million is a good first step towards achieving an efficient spending budget.

So what private sector industry do you work in that makes you so wise in the matter of efficiency & fair compensation?

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I know that you get what you pay for. And if you want someone to run a $13 billion a year company you're going to need to open the check book.

My preferred choice would've for the FedGov to spin off TVA as a private enterprise.

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They are 30 billion dollars in debt and the taxpayers are on the hook for it! Why am I on the hook for a power company in Tennessee? I pay my own power company in Texas.

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Well damn it the guy simply needs more pay!

Teslag said:

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I know our kneejerk response is to hate every federal employee and as a federal employee that's warranted most of the time from what I've seen.

However, we want the government to be efficient and responsible with taxpayer funds while still providing services they are required to.

That takes talent and that talent costs money. Ask yourself, do the best and brightest work for the federal government or the private sector? We both know the answer to that.

So let's take something like a large regional VA health network. That's almost 800 hospital beds and 9000 employees.

What would a private admin make managing a hospital network that large? And then we turn around and wonder why the VA has trash service and can't take care of vets while wasting billions of dollars.

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As my wife says to me more times than I can count, you're missing the point. If this position is funded by federal taxpayers there's no way a salary should be able to go that high. It's TVA, let TN pay for it if they want to. Let the other states in the agreement help pay for it, I don't know or care which ones they are if it's not TX. This is another example of federal overreach and wasteful spending.

It isn't funded by federal taxpayers

whoop1995 said:

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Teslag said:

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agent-maroon said:

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Quote:

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If we want efficiency and effectiveness we are going to have to pay for it.

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Seems like paying a fraction of that $10+ million is a good first step towards achieving an efficient spending budget.

So what private sector industry do you work in that makes you so wise in the matter of efficiency & fair compensation?

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I know that you get what you pay for. And if you want someone to run a $13 billion a year company you're going to need to open the check book.

My preferred choice would've for the FedGov to spin off TVA as a private enterprise.

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They are 30 billion dollars in debt and the taxpayers are on the hook for it! Why am I on the hook for a power company in Tennessee? I pay my own power company in Texas.

https://nypost.com/2020/04/08/fed-official-who-earned-8-million-last-year-faces-big-coronavirus-pay-cut/

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You shouldn't be. Which is why I said it should be spun off as a private company and this CEO should be fired.

fixer said:

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When you are proportioning pay between private and government positions such that they are equal, you are creating an incentive structure for the growth of government.

Last I checked this was a menace to freedom.

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You also want these government agencies to be run efficiently and be good stewards of federal assets.

That type of talent costs money. A lot of money.

TRX said:

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Teslag said:

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I know our kneejerk response is to hate every federal employee and as a federal employee that's warranted most of the time from what I've seen.

However, we want the government to be efficient and responsible with taxpayer funds while still providing services they are required to.

That takes talent and that talent costs money. Ask yourself, do the best and brightest work for the federal government or the private sector? We both know the answer to that.

So let's take something like a large regional VA health network. That's almost 800 hospital beds and 9000 employees.

What would a private admin make managing a hospital network that large? And then we turn around and wonder why the VA has trash service and can't take care of vets while wasting billions of dollars.

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As my wife says to me more times than I can count, you're missing the point. If this position is funded by federal taxpayers there's no way a salary should be able to go that high. It's TVA, let TN pay for it if they want to. Let the other states in the agreement help pay for it, I don't know or care which ones they are if it's not TX. This is another example of federal overreach and wasteful spending.

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It's definitely federal overreach (which I've said and I'm beginning to wonder how many people have actually read the thread before replying or just want to yell at clouds).

And they do pay for it, which is why they generate $13 billion in revenue. And they do have debt. So do private companies. I

fixer said:

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whoop1995 said:

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Teslag said:

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agent-maroon said:

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Quote:

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If we want efficiency and effectiveness we are going to have to pay for it.

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Seems like paying a fraction of that $10+ million is a good first step towards achieving an efficient spending budget.

So what private sector industry do you work in that makes you so wise in the matter of efficiency & fair compensation?

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I know that you get what you pay for. And if you want someone to run a $13 billion a year company you're going to need to open the check book.

My preferred choice would've for the FedGov to spin off TVA as a private enterprise.

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They are 30 billion dollars in debt and the taxpayers are on the hook for it! Why am I on the hook for a power company in Tennessee? I pay my own power company in Texas.

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Well damn it the guy simply needs more pay!

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Actually, I said he needs to be fired.

The position warrants $10 million. The man in question does not.

TRX said:

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Teslag said:

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I know our kneejerk response is to hate every federal employee and as a federal employee that's warranted most of the time from what I've seen.

However, we want the government to be efficient and responsible with taxpayer funds while still providing services they are required to.

That takes talent and that talent costs money. Ask yourself, do the best and brightest work for the federal government or the private sector? We both know the answer to that.

So let's take something like a large regional VA health network. That's almost 800 hospital beds and 9000 employees.

What would a private admin make managing a hospital network that large? And then we turn around and wonder why the VA has trash service and can't take care of vets while wasting billions of dollars.

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As my wife says to me more times than I can count, you're missing the point. If this position is funded by federal taxpayers there's no way a salary should be able to go that high. It's TVA, let TN pay for it if they want to. Let the other states in the agreement help pay for it, I don't know or care which ones they are if it's not TX. This is another example of federal overreach and wasteful spending.

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How many times does it need to be stated that it is not? For the umpteenth time, the position is funded by TVA's business.

UTExan said:

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" WASHINGTON Tennessee Valley Authority CEO Jeff Lyash the highest-paid federal employee with a compensation package of $10.5 million per year abruptly announced Friday that he was retiring 11 days after the return to office of President Trump, who during his first term slammed Lyash's "ridiculous" pay and vowed to fire him.

"Sounds like Lyash got DOGE'd," a senior administration official told The Post, referring to Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency initiative to rein in allegedly wasteful federal spending."
https://nypost.com/2025/01/31/us-news/top-paid-federal-employee-leaving-10-5m-job-after-first-term-trump-said-were-getting-rid-of-him/

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$10.5 million????

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$10 million a year for a Federal Employee is ridiculous.

All of the Federal pay structure and salaries should all be re-examined and compared to the private sector and brought in line.

TheEternalOptimist said:

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UTExan said:

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" WASHINGTON Tennessee Valley Authority CEO Jeff Lyash the highest-paid federal employee with a compensation package of $10.5 million per year abruptly announced Friday that he was retiring 11 days after the return to office of President Trump, who during his first term slammed Lyash's "ridiculous" pay and vowed to fire him.

"Sounds like Lyash got DOGE'd," a senior administration official told The Post, referring to Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency initiative to rein in allegedly wasteful federal spending."
https://nypost.com/2025/01/31/us-news/top-paid-federal-employee-leaving-10-5m-job-after-first-term-trump-said-were-getting-rid-of-him/

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$10.5 million????

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$10 million a year for a Federal Employee is ridiculous.

All of the Federal pay structure and salaries should all be re-examined and compared to the private sector and brought in line.

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Another poster that didn't read the thread.

$10 million a year for someone running an energy company that brings in $13 billion a year is not only in line with the private sector, it's probably low.