Now you may call this semantic nitpicking, but I think the term "public service" should be reserved for one class of people. And that is for police officers, firefighters, and the military. Anyone on the public payroll who risks their lives to protect society.
Earlier this month the Republic wrote about County Manager Tom Manos as "taking public service to heart" when he retired after 30 years. While he may have worked for the public, it didn't seem like a dangerous job. Except maybe when he commuted to work on our local freeways.
Plus, his wonderful "public service" paid a salary of over $240,000 plus benefits. That's the kind of "public service" that thousands of bright folks would leap at. Then to get credit for performing a "public service" on top of it.
Whether one realizes it or not, the average public employee makes twice the pay of someone doing the same job in the private sector. Plus they often get credit for performing a "public service."
We should not dishonor our police officers, firemen, and military by using a term that belongs rightfully to them.
Not to a bunch of lard ass bureaucrats living off the public largesse -acting as if they're making a sacrifice while working for their bloated salaries.
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