特朗普称经济不好，公职人员暂不涨薪

美国总统特朗普宣布，原定明年1月生效的联邦政府公职人员涨薪计划取消，原因是“经济状况不好”，如果涨薪会导致联邦预算吃紧。

此举将导致大多数联邦公职人员无法按原计划涨薪，包括2.1%的全员涨薪，还有一些生活成本高的大城市的薪酬调整，如旧金山、纽约和华盛顿特区等。涨薪主要为联邦公务员应付通胀成本。截至6月的12个月里，消费价格指数上涨了2.9%。

特朗普发给国会通知取消涨薪的信中表示，涨薪将耗资250亿美元。“我们必须努力保持国家财政稳健，如果涨薪会拖累联邦部门预算，”特朗普在信中称。“因此，我认为有必要实施权力影响2019年全员和个别地方薪资调整。”

美国各州公职人员薪水并不相同。举例来说，怀俄明州公职人员平均年薪为6.3万美元，而华盛顿特区公职人员年薪平均为11.6万美元。4月，联邦薪酬委员会发布报告称，公职人员比起私人领域同类岗位薪水少了约32%。

“联邦公职人员的人力成本巨大，”特朗普写道。“考虑到当前政府财政状况，联邦雇员薪酬应更注重业绩，倾向聘请、保留并奖励表现优秀的员工，以及技能突出者。”

取消涨薪的消息很快引发舆论强烈反弹。

特朗普说取消联邦公职人员例行涨薪是为了“让国家财政更稳健”，但预算上限政策下即便不涨薪也省不下预算。

—— Matthew Yglesias 2018年8月30日

特朗普决定不给联邦雇员涨薪，却为企业和脑满肠肥的朋友们推出了万亿美元的减税计划，相当于给他们涨了薪。特朗普通过减税捞了多少钱？现在又取消了联邦雇员加薪。

—— Eric Holder 2018年8月30日

特朗普的减税策略为企业减了很多税。如今，他认为联邦公职人员最好不涨薪。很多都是工作多年的雇员。他还在劳动节假期快到时宣布消息。受影响的雇员都是选民。投出选票吧。

—— Alyssa Milano 2018年8月30日

去年12月，特朗普签署了一项税收改革法案，未来10年美国赤字预计将扩大约1.5万亿美元。另一方面，特朗普经常在Twitter上吹嘘美国经济实力。 6月，他吹牛说自己领导的美国实现了所谓“史上最佳经济和就业”。上周三，美国商务部将美国GDP增长率略微上调，由之前的4.1%调至4.2%。（财富中文网）

译者：Pessy

审校：夏林

President Donald Trump said he’s canceling pay raises for most federal workers that were to take effect in January, citing “serious economic conditions” and the strain that the raises would place on the federal budget.

The move would undo a planned raise for most federal workers, including a 2.1% across-the-board increase as well as raises that account for higher costs of living in cities like San Francisco, New York, and Washington, D.C. The pay raises were intended to help federal salaries keep pace with inflation. Consumer prices have risen 2.9% in the 12 months through June.

In a letter informing Congress of the canceled raises, Trump said the raises would cost $25 billion. “We must maintain efforts to put our Nation on a fiscally sustainable course, and Federal agency budgets cannot sustain such increases,” Trump said in the letter. “Accordingly, I have determined that it is appropriate to exercise my authority to set alternative across-the-board and locality pay adjustments for 2019.”

Average salary for workers varies by location. Federal workers in Wyoming receive an average salary of $63,000, for example, while those in Washington, D.C, earn an average of $116,000 annually. In April, the Federal Salary Council reported that the overall salaries of federal workers lags the salaries of similar workers in the private sector by about 32%.

“The cost of employing the Federal workforce is significant,” Trump wrote. “In light of our Nation’s fiscal situation, Federal employee pay must be performance-based, and aligned strategically toward recruiting, retaining, and rewarding high-performing Federal employees and those with critical skill sets.”

News of the canceled raises drew a fast response from critics of the move.

Trump says he’s canceling scheduled pay raise for federal employees to “put our Nation on a fiscally sustainable course” but the way budget caps work this measure saves $0.

—— Matthew Yglesias  August 30, 2018

Trump decides no raises for federal employees. What about your trillion dollar tax cut for corporations and your fat cat friends – you gave them a raise. How much did Trump get in that tax cut? Trump cancels pay raises for federal employees

—— Eric Holder  August 30, 2018

Trump’s tax plan gave tax cuts to corporations.

Today, he thought it would be a good idea to cancel pay raises for federal workers. Many are vets.

His announcement came as the country heads into the Labor Day holiday weekend.

Those workers are also voters. Vote

—— Alyssa Milano  August 30, 2018

In December, Trump signed a tax reform bill that is forecast to expand the U.S. deficit by about $1.5 trillion over 10 years. The president has often touted the strength of the U.S. economy on Twitter. In June, he boasted of presiding over what he called the “Best Economy & Jobs EVER.” On Wednesday, the Commerce Department revised the U.S. GDP growth rate slightly upward to 4.2% from the previous estimate of 4.1%.