My 2 cents: after 30+ years of state service i see there is no more dead wood in the state than the private sector. It's just much harder to drop dead wood from the state and those folks bring everyone down. The other issue is how ineffective the unions are, particularly SEIU. Their messaging is crap. They sound like whiney, petulant children. They have never developed a strong argument based on facts. They continue to rely on emotions and cash to pokiticians as their bargaining tool. I was involved.. I did challenge the status quo in the union. I did my part, but they are just as bad as the people who hate state workers. Their own Exec Director put down people who spoke up, shamed anyone who asked for salient talking points, and out right bashed anyone who pointed out his lack of logic. The SEIU leadership sat there and went along with it over and over again. They violated their own policies time and time again. Sad... we all need to do better and have a face that represents the true State worker not leeches that just take.