fwp.mt.gov
Because the legislature controls state employee pay and the (super)majority, by and large, thinks public employees are a waste of air. I work for the state and recognize there are certain perks that for me and my family make up for the pay gap with private, but for many people it doesn't. The legislature would probably rather spend millions on paramilitary a la Blackwater for enforcement than pay our LEO's what they're worth.
And why are there no applicants for the jobs? Are the starting salaries commensurate with the cost of living?
Tough to get applicants when you’re required to have a bachelor’s degree and pay starts at $25/hour. Most Sheriff’s Departments start around $30/hour and don’t require a degree. Most Walmarts pay almost as much as a new game warden. I have a good buddy who’s a warden and he said their vacancies are going to get worse. More than 70% of their force has less than five or more than 20 years on and those are the people that resign or retire.
Add cost of living and a lack of adjustment fitting the wage, especially the boomtown mentality of Montana. (COLA adjustments need to catch up, State and Federal).
The canary has been in the coal mine for over a decade. It’s unlikely to get better anytime soon.
