Golden Parachutes

Date: June 16th. 2005
Sent to but unpublished in Boston Globe

The figures that have been bandied around about James Kilts' golden parachute mean little to the ordinary person. They need to be described in terms that we can understand.
The average salary in the Boston Metropolitan area is $48,232. Mr Kilts' golden handshake would pay the salaries of 3,421 average persons in Boston. That is the kind of purchasing power that is being taken out of the local economy by the largess thrown to Mr Kilts.
Think about it!

Date: June 17th 2005
Sent to but unpublished in New York Times

So the New York Times has appointed James Kilts to its Board of Directors.
Am I to anticipate that he will gain similar excessive emoluments as he did in his previous position at Gillette – if so, it bodes ill for ordinary employees of the Times.
The average salary in the Boston Metropolitan area is about $48,232. Mr Kilts' golden handshake from Gillette would pay the salaries of 3,421 average persons in Boston. That is the kind of purchasing power that is being taken out of the local economy by the largess thrown to Mr Kilts.
I hope his pecuniary rewards from the New York Times will be more modest.