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Tom Keating of Lake Worth had his letter to the editor published in Wednesday's Palm Beach Post wherein he states that salaries of our fire/rescue personnel need to be cut before raising taxes. Because of the high cost of salaries, the only options will be to raise taxes or reduce the number of workers per Palm Beach County. "Sadly, neither option would be necessary if county commissioners or even the fire-rescue union had the courage to do the right thing and cut these egregious salaries across the board," said Mr. Keating.
Dennis Dorsey has mentioned to me on several occasions that we pay so much more than that reported $90,000 a year in average salary. Here in Lake Worth, we still have fire/rescue workers whose retirement benefits equal 172% of payroll. So, that $90,000 a year really amounts to Lake Worth taxpayers paying $245,000 a year, not to mention other benefits. They will get their retirement benefit until death and then their spouse will get a percentage until his/her death. Such a deal.
As property values in Lake Worth are down again this year by 3.6%, the budget is still "strained," according to Susan Stanton. The City Manager wants to tax all of us the same amount of money for fire/rescue that she says "could" lower the millage rate. Don't count on the "could."
The unions and their people are the taxpayers EMPLOYEES! The firemen make their money off of the backs of the taxpayers!If the firemen won't agree to wage cuts during these times where everyone(EXCEPT THEM)!! is suffering, then screw them. Let them go find the jobs that will pay them what they think they deserve! PLENTY of out of work firemen from depressed Northern states would LOVE to come here for a job!!
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