Letters to the Editor The Palm Beach Post
August 28, 2013
Police, fire unions remain untouchable
On a recent driving vacation through western North Carolina, each town seemed to have a volunteer fire department, which ignited a very fond memory from my early childhood and the pride I felt to see the fire trucks racing by with my father steering the back end of the long hook-and-ladder truck.
The contrast between what is still the norm in most of rural America and what has happened in the urban areas is a textbook case of unions running amok. In every town or city, to be elected to a political office each candidate scrambles for the bloc vote of the fire and police unions, and to remain in office they must remain in the good graces of this constituency. People with jobs in the public sector, teachers and trash haulers included, should have good jobs with good benefits, but the spiraling cost of benefits, particularly pension benefits, accrued by this block of voters has brought some municipalities to the financial brink, and the current holders of public office are holding the bag.
The difficulty of dealing with this problem cannot be underestimated, as indicated by the union-busting governor of Wisconsin who exempted police and fire unions from his draconian legislation in hope of staying on the right side of this voting bloc.
JERRY UTTER
Lake Worth
14 comments:
Can anyone help me understand WHY we can not just do the 'Union' math (it doesn't work) and then say this is the end of the road. The pay is "X" and you invest it yourself.
Like the Electric Parity Plan - let's reflect some financial reality we the people are going through.
"Just Say No" to contract renewals and work out a plan to begin to wean the remaining employees and switch over to flat hourly. Perhaps advertize the new jobs in the electric bill to local people!
Truth is you can't get water from a dry well and we are dry!
A local firefighter from Lake Worth recently retired to the Florida Keys, where he bought a large home on a canal, a motor boat for the ocean and a flats boat for the flats. He is "living the life" as they say. Drinkin, fishin and having a good old time. We are all chumps, because they get rich on our backs. I don't expect to ever be able to retire. I will work until I'm dead. I wonder how many union fatties are laid up in the Keys with their dogs up, drinkin and fishin like this guy I know? I just met a guy who is 47 and "retired coast guard." He is on his second career, working for a federal agency. He's loaded. When are we going to say ENOUGH!?! Throw the pension away. Pay them a salary, make them work till age 60 and that's it. Like the rest of us. Invest your money your damn selves.
Perhaps we should consider filing bankruptcy like Detroit so that we can renegotiate our contracts with our retired workers. You can't contract to pay and than say I don't like the deal I'm in. The only way out is bankruptcy. How many folks want us to do just that.
Who is this "local firefighter from Lake Worth" that has a pension to be able to live like that??
I DON'T BELIEVE YOUR POST!!!
Excellent point 4:19. 2:47 also told a couple of other whoppers-"because they get rich off our backs", anybody know any rich firefighters? They also risked their lives for "your back".
Now you want to crush them out of petty jealousy? Nice.
I loved this part- "I don't expect to ever be able to retire".
Well then your dumb ass should have studied harder and got yourself a better job. I was raised by poor immigrant parents, worked my way through school and I'm retiring at 60.
The idea that someone can retire after 20 years is no longer realistic. There needs to be new standards.
Wait... 4:45...Cuban immigrant parents? And you went to a community college and then went to work for the school district? Don't kid yourself. You are no one's idea of a success. Get up off the computer and get on the treadmill!
Hey 11:30, 9:24...Where do you come up with this crap. You don't know me and I don't know you.
11:30 "the truth does not depend on your willingness to believe it."
If 2:47 posts the local firefighters name and his pension (public record) to back his claim, then we will finally see what is really the truth!!!
Our armed forces members can retire at 20 years of service, got a problem with that?
Some firefighters have second jobs because of the work schedule allows it.
I have a BIG problem with government workers enjoying benefits those who work in the private sector don't. It's time for all public sector workers to contribute to a health plan -- not $20 a month. Try $280, like most of us are. For a family, $700. This is reality, folks. This sh*t is expensive. And no one should be retiring with a full pension at 40, even with 20 years of service. 40 is young. If you're no longer fit to do the policing or fight fires, then you have to work in some other capacity. Because we can't afford to pay you for 50 years of retirement!! I know for two of you guys, this is really tough stuff to understand. So try reading the above again. And then go ask your mothers. They'll help you.
6:26... You make valid points, and I think most people would agree with you. The poster at 2:47 made up a ridiculous story.
The retired Lake Worth firefighter lives on a canal in Islamorada. Two boats. Every cop I've ever known has a second home. Usually on a lake or in the country. Jealous? No. I'm pissed!
It does not sound ridiculous to me.
And this is just at the city level. And a little broke city with its own utility, or we would be backrupt right now.
Now expand your little brains to include all county, school board, state and federal government workers and your vision should start to get a little blurry.
Remember, we manufacture almost nothing anymore. We in the private sector are really working to support these GREAT pensions. Anyone hear of a drop plan?
We created this monster by electing every crack pot politician who bent over for a $500 contribution from the public sector unions and then appointed puppets to union pension boards.
This is representative democracy?
And I know of several huge payouts like that described above and no, I'm not going to name names.
Who works for who now?
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