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Firemen/policemen Earning 150,000/year. Why
Topic Started: Feb 17 2005, 06:01 PM (208 Views)
BuddyIAm
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Firemen/policemen earning 150,000/year. Why

At any one moment. 10% or more of our local fire department is earning double-time. Why?
The explanation given. Is that the added cost of benefits make it cheaper to leave one man on welfare and pay another double-time..

One of the most expense costs is the FICA. Once a firemen's income goes beyond 90,000/year.. The Fire dept. begins to save 6.2%.

So the result is. Unemployment for one man and a reduction in FICA funds.

Another is retirement costs..

The result is a firemen with a wonderful retirement plan. And a unemployed man and family on Welfare..

Another is health costs.

The result is a firemen with a wonderful health plan. And a unemployed man and family on MediCal..

Who do these brainiacs think they are saving money? All this money comes out of some form of taxes...

Let’s get rid of one of these juvenile excuses. And eliminate the FICA cap
.
What is your feelings about this situation?.
"The truth lies in a man's dreams... perhaps in this unhappy world of ours whose madness is better than a foolish sanity."
"Facts are stupid things." - Ronald Regan
"Ideas are more dangerous than guns. We don't let our people have guns. Why should we let them have ideas?" --Josef Stalin
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cmoehle
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Chris - San Antonio TX
Why isn't the unemployed man working? Because someone else does? Let's all quit working and go on welfare.
Politics is the art of achieving the maximum amount of freedom for individuals that is consistent with the maintenance of social order.
--Barry Goldwater
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jrf
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We have volunteer firemen here but they do get a retirement plan.
Our police don't make much more.

I don't know what others get or where this is.

Is the article using a true yearly pay amount or are they just extrapolating a few paychecks with overtime on them out to a yearly wage that is rarely achieved?
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BuddyIAm
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J


There are many on our local fire dept. making over 150,000/year. Double-time is in excess of 1000 dollars /day

They can receive over 100% retirement after 30 years employment and 50 years old....

100%+ retirement is possible because many of the payroll taxes are no longer removed from the check.

Chris

When they do open up a position in either the fire or police dept. There are thousands that apply for the job...
"The truth lies in a man's dreams... perhaps in this unhappy world of ours whose madness is better than a foolish sanity."
"Facts are stupid things." - Ronald Regan
"Ideas are more dangerous than guns. We don't let our people have guns. Why should we let them have ideas?" --Josef Stalin
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cmoehle
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Chris - San Antonio TX
I don't work for the fire or police departments, and yet I work.
Politics is the art of achieving the maximum amount of freedom for individuals that is consistent with the maintenance of social order.
--Barry Goldwater
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BuddyIAm
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Chris

Most of the 1000’s applying for those jobs are working also..

The Area I live has up to 38% unemployment for 5 months out of the year.. 12.5% in the good months.

That is depression era statistics..

Those percentage are unemployed actively seeking work.

Yet the same government paying for welfare programs such as MediCal, are pay double-time to others..
"The truth lies in a man's dreams... perhaps in this unhappy world of ours whose madness is better than a foolish sanity."
"Facts are stupid things." - Ronald Regan
"Ideas are more dangerous than guns. We don't let our people have guns. Why should we let them have ideas?" --Josef Stalin
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BuddyIAm
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Our Firemen have 4 crews.

They work 10 days a month.. 24 hour shifts

Many don't even miss one holiday a year some years.. Some miss many..

They trade shifts and some accumulate as many as 60 or more continuous vacation days..

Then come back from Vacation and perform double-time for days in a row..

I know of some that in five years never pulled a 2 1/2 hose.

Over 75% of calls are medical related. Not fire.

(Medical calls can be much worse than a fire call)
"The truth lies in a man's dreams... perhaps in this unhappy world of ours whose madness is better than a foolish sanity."
"Facts are stupid things." - Ronald Regan
"Ideas are more dangerous than guns. We don't let our people have guns. Why should we let them have ideas?" --Josef Stalin
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cmoehle
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Chris - San Antonio TX
Not a very good place to live then. I moved here to get a job. America is a mobile nation.
Politics is the art of achieving the maximum amount of freedom for individuals that is consistent with the maintenance of social order.
--Barry Goldwater
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BuddyIAm
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We have a bit of Illegal immigration problem..

"The truth lies in a man's dreams... perhaps in this unhappy world of ours whose madness is better than a foolish sanity."
"Facts are stupid things." - Ronald Regan
"Ideas are more dangerous than guns. We don't let our people have guns. Why should we let them have ideas?" --Josef Stalin
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tomdrobin
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Buddy

But, if it is that big a problem, don't you have elected officials responsible to the voters?

I can't remember all the details, but we had a similar issue in one of the local communities here. Changes were made, over the objections of the firefighters union in the interest of saving $$.

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cmoehle
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Chris - San Antonio TX
Is that where there's a huge gaping hole in the fence? Why won't they mend their fences?
Politics is the art of achieving the maximum amount of freedom for individuals that is consistent with the maintenance of social order.
--Barry Goldwater
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jrf
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Wow! Plus all the fun from driving the company car.

Beep! Beep!

Whaaawwmp! Whaaawwmp!

Buh-reerrrh! Buh-reerrrh!

What a perk!!
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BuddyIAm
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Tom

That is the same objection here and its legitimate in some respects. On the part of the fire department Chief.. Not the Union.

Problem is the inflexibility of the cooperation between levels of Government. City, County, State, Federal..

If the Fire Dept could realize some of the savings from welfare, increase in employment, taxes etc. They could afford to pay for additional employees..

There is a large amount of overtime being paid. APX 10 million dollars a year..

That puts a lot of people to work in good paying jobs..
"The truth lies in a man's dreams... perhaps in this unhappy world of ours whose madness is better than a foolish sanity."
"Facts are stupid things." - Ronald Regan
"Ideas are more dangerous than guns. We don't let our people have guns. Why should we let them have ideas?" --Josef Stalin
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BuddyIAm
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Chris

Outside of the Major population areas.

Those are typical California unemployment statistics..
"The truth lies in a man's dreams... perhaps in this unhappy world of ours whose madness is better than a foolish sanity."
"Facts are stupid things." - Ronald Regan
"Ideas are more dangerous than guns. We don't let our people have guns. Why should we let them have ideas?" --Josef Stalin
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cmoehle
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Chris - San Antonio TX
California is too expensive a place to live. They should move.
Politics is the art of achieving the maximum amount of freedom for individuals that is consistent with the maintenance of social order.
--Barry Goldwater
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