Carlsbadistan police and firefighters are becoming famous nationwide in the debate over how much public employees should be making. While we’re perfectly happy with teachers, policemen, and fireman making six-figures it appears that many people, like Forbes.com blogger Rich Karlgaard, seem to think thank is a problem.
Who are America’s fastest-growing class of millionaires? They are police officers, firefighters, teachers and federal bureaucrats who, unless things change drastically, will be paid something near their full salaries every year–until death–after retiring in their mid-50s. That is equivalent to a retirement sum worth millions of dollars.
Hey, maybe California is finally doing something right. Karlgaard quoted a story in the North County Times on how much Carlsbadistan’s police and firefighters make. Truthfully, the best way to get the best people for the job is to pay them well. We really don’t want to be pulled over by police officers who have to work two jobs to make ends meet. Seriously.
[Link: Forbes.com]
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We really don’t want to be pulled over by police officers who have to work two jobs to make ends meet. Seriously.
Agreed. We also want those workers, especially police and fire, to be able to live in the communities that they serve. For example, when the “big one” hits we don’t want our firefighters and other EMS workers stuck out in Temecula unable to report to work because they couldn’t afford to live in Carlsbad.
Agreed. There was no way to avoid doing a little modification, but changing too much and going too far means Barney Fife will be pulling you over.
Nadia makes a good point. The cost of living in Carlsbad is fairly high and in order to have first responders in the area, we must compensate them well enough to live here.
A second-tier system was needed. A “phased” contribution increase to the full “pay-in” amount should have been the standard (not only saved for those that bargain well). And a systematic approach to annual salary increases to cover or match inflation was surely needed.
Jon Wantz
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Funny how we are all ok with professional athletes bringing down millions per year but we aren’t so okay with the real heros of our communities (firefighters, police, teachers) making bank…
I have to work 3 JOBS, to pay my real estate taxes to support policemen in my district (Long Island) who retire on a $156,000 ANNUAL pension, and they then get a bureau job to collect an additional $92,000 on TOP of their pension to further milk us taxpayers, who no longer can’t afford the property taxes to live here.
Shame, shame, shame.