Maybe if we didnt pay firemen and police officers over 100k a year with lifetime pensions after 20 years of service and 24 hours on then 72 off with 6 weeks paid vacation, we could afford to pay for these services with the tax revenue we collect. Pretty soon only government workers will be able to afford to live in the nice neighborhoods.
My husband is a firefighter – he works 48 hour shifts (144 hours per 2 week period) and doesn’t make anywhere close to 100k. Let me know where this is so we can move.
Maybe if we didnt pay police officers and firemen all over 100K with lifetime pensions after 20 years, and 24 hours on then 72 hours off with 6 weeks paid vacation, we would have enough money to pay for these services without the additional graft money being charged.
Maybe if drunk drivers, fatigued drivers, distracted drivers, just plain bad drivers and repeat offenders were not running into utility poles, fences and trees etcetera expecting others to pay for their bad driving habits we would have enough money to pay for these services without additional money being charged.
Average salary for police officer is $53,218 – $55,180. It is only $49,299 in my area. Some work part time as security to supplement their income. If the average police officer in your area is making over $100K it must be very dangerous, which accounts for the salary.
This is just another case of poor management by cities and the unions. They want their pay raises and benefits which bankrupt the cities and then they want to pile on these charges to respond to an accident. There are enough taxes imposed on the people and we pay their salaries and equipment needs out of the taxes. Their budgets need to be brought under control and the unions need to be decertified for all the damage they have done. No wonder States, Counties and Cities are in the midst of a financial crisis. Their Stimulus money has dried up and they haven’t changed the way they do business.
Observer has it right. The public sector sweetheart deals made with politicians who are elected by their donations must come to an end. No private corporaation could keep the pensions off the books as can elected officials who are long gone after granting these deals, leaving the public holding the bag.
I look at these fees as an attempt to try to pay for past sins without asking those who committed them, or those who received the gold plated benies, to take some of the heat. Well, unless they take “cuts” in their pensions or begin to make contributions to them, I don’t want to hear about any added taxes, open or hidden.
I understand the case for the people using the service being asked to pay for it but does this give the ‘customer’ the option of shopping around for a cheaper service?
In the case of an automobile accident, the party responsible for the accident (or their insuror) would eventually wind up paying the fee since the victim would seek restitution for the charge.
The first I heard of these fees were from volunteer fire departments and first aid squads, which was a little easier to understand than a career department assessing a charge. I guess if the courts can charge court costs, all government service is open to charging for doing their job.
If insurance paid for the cost, the cost of insurance would rise, so that is not an answer. Since these salaries, equipment and brick and mortar facilities are being paid for by the citizens REGARDLESS of usage, then how is it fair to charge citizens for this service. This is double taxations, and without representation. What else can we pay for twice, police responding to your 911 call. The street department coming to fix the main in front of your house. Paying for teachers to tutor kids that they failed to teach in the first place?
I think all civil service employees should have to take an across the board 10% cut (let them decide where it comes from)from an already rediculously generous benefits package. The gig is up and we simply just don’t have it. They get what nobody in the private sector can get or afford and we all suffer for it. WTF?
I presume WTF is a reference to “Winning the Future” but the other acronym might fit the President’s goals better. The mass of people who can’t afford their own retirement due to the depreciated value of their homes and 401K are not going to sit idly by while they are asked to pay for gold plated pensions that have their payments “guaranteed” by “contracts” struck by corrupt politicians. These future benefits must mirror the riks taken by the public and cuts may be needed, or at least, changes in how future public servants pay for their retirements.
Municipalities need to be more responsible with their budget and negotiate better with unions. In my town I have seen the union run rip-shod over the town. They are now thinknig about this type of tax and I am saying “ENOUGH!”
There is no negotiating that needs to be done. Public sector unions are an anathema to our system. Even old Dems like FDR and Mayor Liguardia knew many years ago that politicians make poor negotiators and leaving the public exposed to a control of public services by public employess is not only unthinkable but also unworkable.
Do you realize that there are over 60 communites and counties that are charging us for this in California?
I’ve made a point of staying away from these places as we all should.
If they want to attack our bank accounts to cover their actions, we need to keep our bank accounts out of their communites in the first place.
Sam, our career emergency responders do not make 100k plus nor get 6 weeks paid vacation. Our retirement funds come out of our pay checks and goes into a 401a account and 401k account if we elect to contribute to one.
On the crash payment survey did the responders to the survey know for sure that a porsion of their taxes go to pay the salaries of their career local emergency responders? In some cities that are funded by sales tax and not property tax the residents of these communities pay little for these services. In large cities this may not be as big of an issue as in small ones whos dollars that go into their general fund are very dependent on people shopping locally. In recessionary times department budgets are cut and the staff have to take furlow days which reduces emergency response staffing. So before you bad mouth the people that put there lives on the line on every call get your facts correct.
Let’s get this straight, puclic sector workers are paid for by private sector workers. End of story. Taxation is the method used to collect for thse salaries, so making points about the source of the taxes is, mising the point.
Car insurance is a scam anyway. If you think you’re covered, guess again. If you are really injured, the at fault under-insured driver is your lowest common denominator, cute lizards or catchy ad phrases don’t amount to much. The insurance industry wants your money, by law they get it, but the payout does not begin to cover any real damages. If you’re lucky (from a financial standpoint), the crash is fatal.
Maybe if we didnt pay firemen and police officers over 100k a year with lifetime pensions after 20 years of service and 24 hours on then 72 off with 6 weeks paid vacation, we could afford to pay for these services with the tax revenue we collect. Pretty soon only government workers will be able to afford to live in the nice neighborhoods.
My husband is a firefighter – he works 48 hour shifts (144 hours per 2 week period) and doesn’t make anywhere close to 100k. Let me know where this is so we can move.
Maybe if we didnt pay police officers and firemen all over 100K with lifetime pensions after 20 years, and 24 hours on then 72 hours off with 6 weeks paid vacation, we would have enough money to pay for these services without the additional graft money being charged.
Maybe if drunk drivers, fatigued drivers, distracted drivers, just plain bad drivers and repeat offenders were not running into utility poles, fences and trees etcetera expecting others to pay for their bad driving habits we would have enough money to pay for these services without additional money being charged.
Average salary for police officer is $53,218 – $55,180. It is only $49,299 in my area. Some work part time as security to supplement their income. If the average police officer in your area is making over $100K it must be very dangerous, which accounts for the salary.
http://www1.salary.com/police-officer-Salary.html
http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=police+officers+salary
This is just another case of poor management by cities and the unions. They want their pay raises and benefits which bankrupt the cities and then they want to pile on these charges to respond to an accident. There are enough taxes imposed on the people and we pay their salaries and equipment needs out of the taxes. Their budgets need to be brought under control and the unions need to be decertified for all the damage they have done. No wonder States, Counties and Cities are in the midst of a financial crisis. Their Stimulus money has dried up and they haven’t changed the way they do business.
Observer has it right. The public sector sweetheart deals made with politicians who are elected by their donations must come to an end. No private corporaation could keep the pensions off the books as can elected officials who are long gone after granting these deals, leaving the public holding the bag.
I look at these fees as an attempt to try to pay for past sins without asking those who committed them, or those who received the gold plated benies, to take some of the heat. Well, unless they take “cuts” in their pensions or begin to make contributions to them, I don’t want to hear about any added taxes, open or hidden.
I understand the case for the people using the service being asked to pay for it but does this give the ‘customer’ the option of shopping around for a cheaper service?
In the case of an automobile accident, the party responsible for the accident (or their insuror) would eventually wind up paying the fee since the victim would seek restitution for the charge.
The first I heard of these fees were from volunteer fire departments and first aid squads, which was a little easier to understand than a career department assessing a charge. I guess if the courts can charge court costs, all government service is open to charging for doing their job.
If insurance paid for the cost, the cost of insurance would rise, so that is not an answer. Since these salaries, equipment and brick and mortar facilities are being paid for by the citizens REGARDLESS of usage, then how is it fair to charge citizens for this service. This is double taxations, and without representation. What else can we pay for twice, police responding to your 911 call. The street department coming to fix the main in front of your house. Paying for teachers to tutor kids that they failed to teach in the first place?
I think all civil service employees should have to take an across the board 10% cut (let them decide where it comes from)from an already rediculously generous benefits package. The gig is up and we simply just don’t have it. They get what nobody in the private sector can get or afford and we all suffer for it. WTF?
I presume WTF is a reference to “Winning the Future” but the other acronym might fit the President’s goals better. The mass of people who can’t afford their own retirement due to the depreciated value of their homes and 401K are not going to sit idly by while they are asked to pay for gold plated pensions that have their payments “guaranteed” by “contracts” struck by corrupt politicians. These future benefits must mirror the riks taken by the public and cuts may be needed, or at least, changes in how future public servants pay for their retirements.
Municipalities need to be more responsible with their budget and negotiate better with unions. In my town I have seen the union run rip-shod over the town. They are now thinknig about this type of tax and I am saying “ENOUGH!”
There is no negotiating that needs to be done. Public sector unions are an anathema to our system. Even old Dems like FDR and Mayor Liguardia knew many years ago that politicians make poor negotiators and leaving the public exposed to a control of public services by public employess is not only unthinkable but also unworkable.
Do you realize that there are over 60 communites and counties that are charging us for this in California?
I’ve made a point of staying away from these places as we all should.
If they want to attack our bank accounts to cover their actions, we need to keep our bank accounts out of their communites in the first place.
Sam, our career emergency responders do not make 100k plus nor get 6 weeks paid vacation. Our retirement funds come out of our pay checks and goes into a 401a account and 401k account if we elect to contribute to one.
On the crash payment survey did the responders to the survey know for sure that a porsion of their taxes go to pay the salaries of their career local emergency responders? In some cities that are funded by sales tax and not property tax the residents of these communities pay little for these services. In large cities this may not be as big of an issue as in small ones whos dollars that go into their general fund are very dependent on people shopping locally. In recessionary times department budgets are cut and the staff have to take furlow days which reduces emergency response staffing. So before you bad mouth the people that put there lives on the line on every call get your facts correct.
Let’s get this straight, puclic sector workers are paid for by private sector workers. End of story. Taxation is the method used to collect for thse salaries, so making points about the source of the taxes is, mising the point.
We saw it coming in GA a couple of years ago and worked to stop it.
Car insurance is a scam anyway. If you think you’re covered, guess again. If you are really injured, the at fault under-insured driver is your lowest common denominator, cute lizards or catchy ad phrases don’t amount to much. The insurance industry wants your money, by law they get it, but the payout does not begin to cover any real damages. If you’re lucky (from a financial standpoint), the crash is fatal.