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My two firefighter brothers-in-law in Bergen county & my police office cousin from Morris all voted for Chris Christie. Its been just about 30 days, and all three are very upset, mad about Christie & the pension.
Before the elections, they were so gung ho about cutting so called waste, very vocal about reducing teacher "excessive" NJ teacher perks. Very outspoken about Corzine being protector of wasteful public employee spending.
There was only one problem. They forget that they too, were "public employees". They too have benefitted "tremendously" for generations, decades, many years of 'generous" benefits accorded to state & municipal employees.
I've asked my cousin on several occassions. Where can you find a job paying 80K, 100K, 135+ & all the "cadillac healthcare & pension benefits for PEOPLE who NEVER went to College ??? "
Told him that the overwhelming majority of teachers have not only bachelors degrees but post-graduate masters degrees. So they are getting nice salaries to compensate all that studying.
They decided to join the " mob" in attacking teachers, taxes, & put all the blame on Corzine without ever stopping & thinking.
They went against the warnings of their very own PBA & Fighter unions, Todayreality has set in. Now they are pissed off.
This is the problem when you join a mob of voters without analyzing your person situation.
As the saying goes, " You never bite the hand that feeds you".
Their very own pension will never ever be the same. And they part of that change. Oh well .
95% of the changes only apply to NEWLY hired members.
All they really have to worry about is the 1.5% health care pay in which amounts to next to nothing in comparison to what most pay for health benefits.
The average police officer makes more than the average teacher in NJ. Especially in the suburbs. Strangely, in urban areas, police tend to be paid less than their suburban counterparts, while urban teachers tend to be among the most highly compensated.
Did they really think that Christie was only going to target teachers and not other public employees?
IMHO, all public employees (myself included) need to band together over these issues. We didn't cause the system to be underfunded.
I don't understand why is this bad. He need to cut more. This system is broken and need a major make over.
Government jobs should never be pay more than a private sector jobs, but nowadays, government jobs pay much more than private sector. And they don't get the risk or getting layoff. See where the problem with this equation?
Government: More money, less risk
Private Sector: less money, more risk
The average police officer makes more than the average teacher in NJ. Especially in the suburbs. Strangely, in urban areas, police tend to be paid less than their suburban counterparts, while urban teachers tend to be among the most highly compensated.
Did they really think that Christie was only going to target teachers and not other public employees?
IMHO, all public employees (myself included) need to band together over these issues. We didn't cause the system to be underfunded.
I hope you are being sarcastic.
All public employees should need to get a pay cut or simply get downsize like private company does when facing losses.
Most of the government employees are simply not needed. We would not miss them if they all get fire tomorrow. Nothing will be change at all.
I agree with what Christie & the Democrats in the Legislature are doing on the pension/public employee issue. I think its what's best of the state.
With that said- I understand your point . I know of several cops who also voted for christopher christie who are now livid about his move. But the PBA strongly supported Corzine. This all boils down to education & learning to step back rather than following " morons on talk radio".
Middle & Senior ranked firefighters & cops are one of the the highest paid public employees in the country. ( Even without a college education requirement).
Their personal interest financially has never ever been with the Pro-Corporate America Republicans. For the past 30 days, the GOP has successfully & dramatically reduced the power & membersship numbers of their unions. ( to the delight of corporations)
I suspect that many if not most of the 27% of NJ firefighters & 34% of NJ's police officers who voted for Chris Christie in November of 2009 are at a loss for words.I
In fairness to their profession, they still gave corzine a huge win among their ranks.
I am with Christie & the Democratic Legislature on this one though.
People who blamed Corzine for everything are the same exact characters who voted for Bush twice & got all of us in this historic mess. I think these people are guilty of hypocrisy
Listen I don't know what they are pissed about. This isn't even a bandaid on the wound. THEY ARE LUCKY that he only made them pay 1.5% to health care. They should have made public employees pay 10% or more for any meaningful reform. I know guys retiring right now that the city has to pay 300,400 and up to 500K just to leave the dept besides the pension that they and or their wife will recieve until either dies along with the bennies. Wait till this bill comes in. The taxpayers will be screwed even more. These bills are nothing much but we will ****** and moan this way the public will think we got something from them.
APLUS, they risk their lives. They are willing to give their life for a stranger. They are willing to make their wives widows and kids orphans. You dont get it until you need them. When was the last time you called 911 and PRAYED that help got here fast. Most people don't recognize and only relate to this field of work through television. When, God forbid, there is another attack in the tri state area, firefighters and cops are everybody's daddy. I live for my pension. I make well under 100k a year and must raise a family. I've known over 12 FF's and Cop's who have lost their lives not counting 911. Over 40 counting that day. I have neighbors constantly at my door for help or investigate a dangerous condition. I've seen more dead people including kids than most occupations. Maybe i should be sitting at a brokerage firm desk facebooking and googling all day getting paid 150k making profits on few clients. Maybe i should be charging 100.00 lunches every fri. to my company that got bailed out by US. That's what guys do that i know. Being a Firefighter is a good job. Being a Cop is a good job. You'll never know the dangers until you where the uniform. I should know. I was a NYC cop and now a NYC Firefighter for 20yrs. Nowhere will you find a group of men ( and women) who love their job so much and would go above and beyond for YOU in a heartbeat. Yes, pensions are generous, but we are underpaid for most of our careers. It's funny when the economy is good, people laugh at our job- ''they make crap"- when the economy tanks, everybody has something to say.
APLUS, they risk their lives. They are willing to give their life for a stranger. They are willing to make their wives widows and kids orphans. You dont get it until you need them. When was the last time you called 911 and PRAYED that help got here fast. Most people don't recognize and only relate to this field of work through television. When, God forbid, there is another attack in the tri state area, firefighters and cops are everybody's daddy. I live for my pension. I make well under 100k a year and must raise a family. I've known over 12 FF's and Cop's who have lost their lives not counting 911. Over 40 counting that day. I have neighbors constantly at my door for help or investigate a dangerous condition. I've seen more dead people including kids than most occupations. Maybe i should be sitting at a brokerage firm desk facebooking and googling all day getting paid 150k making profits on few clients. Maybe i should be charging 100.00 lunches every fri. to my company that got bailed out by US. That's what guys do that i know. Being a Firefighter is a good job. Being a Cop is a good job. You'll never know the dangers until you where the uniform. I should know. I was a NYC cop and now a NYC Firefighter for 20yrs. Nowhere will you find a group of men ( and women) who love their job so much and would go above and beyond for YOU in a heartbeat. Yes, pensions are generous, but we are underpaid for most of our careers. It's funny when the economy is good, people laugh at our job- ''they make crap"- when the economy tanks, everybody has something to say.
Underpaid according to whom? Based on the fact that you have to limit enrollment into the police academy, it's easy to say you're OVERPAID. If you were underpaid, no one would be applying for the academy. The fact is there's more supply for the positions than there is demand to have them filled... that's a classic symptom of being overpaid. You may not feel you'd do your job for less... but based on very simple observation, many MANY others would... and frankly, that's what determines your value... not what you think you're worth.
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The taxpayers will be screwed even more. These bills are nothing much but we will ****** and moan this way the public will think we got something from them.
