Change : San Jose passes pension reform

[roadwarrior101]

Originally Posted by Ultrarunner

It is common in the Bay Area to retire with 6 figure incomes plus medical for life...

There seriously needs to be more public outrage about this. Our schools have gone down the toilet and our infrastructure is crumbling. All the while, these people are fleecing us as our tax rates go ever higher!

[Ultrarunner]

Originally Posted by roadwarrior101

There seriously needs to be more public outrage about this. Our schools have gone down the toilet and our infrastructure is crumbling. All the while, these people are fleecing us as our tax rates go ever higher!

The local papers ran stories about double dipping and pension spiking... seems many are not too concerned because pensions are paid by Calpers... the thing is, the tax payers are the ones on the hook for shortfalls.

Another part of the story mentioned a very high percentage leave California taking the pension money with them... at one time, California unsuccessfully tried to tax pensions for those no longer residing in California... don't think it got too far.

[Think About It!]

Originally Posted by rimmerama

That is okay, we are hiring new cops - and with this economy there are lots of applicants. The benefits are still great and better than anything you get in the private sector. If San Jose can pull this off, I suspect other cities will follow. San Jose is not alone with out of control pension costs to contend with.

Good luck with that! Keep your eyes on Stockton. They are having similar problems and are having "lots of applicants" too. Ignorance.

[rimmerama]

Originally Posted by Think About It!

Good luck with that! Keep your eyes on Stockton. They are having similar problems and are having "lots of applicants" too. Ignorance.

I work in the justice system, I know cops, and I know how many hundreds of people are applying for a very limited number of positions.

Also, starting salary for Stockton P.D is 50,400, starting salary for San Jose P.D is about 80,000.

Ignorance.

[tempest411]

Originally Posted by rimmerama

That is okay, we are hiring new cops - and with this economy there are lots of applicants. The benefits are still great and better than anything you get in the private sector. If San Jose can pull this off, I suspect other cities will follow. San Jose is not alone with out of control pension costs to contend with.

Have you ever heard that you shouldn't f**k with people that prepare your food? This is going to be like that, but much worse...

[rimmerama]

Originally Posted by tempest411

Have you ever heard that you shouldn't f**k with people that prepare your food? This is going to be like that, but much worse...

So you believe that our police officers are merely petty bullies? I can't say I share that view.

[mysticaltyger]

Originally Posted by tempest411

I'll remind you that taxes most anywhere in the United States are quite low. They pay more in most other developed countries that anyone here would care to live in. Surely you know that 401(k) plans are a scam. If they weren't they wouldn't be based in the stock market...retirement funds need to be guaranteed, iron clad.

There is no such thing as an iron clad guarantee in this world. That's especially true when you have a tiny elite running the world's major monetary and currency regimes. The whole idea of "guarantees" and other various forms of security are sold to the population to keep people quiet and complacent, so they won't notice the elite globalist cabal gaining more and more power and control over just about every aspect of our lives.

[bigdumbgod]

Originally Posted by rimmerama

So you believe that our police officers are merely petty bullies? I can't say I share that view.

Neither can I.

But:
"Bullies" is somewhat descriptive for the cop unions that keep issuing threats to the public, should their precious pensions be adjusted to the reality everyone else has to live in. Theirs are not the only jobs that involve high risk of personal endangerment.

[tempest411]

Originally Posted by roadwarrior101

Its not that we need to raise all taxes. Its that we need to revoke Prop 13. Those of us that have purchased a home recently can attest to high property taxes. However, those that have lived in their house for many years are not paying their fair share in property taxes. Before Prop 13 was passed, California had the top performing schools in the country. After Prop 13 was passed, governments had to find other ways to come up with money, by taxing other areas, which still didn't make up for the loss. If this had never been passed, we likely would have lower income and sales tax.

Look at Texas. They have zero income and zero sales tax, but high property taxes. This helps to keep homes affordable, yet does a better job in keeping the budgets balanced. Not saying I would want to move there, but I much prefer their tax structure.

Why not just change how schools can be funded?