Swingman wrote in
:

On 8/11/2011 7:18 AM, Han wrote:

I don't know where you live, but in NJ the legislature has
consistently allowed the state NOT to pay into the teachers'
(police/whatever) pension plans. Now, gov christie says, OK, you
teachers need to pay more, but what of the unfunded state
obligations? It almost seems that the state stealing from the
pension plans is OK, and the pensioners better fend for themselves.

Police don't seem to be hurting:

"The median salary for the state’s 20,525 municipal officers was
$90,672 last year, meaning half earned more and half earned less.

A total of 6,198 municipal officers made at least $100,000 last year.
Ninety-nine of 466 towns that pay police have six-figure median
salaries. Most are in North Jersey, primarily Bergen County"

That's twice the US median household income (read two wage earners)
paid by the taxpayer.

"Any police officer that says they’re not making enough money needs to
re-examine themselves," said Saddle Brook Township Police Chief Robert
Kugler. In that Bergen County town, 30 of 31 officers made six figures
last year, and the median salary was $121,177.

Police say their salaries reflect New Jersey’s high cost of living,
years of experience on the job and union contracts allowing officers
to quickly rise to the top of the pay scale. They also say they have
recently made sacrifices in union negotiations and are being forced to
pay more toward their health care."

Making that kind of money, seems like they could afford to pay more
toward their health care and their pension plans?

Poor babies ... As a taxpayer who makes no where that, I simply can
barely afford any kind of healthcare for my family.

Yes, the police here are complaining they earn less than in neighboring
towns. Because of gov christie's budget cuts and their intransigence in
negotiations, some had to be let go. I think 1 "new" position became
available the coming fiscal year. They're good, though, and generally
polite etc. They came extremely fast when I had fallen and broken my
upper arm on July 4 a few years back.


--
Best regards
Han
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