Mayor Proposes Taking Fire Ax to Firemen's Pension ("taxpayers shoud not be treated like ATM's")

[The Straight Story]

Mayor Francis Slay's office this morning outlined its plan to curtail run-away costs within the St. Louis Fire Department.

According to the mayor's office, the budget for the fire department has increased 40 percent over the past decade thanks largely in part to the firefighter's generous pension system that allows firemen to retire with partial pensions at age 38 and retire with full pensions by the time they're 48 years old.

The plan unveiled today would -- among other things -- increase from 20 to 25 the years a firefighter must work for the department before receiving full pension and set the minimum age a firefighter can receive full pension at 55.

"We want firefighters to be paid well and treated fairly because they do a dangerous job," said the mayor's chief of staff, Jeff Rainford in a statement. "But, taxpayers should not be treated like ATMs."

http://blogs.riverfronttimes.com/dailyrft/2010/12/st_louis_firemen_pension_cuts.php

[phasma ex machina]

1. Banksters are addicted to the tax of inflation that treats masses like ATMs. nt

[rucky]

2. So the city drained the pension fund.

surprise

[The Straight Story]

5. Yep - set it up,then raided it, then go crying when their slush fund is gone (nt)

[KansDem]

3. I'll remember that the next time you want a war, or bailout for failed capitalists...

...or tax cuts for the wealthy, and you want to treat me and my fellow Americans like ATMs...:grr:

[The Straight Story]

4. Indeed (nt)

[DBoon]

7. I'll remember that as "your" house burns to the ground

While the minimum wage fire fighters you have try to figure out how to stop the burning

You only get the public safety you pay for

[hughee99]

6. It's a physically demanding job.

If you start at, say, 25 years old (though that probably seems a little on the high side), and you work 25 years, that only gets you to 50. At 50, if you're no longer physically able to do the job, you're out of work with a skill set that might not be easily transferable to other jobs and waiting 5 years before your pension kicks in. Either that or they're keeping you on the payroll with full pay and benefits for a job that you may be unable to perform. That doesn't sound like a good plan either.

[DBoon]

8. emergency response is also high in emotional stress

same is true for police

early retirement is the humane way to deal with the reality of these occupations

[theophilus]

9. When there aren't any firemen, I guess we'll just have to put out our own

buildings if they catch fire. Great!

[DBoon]

10. in libertarian paradise, your insurance company would put out the fire

and if you can't afford those premiums, tough

[MattBaggins]

11. Now at first glance those ages might seem a bit young; but

what should be the age of a firefighter? That's a pretty grueling job for a young man much less someone in their 50s.