billybud wrote:In Florida..you get no dental, no medical...and after 30 years, 48% of the average of your "high five" years (which usually amounts to about 40% of current salary.
Most southern states do it different. Maybe that is why they are doing better economically and why lots of people who used to be from northern states now live and work in the south.
This I know for sure, in the private sector, you can only lose money so long before you have to shut the doors. The government just raises taxes or "fees" it charges business that gets passed down to consumers - which is a tax the way I see it. I don't have a problem with anyone making as much money as as they can make. There just has to be some sanity in the process. Here if the police have a pay or benefit dispute they go to arbitration. The arbitrator doesn't consider available funds at all when making a decision - which is generally the only argument the state has since they can't make a profit. The police earn their money - as do lots of other state and federal employees. I don't think most would argue with that. I also wouldn't argue with the fact that private sector generally makes higher salaries than the public employees. The benefits - at least here - tip the scales the other way. I know a school administrator who retired a couple of years ago at 80% of his pay and then he took a job in another school district teaching for just pay - no benefits. He now makes more than he ever did before he "retired".