ATG
Banned
+5,233|6579|Global Command
In an "urgent message" posted on his website before this week's budget hearings, Parks noted that city revenues are down sharply. "Concurrently, the city's payroll and pension costs have soared. We have reached a breaking point. If significant structural changes are not implemented quickly, the city's financial solvency is at significant risk."
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me … 7972.story

Los Angeles Councilman Bernard Parks, City Hall's budget committee chief who is warning that soaring payroll and pension costs threaten the city's financial stability, receives $22,000 a month in city retirement benefits, in addition to his $178,789 a year salary, records and interviews show.


OMFG! This loser is pulling in over 400k per year in tax payer money and these fucks on the L.A. City council are CLOWNS!

In all, nearly 600 people receive city pensions in excess of $100,000 a year, according to figures obtained from the city by The Times. They were recently prepared in response to public records requests filed by Dean's group. The group previously has called attention to nearly 5,000 other local government and state pensioners collecting six-figure annual payments. Topping that list was former Vernon City Administrator Bruce Malkenhorst Sr., who has been accused of embezzling city funds and collects a $500,000 annual pension.
And get this;

The governor suggests dismantling welfare programs for families and ending CalGrants for college students.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me … 3538.story
Macbeth
Banned
+2,444|5635

Hmm sure it sucks when politicians get high salaries but if they didn't get a good amount of pay they would be much easier to bribe um I mean get lobbied.
FEOS
Bellicose Yankee Air Pirate
+1,182|6460|'Murka

@ salary: That's ridiculous. If he's drawing retirement AND a regular salary from the same organization...someone's getting snowed.

@ proposed cuts: Probably two of the few programs CA govt can actually cut without a referendum. That's the joy of pure democracy, vice representative democracy--you put everything to a vote of the people, then you can't change/cut the entitlements they've voted for without a vote of the people who won't vote against an entitlement program that they voted for originally...so the govt is stuck with dozens of entitlement programs that they can't cut or modify and that the public won't vote to allow them to cut or modify, so the govt  must find the few programs they CAN cut or modify. And they all appear to be sacred cows. Beautiful.

Seems like our Founding Fathers had a bit more insight that many realize when it came to their representative democracy (republic) scheme. Too bad CA govt didn't realize that.
“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”
― Albert Einstein

Doing the popular thing is not always right. Doing the right thing is not always popular
Turquoise
O Canada
+1,596|6455|North Carolina
Having a referendum system for programs isn't a bad thing -- all they need to do is make some bylaw where all bonds require a funding method tied to them that is mentioned in the referendum itself.

For example, if California wanted to increase spending on roads, they could have a referendum on it where the source of the funding is connected to a specific tax like a sales tax increase of 0.25%, or something like that.

In other cases, the source could require a decrease in spending on something else, like farm subsidies.

Either way, if referendums are bound by explicitly stating where funding comes from, the people will have a better idea of how the bond will work.

It's just stupid to think that people would actually vote for decreasing funding without an explanation or vote for increasing taxes without one as well.
Man With No Name
جندي
+148|5624|The Wild West

FEOS wrote:

@ salary: That's ridiculous. If he's drawing retirement AND a regular salary from the same organization...someone's getting snowed.
Bernard Parks was the former Los Angeles police chief. 

He did what many soldiers I know have done.  Retire from the service and get cushy government jobs. 

You plan on calling it a day in your late 30's?
cpt.fass1
The Cap'n Can Make it Hap'n
+329|6745|NJ
and he doesn't even pay taxes on his pension.. Must be good to be the king.
Man With No Name
جندي
+148|5624|The Wild West
lets just stop giving pensions to all public servants.
ATG
Banned
+5,233|6579|Global Command
How about just some common sense?
cpt.fass1
The Cap'n Can Make it Hap'n
+329|6745|NJ

All The Gravy wrote:

How about just some common sense?
What are you talking about.. You're talking about politics, the people of that county need to raise up and fire his ass with no pension. Fuck the legal battles we need to make the dollar worth something again.

Last edited by cpt.fass1 (2009-05-22 15:21:05)

Turquoise
O Canada
+1,596|6455|North Carolina

Man With No Name wrote:

lets just stop giving pensions to all public servants.
I agree with public servants getting pensions.  I don't agree with said pensions being non-taxable if the person has another source of income.
jsnipy
...
+3,276|6572|...

Man With No Name wrote:

FEOS wrote:

@ salary: That's ridiculous. If he's drawing retirement AND a regular salary from the same organization...someone's getting snowed.
Bernard Parks was the former Los Angeles police chief. 

He did what many soldiers I know have done.  Retire from the service and get cushy government jobs. 

You plan on calling it a day in your late 30's?
double dipping is a regular thing, at least as far as i've seen with armed forces guys getting civ jobs, retiring/collecting retirement, then coming back as a well paid 1099 contractor ...
cpt.fass1
The Cap'n Can Make it Hap'n
+329|6745|NJ

Turquoise wrote:

Man With No Name wrote:

lets just stop giving pensions to all public servants.
I agree with public servants getting pensions.  I don't agree with said pensions being non-taxable if the person has another source of income.
Stop calling them public servants cause they're not.. Dude if BF2S wants to pool up a 100k I'll do as much as this jack ass does for the people for you. I"m cheap

Edit; A public servant is someone who serves the public not someone who bends them over and rapes them.. If the garbage man started charging 200k a year, you'd bring your trash to the dump  yourself.  So lets call him a public leech.

Last edited by cpt.fass1 (2009-05-22 15:25:36)

Turquoise
O Canada
+1,596|6455|North Carolina

cpt.fass1 wrote:

Turquoise wrote:

Man With No Name wrote:

lets just stop giving pensions to all public servants.
I agree with public servants getting pensions.  I don't agree with said pensions being non-taxable if the person has another source of income.
Stop calling them public servants cause they're not.. Dude if BF2S wants to pool up a 100k I'll do as much as this jack ass does for the people for you. I"m cheap
Well, that depends on the public servant. 

A soldier is a far cry from a politician.  Although obviously, they aren't mutually exclusive.
Man With No Name
جندي
+148|5624|The Wild West
so somebody who served 20 years active duty and recieves retirement benefits should null and void their right to serve the public while still keeping the benefits theyve earned?

better yet, what about disability?  I know the campaign is over and all but John mcCain recieves more than half a million a year in tax free disability.  still serves as a senator and recieves a salary from that as well.  Im sure his case isnt unique. 


I disagree.  If youve earned the right through years of dedicated service, you deserve the right to the benefits of a tax free pension.  If you decide to use your years of experience in pursuit of another career, that shouldnt keep you from getting something youve earned already.
Turquoise
O Canada
+1,596|6455|North Carolina

Man With No Name wrote:

so somebody who served 20 years active duty and recieves retirement benefits should null and void their right to serve the public while still keeping the benefits theyve earned?

better yet, what about disability?  I know the campaign is over and all but John mcCain recieves more than half a million a year in tax free disability.  still serves as a senator and recieves a salary from that as well.  Im sure his case isnt unique. 


I disagree.  If youve earned the right through years of dedicated service, you deserve the right to the benefits of a tax free pension.  If you decide to use your years of experience in pursuit of another career, that shouldnt keep you from getting something youve earned already.
That's a good point.  I suppose maybe the level of income matters the most.  For example, I'm sure McCain is far wealthier than any city manager in California.  So, it would make more sense to tax his pension than someone who makes a lot less.  The question would be where the threshold should be.
Man With No Name
جندي
+148|5624|The Wild West

cpt.fass1 wrote:

All The Gravy wrote:

How about just some common sense?
What are you talking about.. You're talking about politics, the people of that county need to raise up and fire his ass with no pension. Fuck the legal battles we need to make the dollar worth something again.
he was the chief of police.  he was a cop for 38 years.  youre saying he isnt entitled to something he deserves?
cpt.fass1
The Cap'n Can Make it Hap'n
+329|6745|NJ
22k a month for Police service? Doesn't that seem a bit much for retirement benefits?

Again ass raping, why don't these servants live off off SSI like every other retired person?
cpt.fass1
The Cap'n Can Make it Hap'n
+329|6745|NJ

Man With No Name wrote:

cpt.fass1 wrote:

All The Gravy wrote:

How about just some common sense?
What are you talking about.. You're talking about politics, the people of that county need to raise up and fire his ass with no pension. Fuck the legal battles we need to make the dollar worth something again.
he was the chief of police.  he was a cop for 38 years.  youre saying he isnt entitled to something he deserves?
chief of police retires with 22k a month pension. Now correct me if I'm wrong but a pension is something you pay into during your years of work correct?
Man With No Name
جندي
+148|5624|The Wild West
what are you a fucking communist?  not every retired person served the public.  not every retired person is entitled to the benefits public servants get.  if you want more money, get a better job.
Man With No Name
جندي
+148|5624|The Wild West

cpt.fass1 wrote:

Man With No Name wrote:

cpt.fass1 wrote:


What are you talking about.. You're talking about politics, the people of that county need to raise up and fire his ass with no pension. Fuck the legal battles we need to make the dollar worth something again.
he was the chief of police.  he was a cop for 38 years.  youre saying he isnt entitled to something he deserves?
chief of police retires with 22k a month pension. Now correct me if I'm wrong but a pension is something you pay into during your years of work correct?
I dont know what their pay levels but im sure there are resources on the internet for you to find out for yourself.
Man With No Name
جندي
+148|5624|The Wild West
It seems you guys are really calling for the spreading of wealth!
cpt.fass1
The Cap'n Can Make it Hap'n
+329|6745|NJ

Man With No Name wrote:

what are you a fucking communist?  not every retired person served the public.  not every retired person is entitled to the benefits public servants get.  if you want more money, get a better job.
Hmmm I just really begin to question Public Servants when they're retiring with more money then most of the people they're serving.

If you hired someone to do a job, and you find out that you're paying them XYZ after they finished the job for the rest of your life. Don't  you think it should be questions? Especially when the county or township can't finish out there budget.
Man With No Name
جندي
+148|5624|The Wild West
If I had stayed in the army and served till I retired I would be unemployed on a pension worth thousands of dollars a month by the time I would be 38.  Youre saying that I dont deserve that money because you chose a job where the benfits arent equal?
cpt.fass1
The Cap'n Can Make it Hap'n
+329|6745|NJ

Man With No Name wrote:

It seems you guys are really calling for the spreading of wealth!
It's not called spreading the wealth, it's called our system is fucked and the stealing from my mouth to pay someone else over budgeting is ridicules.. if you can't finish out the budget, you have to cut income.

Sorry the unions don't protect regular people they can't protect public servants.. The government officials are on the same pyramid scam as the banks, only difference is the banks actually lost there own money.
Turquoise
O Canada
+1,596|6455|North Carolina

Man With No Name wrote:

It seems you guys are really calling for the spreading of wealth!
I do lean socialist on certain things.

Granted, what I'd most prefer in taxation is to split up the top tax bracket into higher brackets.  It doesn't make sense that someone who makes $300,000 a year pays the same % as Bill Gates.  After deductions, that person probably pays a higher percentage than Gates.

Similarly, I believe that once a person goes past a certain level of income, they should pay taxes on things like pensions.  With as many regressive taxes we have, I don't see how a few progressive ones are a bad thing.

Still, I understand where you're coming from.

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