[dd74]

Originally Posted by McLovin

Whatever the reason it is what it is, it is what it is, and is unsustainable.

I knew a guy who worked for the Sheriff's office many years ago, I knew him from work and would see him from time to time. Seemed like a fairly young guy. So I was surprised one day to see a cake, balloons, etc. around his desk. Asked him what was up. He said it was a retirement party!

I couldn't believe it, I thought he was in his 30s. As it turned out, he was in his 40s, and had been working at the Sheriff's office since he was 18.

He told me about how his pension was based on his last year's salary, so in the last year he had taken all of this OT work, work at the airport (which for some reason had some pay premium?), etc. to "pump up" his numbers.

Now, I appreciate the good work he did, but really, can a state afford to pay a roughly 43 year old "retired" man his entire salary (taking out the "1 year of OT" he is getting his entire "real" salary. Adjusted yearly for cost of living, of course) and his healthcare, for the REST OF HIS LIFE?

That could easily be another 40-50 years. Is that a sustainable model?

I really don't think a package that generous will be around much longer. The state just can no longer afford it, no matter what the unions say.