I am so sick of hearing about the understaffed fire department that I could puke. Most of the reason taxes are so high is that the salaries AND BENEFITS of the police and firefighters have become obscenely high.
Most citizens have no idea what a sweet deal these public unions have – short work weeks, easy days, limited education required, huge salaries, etc. The front page of the Lancaster paper today details how the firefighters in Lancaster are harassing UNPAID volunteers who come into the city under a mutual aid arrangement. Disgusting.
And the article quotes the union leadership as being unaware of who the harassers are.
I was opposed at the time, but now believe Smithgall was correct when he wanted to disband the city fire department. If the only way to do this is to throw the city into bankruptcy and break these outrageous union contracts, then let’s do it.