Tuesday, December 14, 2010

It's Offical, Our Pension Conributions Are Increasing 100%

Megan Matteucci and Steve Visser of the AJC report "For a starting police officer without a degree who makes $36,852 a year, that means contributing an additional $1,429 next year, or about $55 per paycheck". Just think what a topped out veteran patrolman will lose yearly. It's going to hurt folks.

Further in their article they write "Commissioners have said they are trying to get rid of furloughs next year, but that will be tough with the county facing an anticipated $55 million shortfall." That's scary folks. Furloughs are on the table.

It just got a little colder outside.

31 comments:

Lynwood Park said...

Please let me know your thoughts and we are working on a meeting date and time.

JD

Anonymous said...

My thoughts are I'm seriously searching for a new job after 16 years. I'm tired of carrying the load of solving the County's money problems. When times were good we didn't receive descent raises or any at all and when times are really bad they take away even more. I'm not spouting hate just tired of poor management by the BOC and CEO's.

Lynwood Park said...

Hey all,

Looks like I accidentally chopped some of my original post.

I spoke at the BOC meeting with DKFD Capt Brent Langston again. This time, the the AJC reporter put attention on the furlough days and the negative impact they have and could continue to have if extended into 2011.

Please read the whole article. The reporter, Megan, she seems to truly care about DKPD officer treatment.

I had some conversations with DKPD officers following the BOC meeting and was asked why I am fighting this fight. My answer is the following: I choose battles that help friends and those I care about. And I fight battles worth fighting.

My goal is to help those that have helped me over the past few years and in doing so, I believe that we can establish a better workplace for people like DKPD officers, a better county, and establish some accountability for our elected officials.

I hope that we can keep the pressure on at the first BOC meeting in January.

Thanks for all that you do and be safe out there.

Sincerely,
JD

Anonymous said...

What is there to meet about or discuss guys? The county has mismanaged at minimum 55 million dollars and doesn't have the finances or ability to maintain a police department. It's over, move on.

Anonymous said...

Who in their right mind would stay for another summer of this madness? My guess is just the criminals that can't make it elsewhere, birds of a feather...

Anonymous said...

Haha my take home pay is now what it was 15 years ago. Needless to say, I won't be remaining here and paying for others mistakes yet ANOTHER year.

Anonymous said...

Wow! The four furlough days in the last two months cost me a mortgage payment right before Xmas, so there will be no Xmas in my household, and now 2011 will cost me another mortgage payment in pension contributions...and I don't even know if I'm furloughed in 2011...well, folks...I've officially started looking elsewhere...(please notice the proper use of english and spelling in this post...you're losing a good officer)

Anonymous said...

I'm not complaining about pay my complaint is where is the justice time and time again I see perps get probation on top of probation the county crime rate is increasing cause the county court system is not doing there job putting these criminals in jail where the should be. Why would anyone want to live in Dekalb county or even have abusiness. This county is going is going downhill and someone needs to step in and investigate the county courts or better yet the news media needs to investigate and make it public news that the courts have failed the citizens of this county. We are tired of being victims.

AllMyLife said...

If I have to pay high cost for water, pension and get furloughs for a bunch of criminals to come here and destroy this county and then BOC & CEO can't think logically to know that I'm frustrated and the other employees are leaving this no good county. Then I will be moving to Gwinnett County and will be finding another job by next year.

AllMyLife said...

Thank you JD.

Anonymous said...

Instead of monitoring how many employees are looking at YouTube and Facebook on the clock, maybe our IT people could look at how many employees are looking for employment elsewhere and let the BOC know those numbers (not names) so they have a clue at hard it's going to be to fully man precincts in the near future! I don't know anyone who hasn't looked at other departments and the private sector! Everyone is looking at jumping ship!

Anonymous said...

I have a son who is a police officer in Ohio and they have had no raises for two years but like he said, at least we are treated with respect. You guys are disrespected by your superiors at every turn of the walk and that's pitiful. Ellis needs to go along with the entire BOC. But things are no better for any of us little guys. They can't find $250 to send to seniors who by the way would be spending that $250 because they need shelter, food, medicine, etc., but they can make sure the fat cats get to keep their huge tax cuts; they can make sure the estates of the fat cats don't get taxed; they fight over and want to deny extended unemployment to those who need it to survive and not for luxuries; people who have been denied even interviews when they apply for a job because they have been unemployed; teachers being furloughed; in other words necessary and fair things are being shoved down the toilet and the porks keep rising to the top and making the rich richer. I support you 100% in your actions and apparently a continuating of warning tickets is needed and eventually they will get the message.

Anonymous said...

The BOC doesn't care if they lose experienced, qualified officers. They don't care if the perps take over the county. That has been evident for a while now. It's time for those officers to find work elsewhere. Crime is not going down in Dekalb, just watch the news and see. Move on and find a better life for yourself and your family. Dekalb will never provide that for you.

Anonymous said...

Thanks JD

Anonymous said...

Two words.... JUST DAMN!

Anonymous said...

to allmylife:

Moving to Gwinnett isnt the answer either. You will see the same thing there as DeKalb in 10 years or less. All of metro Atlanta is now pretty much ruined. Theres not even enough water to go around. It breaks my heart.

A Retired Dekalb Police Officer.

On the Edge!! said...

Im in need of EAP due to the county's leadership. I will be looking to take mandatory EAP admin time so that I can make my money back at the county's expense.

Anonymous said...

You have to understand that you are under the assumption that the powers to be in Dekalb County know whats going on. Simply put, they do not. There is an old phrase....."just because a person runs for office doesn't mean that individual has any brains for that office". The CEO and the Board of Commissioners along with many department heads for the most part, have their own agenda which doesn't include anyone else. The CEO type of government is nothing more than a person on a very tall pedastal looking down at the "little people".

I have said this before and I will say it again. The county employees have to band together and form an "employees association" which will enable employees to have a voice to be vocal on various subjects regarding employement. The power of mass employees has a very strong feeling of what should be done and the reasoning behind it. Sometimes, its the courts who will decide the answer and make the powers to be, believers of their stupid actions. At the present time, until something radical changes come, its going to be, "everything as usual" The county employees need a strong voice in mass to get real action.
Most employees do not live in the county, but us taxpayers do and we have our way of getting rid of dirt. We vote. Sometimes, this doesn't work. Sometime, we use the recall of a polictian. Sometimes, the FEDS help us out. The end result is that if everything we have tried as taxpayers fails, then we move. Its expensive and a pain in the butt, but the county looses in the long run.

Anonymous said...

On the bright side, if you stay there the required time, you too can collect your pension....I did!

Anonymous said...

I wish I could double dip like Commissioner Larry Johnson and a few others who work at other jobs on county time.

Anonymous said...

How can you expect any support when the only concern of this BOC is approving what's own their own personal agenda. They are not business managers they are followers on something someone makes them believe in.

Now they want to match funds with federal grants. Who suffer on these type deals. Employees and probably taxpayers.

I wonder how Big Vern would solve these problems? He put us in this predicament along with the current BOC.

Anonymous said...

My question is........Vernonused to "VETO" the BOC on certain things that was worth millions.....why can't Ellis do the same thing about the mill tax or our raises?????

Anonymous said...

It's true that most officers don't live in Dekalb County for obvious reasons. However, our voting power can be greater than if we did. I'm sure most of you know business owners, residents, etc. whom you can sway to vote accordingly. All that remains now is to come together on proper candidates and remove all else. Godspeed...

Anonymous said...

Take it from someone who left DKPD. Move on, the grass really is greener over here!

Its just a bad place to be a cop. The BOCs dont care and your giving them the best years of your working life. Get outta there!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

In order to absorb all of these additional expenses in light of approximately $12.8 million
in reduced revenue, I have proposed a property millage increase of 2.32 mills. This tax
increase would equal about $22 per month on an average priced home. I am keenly
aware this is a difficult time to ask DeKalb County citizens to pay more, and would not
do so without first making cuts in spending.
However, this year leaves us with little choice. We have reigned in our spending and still
we must address rising costs. Further reductions in spending will force us to reduce
services such as public safety, code enforcement, senior services, and libraries – services
that protect us and preserve our quality of life.
And so, we must make those difficult, but necessary, decisions. I, therefore, have
presented a Budget Recommendation that is both lean and responsible. I am looking
forward to working with the Board of Commissioners toward its adoption.
In closing, please know that I take your concerns to heart, and all you do to provide
effective and efficient services to our citizens is greatly appreciated

Matt said...

JD keep doing what your doing if DeKalb has any hope of coming out of the darkest days we need you and all your friends to take this county back cause everyone knows the BOC an CEO did care about anybody else but themselves keep them on the hot seat for their wasteful spending

Forrest Gump said...

Not that it means too much now but I saw this coming last year when all the talk of early retirement was going around. Everyone was all gitty about early retirement. If you have a mass exodus of people leaving who start sucking off the pension fund rather than the county payroll then it's only obvious that the pension is going to drop in funds...hello...McFly are you listening. So what has to happen then ...well you have to maintain a certain level and the BOC knew this then and so did the Pension Board who voted to allow this atrocity to take place. You fund the early retirement plan on the backs of the employees left here to pay the tap....it's like a dine & dash kind of thing. Last one at the table gets the check. Well the employees through they're own lack of interest and involvement allowed this to happen...no one to blame but ourselves... I tried so hard to explain this to my fellow employees but it all fell on deaf ears. Well my fellow employees it's time to pay the Piper. There's not a damn soul to blame but us for not getting more involved and more active in stopping the BOC from railroading the county employees.... My hat is off to the ones who took the early-out and ran but even you have to admit the ones left got royally screwed.
The county made out like a bandit on this and what they did should be criminal but look at from their perspective. If you can transfer all these people off the county payroll and onto the pension payroll then it saves them money. The buck stops with us...I mean all county employees. If we don't get more involved and watch out for ourselves instead of hoping the BOC grows a heart and starts caring about their employees then more is going to happen...which inevitably will.

Anonymous said...

I think retirees are making more money retired. Why would anyone come or stay and work here?

Anonymous said...

Why would anyone come?

The bigger question...WHY WOULD ANYONE WITH 30 YEARS CONTINUE TO STAY ON?

Anonymous said...

Let's hope tha the pension board is a lot smarter with our increased pension deduction than they were with the early retirement loan to the county....also, since they took more of my money. I REQUIRE THE PENSION BOARD TO COMMUNICATE WITH ME AND KEEP US INFORMED AS TO HOW THEY INVEST MY MONEY !

Anonymous said...

I wonder if the pension board reads this blog. If so I wonder if they ever sit down at a meeting and discuss that they will just have to do better in communicating with the employees and addressing the questions that have been raised here? I wonder if we are getting the returns on our maybe billion dollar pension that we should be getting? I wonder if they think it was a good deal for the pension to lend the county millions to do the early retirement and then dump the liability for the early retirement on the pension? I just wonder.