Sunday, January 2, 2011


Hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas!

The 2011 budget fight begins in just a few short days and things are looking bleak. To begin the new year, our first pay check will be less than 2010. Our pension contribution is increasing 100 percent along with an increase in health insurance premiums.

Studying over Burrell Ellis' budget proposal and listening to the comments of the commissioners, be prepared to be nothing more than pawns. Burrell wants to raise property taxes in order to pay for our holiday pay and avoid furloughs. The commissioners, so far, are saying they will not raises taxes, period.

Not once does Burrell us the word "cut", "eliminate", or "cut services" in his 2011 budget proposal. You will find "budget increase of 1.02%", and "change in the current pension plan." He does use code words such as; "The implantation of the paperless ticketing initiative should substantially reduce the amount of time that officers spend filling out paper forms". Meaning there will be great demand to issue more tickets to generate more revenue to make up the increase.

Of course he is a politician, which means he has his bags of tricks, including smoke and mirrors. Burrell is hoping everyone will fall for $5 million dollars to cover the cost of "absorbing" the officers of North Precinct. Sorry folks, we just don't understand this.

Oh, but his proposal gets even better. How's "the continued suspension of across the board merit increases"? A one time payment of $500 to all making less than $35,000 per year? But what about the long time employee? What do they get for there dedication and advancement through the ranks in hopes of making a difference? What do they get? A one time payment of $250 bonus to all topped out Master Patrol Officers. How many are there? Less than 100 officers out of 1400?

We better pay attention to what is being said in these meetings, because our families financial well-being and our way of life depends on it.

Burrell's nonsensical budget recommendation is in the left hand column for your reading enjoyment.

Happy New Year!

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

And we still have to pay for the schools crossing guards.

Anonymous said...

We get the point the pension is going up can we please find something else to talk about. This blog is no longer informative, its the Samething every week.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous 12:32.... Patience Grasshopper, the BOC and Ellis had two weeks of Christmas vacation to plan the next "shoe drop".

I just want to see how many more leave now that we're in 2011. It's already happening in my precinct... on my watch.

Anonymous said...

Speaking of health insurance premiums, is anybody else going through the same crap as last year, not getting insurance cards. The premium came out of the pension check but Cigna has no record of my being covered, even though I am only moving to a different Cigna plan. And getting in touch with ANYBODY in the benefits office by phone will need divine intervention !! And I have a doctor's appt tomorrow !

Anonymous said...

The Dropkick Murphy's said it the best:
"We're the first ones to starve,
We're the first ones to die,
The first ones in line for that pie-in-the-sky,
And we're always the last when the cream is shared out,
For the worker is working when the fat cat's about."

Anonymous said...

Well at least they are giving out more take home cars. That's a start in the right direction. I just hope it will last for awhile. Gas prices going up to 4 dollars a gallon it will save me 500 dollars a month with a take home.

I'm only afraid the ticket writers will get that reward not from doing a good job for the month.

Anonymous said...

I have an idea. How about you find another career. It's apparent police departments all over are not worth working for. Quit the hellhole for crying out loud. I did, went back to school for engineering at Ga Tech and live worry free.