This argument about the pensions of police and firefighters, oddly enough, came at about the same time police and and firefighters in Connecticut were dealing with one of the worst tragedies in United States history. Some question why they need to receive these benefits, ones they have bargained for and received by cities and counties, and are now being cut. Today's tragedy is exactly why they get them and deserve them. Those police, and firefighters, had to rush into that school and confront a gunman. Then, when it was over, those same people have to care for the injured, photograph and clean up the bodies of those poor children and adults. These are images they will never forget, and I can not even imagine now. Why do they do it, because no one else can, or will. Sure, some on this blog will say this didn't happen in Janesville, but our own police and fire have to deal with tragedies on a sometimes daily basis. We live in an increasing culture of violence. People are hurting themselves and others in every way imaginable. Violence in our homes, schools, bars, workplaces, and in public. The police are the ones we turn to when children, and adults, are sexually assaulted and exploited. The police are the ones we turn to when someone gruesomely takes their own life with a shotgun or rifle. They console the families and loved ones who are the victims. The police have to be counselors for the mentally ill, and parents to the many children who's real parents are incapable of doing it themselves. Who do we continually turn to for these things and even more? The police. When there is no one else to call, who comes, whether they want to or not? The police. After 30 plus years of working holidays, weekends, and dealing with everything thrown at them, physically and emotionally, I think we owe them. They have taken care of us for all these years, now it is our chance to say thank you, for a usually thankless job, by taking care of them. I read one study once that said the average amount of paychecks taken by a retired law enforcement officer after retirement, until death, is 18. The result of years of physical and emotional strain. Sure, there will be many who say it is the career they choose. Yes, it is, but I hardly doubt a kid growing up or even studying police science can imagine some of the things they will deal with. No one seems to complain about a baseball player making $25 million for hitting a ball, but we balk at a policeman or firefighter making a couple thousand a month after retirement. Our priorities in this country are backwards, and these tragedies will continue. At least we have the police and firefighters to turn to, they will be there regardless!!

Works for me.

crybaby - While you are checking those "facts and figures", why don't you check out the life expectancy of retired police and firefighters. They are one of the lowest of all careers. Their bodies can only take so much abuse and adrenaline rushes before they rapidly deteriorate. If everybody thinks it is so easy, all they have to do is get a college degree, attend constant classes and recertifications and go through mental/physical anquish all through their careers. If that doesn't appease to any of you, then you pay your measly few dollars a month taxes that it cost to have this protection and be quiet.

I hate Unions. A good reason for my hate of Unions is exemplified by looking at the Janesville Public school teachers. The most self centered and egotistical group of individuals you will find anywhere.
Having said that I applaud the Police and Firefighters unions. They are unique individuals because their job requires them to work at a job that could cause them their life.They were exempt from paying into their pensions plan under the Govenor's law. I was ok with that becuase of the work they do Yet they did the right thing. They saw that the great majority of workers have to pay into their retirement plans. They felt they needed to as well. KUDOS TO THEM!
PAY ATTENTION JANESVILLE PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS. GET OFF YOUR HIGH HORSE AND DO THE RIGHT AND FAIR THING AND STOP BELLY-ACHING ABOUT THIS.

Thanks, MooShoo, dtb and all. I thought I had laid it on heavy enough that there would be no doubt. There are some dense ones in the world, that's for sure. I think it has to do with reading and comprehension and the lack thereof. It's sort of scary, actually.

They call themselves a union even though they are not... that is because another name for union is gang. They do what they want, when they want, and when someone gets in their way they get rid of them... or penalize them and cripple them. Ive seen them lie in court... they can...they cant get in trouble and are part of the "union".

baby... You are waaay off in your numbers. If you know so much about the police, you'd know that they call themselves a Union, but they are NOT a Union. They, unlike other unions, CANNOT strike. If things aren't fair for them, oh well, they eat it or go someplace else. They can retire at 53, and most work until 55. You obviously don't get it! Ride a week with a cop... I dare you. You'll see how they are running from call to call. Leaving a suicide investigation, then go handle a theft of an Ipod, then calm down a hysterical parent who's child didn't come home from school yet, and as they are combing the area looking for the child someone runs a red light but they let that go because the child is more important. After that call they get called into the bosses office to answer to a citizens complaint "because that lazy cop" didn't stop that red light violation. Go ahead, it's so easy to play Monday Morning QB. But until you live it, day after day, year after year, shut you whine hole.

crybaby-Your numbers are wrong. The WRS website shows the contribution rate for police is 14.9% compared to 11.7% for general employees. My guess is the the difference is because police and firemen cant physically do the job safely for as many years as the others.

A few background facts. Police and fire, unlike other public sector jobs, have nearly 22% of their annual salary paid towards their pension every year. Look it up. Police and fire make up nearly 75% of every municipalities budget! Yes that number is just about right for every city. What I don't get is everybody complains about this union or that union, we all understand police and fire serve a purpose in our society, but dang, their union is untouchable. While most public sector employees are now paying half of their pensions, police and fire are now what paying maybe a little over a third while the city and yes your taxpaid dollar are picking up the tab for the last 2/3 of their pension costs. If you really want to see reductions on taxes and true help for your wallet, make them pay their half too. Did anybody else catch that not only are they getting raises, but the city has also agreed to match 0.5 and then 1% of their deferred compensation plan?!? I know that is not much, but we all know how a union works, and 3 years down the road it will be 1.5, then 2, and before you know it, it will be a 5% match. So let me get this, us taxpayers foot the bill for 2/3 of their pension, and now their deferred comp plan? All while they get to retire at 52? Sounds like we all should have been cops or firefighters. Yes they put their "life on the line" everyday, but I'd be curious and would put a nice wager to believe that more people die on the job in confined space accidents than our famed and beloved police and fire in Wisconsin. And we all thought the UAW union and teachers unions were strong, not even sniffing what police and fire can do to the taxpayers

Shopierehuh
I love to describe what I think of you, but soon as it goes up, its going to get "removed" by your sidekicks....

Sig... Both of your entries are filled with ignorance. Maybe some day you can show me what a "normal" person vs a non-normal person looks like. I suppose you've witnessed the majority of the "mafia" too. I hope the younger officers who can afford to change communities don't leave because of this, and I hope this doesn't distract others from applying.

Someone should clue Roscoe in about what sarcasm means.

baby_J - One can witness quite a bit and not actually be involved in it. Do you think because you havnt that no one has? That is the way most people think....lol. You are trying to argue my accusations with nothing..lol, and then say that what I state is all false. It wasnt but just a couple months ago the PD had a bar sweeping operation with the parole office. I witnessed these police being rude and aggressive...to normal people that were not doing anything wrong. There are a lot of them that are very unprofessional and there is no one to police them. They are like the mafia.

They are worth every penny ! Some complain until they need them.

Hmmm... Sigma does have an acrid attitude. Maybe he got stopped by a little "proactive" police officer who was running radar for "traffic safety measures", and got a little tickie :) If you say the "majority" are not competent, then you don't know the majority, unless you work there. You have NO idea what a cops job or personal life is, unless you've been one. The cops will be taking more of a hit per month out of their families pockets in the first 2 years, even more than the teachers, and that's just not right. God bless that they make it home after their work shift.

It doesn't even save the taxpayers that much to have them pay into their pension. It's a show piece move that the city can hang out there saying they are cutting expenses while they are still paying for bloat. Trim the budget in other areas but not in the areas that protect our safety.

Poor ,poor Sigma. All the teachers hate him,all the police picked on him, no one can do anything right in his world. Time to leave society Sigma, find another world to exist in.

Lol.. Id say the majority of the police are not competent professionals. If they were proactive and capable of making their own decisions sure. A lot of the cops are just like robots, emotionless and only capable of doing what they are told. Sure there are some that are good but there is no police for the police so they pretty much do what they want. Police in general can no longer be relied on to do the "right thing", they can only do whats in a book. And the main focus seems to be on dollars (fines). When they have an issue of a certain law being broke more often they just increase that fine....not address the problem or help anything at all. The few times a year I read on here that cops are cracking down on drunk drivers this weekend or something... Shouldnt they always be doing this? I would hope so and not just on special weekends. Raises should be partly based on the service they provide.... not only their peformance or revenue they generated. Again, another behind the times part of the city.

ZooooM right over the head!!!

Shopierehuh sounds like a bitter little crybaby. How about going to school or getting some training to improve your marketability instead of complaining about the men and women who protect you 24 hours a day. A good deal? The taxpayers are getting a steal. What a stupid question.

If you want competent professionals patrolling your streets and putting out you fires, the yes, it's fair, if you want people who were assembling tacos at Taco Bell doing the above mentioned tasks, then by all means, screw over the cops and firefighters and get back to me when it's over. Trust me folks, keep screwing over the protective service workers and in a few short years you're not going to have alot of desireable people seeking out those jobs, just the way it works.

They shouldn't be getting raises like that. I make $8.00 an hour and have to buy my own insurance and I have no pension so no one else should make more than me. I have a rusty, oil burning 24 year old car and if that is good enough for me, well then that's what everyone else should have too. These overpaid public employees have shiney stuff, all on the backs of taxpayers like me.

Also, there should be a voulunteer fire department and the police and fire should be payed on a tiered, pay per productivity, incentive based pay. If they don't arrest anyone or put out any fires, they should not be paid. That would sure cut crime and overtime pay for firefighters, shouldn't it? They can put out the fires during a 40 hour week or not at all. Also, there should be a subscriber based list for those who want fire and police protection. Let those who use the service pay for it. Us taxpayers can't afford these Cadillac benefits that these people get or these unnecessary services that we seldom use.

Another success story of a socialistic venture. Good for them!!

Can't wait for the haters to start their "I haven't had a pay raise in 132 years so no one else should and now I have to pay blah blah blah for health insurance blah blah blah. Blah blah blah taxes blah blah blah broke blah blah blah".

Do you really begrudge those who protect us an 8 1/2 % raise?

I don't.