Police and firefighters don’t die early after all
Editorial writer and columnist Steven Greenhut of The Orange County Register has debunked one of the most prevelent myths promoted by California’s public safety employees over the years — that they die earlier than the rest of us and therefore deserve to retire earlier (at 55, or even at 50), and thus also deserve better pensions (3% at 50, for example). They don’t.
Read his column “Cops don’t die early after all”and his earlier blog post ”Debunking cop pension mortality myths.”
What are the reasons they claim they die early? Do they mean they die from stress from the job years later? If so, then wouldn’t there have to have been studies done on these individuals since they entered the workforce up until the day they do expire? It would have to be scientifically proved and compared with a “non-public safety” employee, and it would be too complicated in addition — because some people have genetic diseases and different diets and habits that affects one’s health.
Now, if they were saying that cops die earlier due to direct safety issues from the job, but then what would be the point of a larger retirement? Is it to provide money for their families if they do die early? If this is the case, then should taxpayers be held accountable for the choices people make for someone else’s career choices and families that are left without income? Many public employees lose their jobs and die, and most don’t leave anything, or not much at all, for their families, but we don’t require everybody else to “pay” into a fund to help those families.
I have nothing against police officers, etc., but in the end, even if it is deemed more fair that they can retire early or get larger pensions (which may not be the case according to this article), California’s budget is so depleted, that there will come a time very soon when the pensions will either have to be reduced or denied, not because of any of these issues mentioned in the article, but merely because California is BROKE.
When you’ve got 40% people unemployed in this state (every two out of five, according to the latest study), you don’t have very many contributing to taxes. I’m unemployed right now (so is my husband) and I don’t spend very much at all except for necessities, maybe a movie rental or something cheap, but believe me, this state is in trouble, and if the money just isn’t there, you can’t keep taking it from those who are still working and expect that will work miracles.
This is all going to self-implode in the near future. Complete collapse.
It’s just completely unsustainable.
Stay tuned.