[FlJoePa]

Ummm...don’t you think they can hire an “up and comer” for a tad less than $1/4million per year? Are you freaking kidding me??

He built this job up all these years with mandatory raises. Its time to tear it back down. Fire Chief of the WORLD doesn’t deserve $250K/year. Sorry.

And here’s the problem...they CAN’T hire someone for $100K (which the job is worth) because he’d probably be the least paid guy in the firehouse.

Hmmm...

[muleskinner]

If this Chief is on the same schedule as the rest of the Firemen, he's at the firehouse for 3 or 4 days and off the rest of the week. Nice job if you can get it, but it's a real good old boys network. If you don't know someone on the inside, you have no chance - make your time.

[vette6387]

I live in the county to the north of Santa Clara. Firefighters in our district make $100k in base salary, but virtually all of them take home from $180k to $250k due to “overtime.” Our chief retired recently at 51! He received a raise of almost $100k/yr. by retiring. Last year’s pay: $188k, first year’s pension: $286k., and the pension is defined benefit so it has a COLA. But at least he didn’t stay on and double-dip! If he manages to live to age 80, he will cost us $10 million and that does not include medical, etc. But you can see that the rank and file union members make more than their chief, Now that’s public service!