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FL Teachers, police officers and firefighters upset about Scott's pension plans
St. Petersburg Times ^ | February 8, 2011 | Tom Marshall, David DeCamp and Craig Pittman

Posted on 02/08/2011 3:23:16 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife

Megan Allen teaches special-needs students at Cleveland Elementary in Tampa, a tough job under any circumstances. She does it so well that last year she was Florida's Teacher of the Year.

Now Gov. Rick Scott wants to take some of her pay away — a move that teachers, firefighters and other public employees say will hurt education, hamper law enforcement and chase good people away from public employment.

Scott, in the budget he unveiled Monday, called for an overhaul of the state's pension system for teachers, police officers, firefighters and other state and county workers. He wants them to contribute 5 percent of their pay to their retirement accounts, instead of the state covering the entire expense. Most states require at least some employees to contribute toward their retirement.

Allen said it would be fair for Scott to ask teachers to contribute only if they were being paid a salary comparable to what they could earn in the private sector.

The governor predicted that many public employees will complain, but told supporters, "What we have to remember is we're doing this for the sake of our children and grandchildren."

(Excerpt) Read more at tampabay.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: budget; pensions; teachers
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Let's see how "for the sake of the children" mantra plays now.

"We're getting blows from all angles," she said. Her decision to go into teaching "was never about the money. But we planned so that we could survive and not go on food stamps. Now someone is changing our plan midstream."

Welcome to the party!

Ralph Grant, a captain in Pasco Fire Rescue who is eight years from retirement, estimated the shift would cost him $3,500 a year.

"You've got to understand, when we took these positions for public service, it was not the high salaries they were paying," Grant said. "You take the public service jobs for the benefits, for the pension."

Ask your union to give back your dues -- that money of yours that goes toward political activism.

"Yes, it's not the greatest pay, but you get good time off and benefits, and that's becoming less true," said Goldrick. "Health insurance was the first to go, and now this is the next step. Why would you want to teach when those things are falling away?"

So, the unvarnished truth for many is revealed.

1 posted on 02/08/2011 3:23:21 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

There is the door. Don’t let it hit you in the back to go get a better deal in the private sector. heh...heh...heh


2 posted on 02/08/2011 3:28:00 AM PST by screaminsunshine (Surfers Rule)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

it’s what happens when you run out of other peoples money...


3 posted on 02/08/2011 3:29:02 AM PST by Doogle ((USAF.68-73..8th TFW Ubon Thailand..never store a threat you should have eliminated))
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

Tell them, “All right, we’re firing 20% of you then.”

Maybe then they’ll start understanding economics.


4 posted on 02/08/2011 3:32:16 AM PST by struggle ((The struggle continues))
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

Oh puleeeze! Bring up the violinss and cry me river. Of COURSE they should contribute to their pension plans just like everyone. Teachers are not saints.


5 posted on 02/08/2011 3:36:27 AM PST by AdaGray
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

As one in the edu system who has worked in the private sector; it is only right that we contribute something towards our retirement. As for DROP...that should end...and those who retire under it, should never be allowed to return to former or newly created positions.


6 posted on 02/08/2011 3:43:18 AM PST by Florida native
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

“we took these jobs for public service”?
Horse crap

Morning Cincinatys Wife


7 posted on 02/08/2011 3:44:53 AM PST by Joe Boucher ((FUBO))
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To: Cincinatus' Wife
Ask your union to give back your dues -- that money of yours that goes toward political activism.

Actually thats just what the vast majority of "Teachers" in Florida should do.

They are not required to pay dues to the union, Fl is a "right to work state", but most of these morons are too stupid to figure that out and pay anyway.

They dont like contributing to their pensions, fine, stop paying dues to the marxist crooks at the union, problem solved all the way around.

8 posted on 02/08/2011 3:46:12 AM PST by Rome2000 (OBAMA IS A COMMUNIST CRYPTO-MUSLIM)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

Good analysis.

Stories like this should mention that pension and retirement plans for the private sector change all the time. I know that many companies that had defined benefit pension plans dropped them over the last thirty years due to changes in Federal requirements making the funding and security of the plans to difficult to satisfy to federal standards.


9 posted on 02/08/2011 3:51:13 AM PST by KC Burke
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To: Cincinatus' Wife
Allen said it would be fair for Scott to ask teachers to contribute only if they were being paid a salary comparable to what they could earn in the private sector.

How much are teachers in private schools paid?

10 posted on 02/08/2011 4:04:35 AM PST by Ken H
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

Allen said it would be fair for Scott to ask teachers to contribute only if they were being paid a salary comparable to what they could earn in the private sector.

Then go get a job in the private sector.

Lots of us had to give up something to keep our jobs...but you may not have heard that.


11 posted on 02/08/2011 4:10:40 AM PST by Adder (Part 1 Accomplished)
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To: AdaGray

In Georgia...teachers get full retirement after 20 years. TWENTY YEARS. T W E N T Y Y E A R S !!!!


12 posted on 02/08/2011 4:11:32 AM PST by Josa
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To: Josa

I had to go vomit. “Public service”...sheesh! “Public trough, more likely. Cry me a river.


13 posted on 02/08/2011 4:14:32 AM PST by hal ogen (1st amendment or reeducation camp?)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife
Now Gov. Rick Scott wants to take some of her pay away....

Only someone with a union mentality could see this move as "losing pay". You are still receiving that pay only it's being saved for you for your retirement. This is how social security works you morons....where are the complaints about that "lost pay" ???????

Hell, I'm losing pay every two weeks then.......

14 posted on 02/08/2011 4:28:56 AM PST by Mopp4
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To: Mopp4
Hell, I'm losing pay every two weeks then.......

Great line.

15 posted on 02/08/2011 4:54:11 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife (Allhttp://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2122429/posts)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

Police, teachers, public workers, firefighter unions are killing America. They are bleeding us dry.


16 posted on 02/08/2011 5:01:06 AM PST by WaterBoard ("PBR Street Gang this is Almighty, over..")
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To: Cincinatus' Wife
One of my teacher friends posted the following on Facebook a while back . . .

"For the first time this school year I actually taught a math lesson that went reasonably well. I actually feel like I've accomplished something today."

Keeping in mind that this person has been a teacher for over 10 years!

I can't imagine telling my boss "Wow! I actually succeeded at a task today, I sure feel great! Something tells me that would be one of my last conversations with the man . . .

17 posted on 02/08/2011 5:02:22 AM PST by blues_guitarist (ISLAM=DEATH!! . . . . . . black & humble . . .)
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To: Florida native
Same day. Same paper. Relevant article.

Shock jock questions St. Petersburg administrator's loyalty after cop shootings

[Excerpt]…….His [Davis] own administrative calendar says that on that day, at 11 a.m., Davis, a top city administrator and former police chief, attended the funeral at First Baptist Church on Gandy Boulevard.

But Tampa shock jock Bubba the Love Sponge Clem on Monday spent much of his morning show on WHPT-FM (the Bone 102.5) lambasting Davis because he did not go to the officers' funeral — yet he did attend Saturday's funeral for their killer, Hydra Lacy Jr.

....When asked why he wouldn't answer whether he attended the funeral, Davis replied: "I don't need to answer to Bubba the Love Sponge."

It is difficult to prove Davis — who makes $152,735 as the city's senior administrator of community enrichment and another $68,317 a year from his police pension — did not attend. [End Excerpt]

18 posted on 02/08/2011 5:07:40 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife (Allhttp://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2122429/posts)
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To: Ken H

Far less. My wife makes about 1200 a month teaching at a Christian School that uses a classical education style. She was making that much bi weekly as a public school teacher. To be fair, we get a tuition break for our son, but that is also offset by a McKay Scholarship. No bennies, no pension. This is truly a service-based decision, as my wife believes she is doing more good in this environment, as well as our son. So the whiners can try again, they know how much private school (read Christian or Catholic schoool for the most part) salaries are, every teacher does.


19 posted on 02/08/2011 5:08:17 AM PST by cport (How can political capital be spent on a bunch of ingrates)
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To: WaterBoard

“Why nationalize industry when you can nationalize the people?” — Adolph Hitler


20 posted on 02/08/2011 5:10:34 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife (Allhttp://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2122429/posts)
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