Don’t use too broad of a brush to paint with. I was the Public Works director at a small city in Washington State and I had my assistant water superintendent retire at age 50, because he could, under the PERS 1 pension system. Under that system his retirement was based off of the top 2 years of pay. At the time he retired he was making about $48,000 and with 30 years at 2%/year that would be $28,800/year. His medical to cover him and his wife was going to cost him at the time (pre-Obamacare) $1,500/month or $18,000. I tried to talk him out of it but he wanted to be an ass so away he went.
A year later he wanted to get his job back but I just laughed in his face. Lat I heard he was driving long haul trucks.
My point is Washington State’s pension system is not the gold plated one we hear about in California, NY, or Illinois. We do see a lot of retired California LEO and FF’s try to come up and take the open Chief’s jobs though so they can double dip.
I have no idea what retirement costs in your state.
In California, it is outrageous. I learn more about our retirement scams each day.
I’m so dumb that I thought that coaches got a few bucks for coaching.
If they coach big draw sports with good teams in football and basketball, it is a big chunk of change to go with their teachers or principal’s salary.
One of our adult sons with a good paying double engineer management job has been approached with dual offers as manager of the school and grounds and any expansions or new construction in a local school and a private one 30 miles away.
Good pay, and an added bonus if he coaches wrestling or asst coaching in football in the private high school or the local one in his area. The local high school would be a 5 minute bike ride and a 10-15 minute run from his home.
Both jobs provide a pickup truck at no cost and excellent health care insurance for a few bucks each month.
SC isn’t either.