bucs90
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- Feb 25, 2010
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Matthew Tully: Indy's budget crunch offers opportunity to have serious discussion about public safety | Indianapolis Star | indystar.com
The GOP mayor of Indianapolis took a stand and said police and fire are gonna have to take a slashing on behalf of Indy's broken budget. Is it necessary? Article said non-fatal violent crime (stabbings, assaults, etc) are up, murders are down, and the Indy PD is woefully understaffed already.
The summary:
Indy PD and FD are unionized. They likely have far better pay/benefits than the non-union depts of the South, so I understand they've had it pretty good for a while.
Artical says a property tax increase of 0.2 %, thats right, two/tenths of a percent, would fix the entire shortfall.
But rather than support the 0.2% increase (which is $200 for a 100K earner), the mayor wants to look to the cops and firemen to make ends meet.
Right? Wrong? Well, it is union, and I know they've made far more than "normal" for cops nationwide.
But the problem is.......everytime a mayor like this takes a stand to cut police/fire, there are dozens of GOP mayors in NON UNION cities that dont have the crippling union contracts that some others do....who believe this is a valid reason for them to also cut police and fire, even if it isn't necessary for their city.
It's slowly become a well accepted trend in the Tea Party/GOP circles that putting cops and firemen on the govt chopping block is A-OK!!!! Necessary or not.
The GOP mayor of Indianapolis took a stand and said police and fire are gonna have to take a slashing on behalf of Indy's broken budget. Is it necessary? Article said non-fatal violent crime (stabbings, assaults, etc) are up, murders are down, and the Indy PD is woefully understaffed already.
The summary:
Indy PD and FD are unionized. They likely have far better pay/benefits than the non-union depts of the South, so I understand they've had it pretty good for a while.
Artical says a property tax increase of 0.2 %, thats right, two/tenths of a percent, would fix the entire shortfall.
But rather than support the 0.2% increase (which is $200 for a 100K earner), the mayor wants to look to the cops and firemen to make ends meet.
Right? Wrong? Well, it is union, and I know they've made far more than "normal" for cops nationwide.
But the problem is.......everytime a mayor like this takes a stand to cut police/fire, there are dozens of GOP mayors in NON UNION cities that dont have the crippling union contracts that some others do....who believe this is a valid reason for them to also cut police and fire, even if it isn't necessary for their city.
It's slowly become a well accepted trend in the Tea Party/GOP circles that putting cops and firemen on the govt chopping block is A-OK!!!! Necessary or not.