260,000 for a Fire Chief retiring in his 50's no less. Remember the last one to retire just a few short years ago, started out at 290,000/yr pension. It was reported in the CC Times that he padded it with uniform allowance, auto allowance and went out on disability. Now to just cover 2 retirees from the SRVFD it will run about 600,000 a year. There comes a time when one must question what is happening with public service. San Ramon is going to be the next Vallejo. The ball is rolling.

Heroes? Nope. Public Parasites. Bow to these Public Parasites! Bring these Public Parasites your finest meats and cheeses.

Everyone should read this article:

Smoke and Mirrors
Stop calling firefighters "heroes"
By Douglas Gantenbein
Slate Magazine
Link: http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/hey_wait_a_minute/2003/10/smoke_and_mirrors.html

My favorite excerpt: "Pizza delivery drivers have more dangerous jobs than firefighters, statistically speaking."

Hey Claire and all the other haters on this board, make sure you notify the fire and police departments and make sure they have you on their "Do Not Respond Under Any Circumstances Since We Think They Are Useless and Overpaid and Don't Want/Need Their Services EVEN If It Means They Could Save My Life" list.

I for one am glad they are there to protect my family and POSSIBLY save my life or the lives of those I love. The way I look at it, firemen and police aren't paid for WHAT they do, but what they MIGHT have to do. I'm glad they chose the vocation they did and that people like you didn't. You "Negative Nellies" out there are such hypocrites as you'd be screaming bloody murder if there was a burglar breaking into your house or in need of a police report for your insurance company and they weren't there to help you as well as up in arms if your house wasn't responded to if on fire.

If you think you can do the job go to an academy and get on the wall of security both vocations provide instead of groaning because they make more in retirement than you do because you picked the wrong trade. Waaaah.......I for one can't thank our local heroes enough. As a matter of fact, in defiance of you bottom feeders, I think I'll stop by the fire department on Alcosta with gift cards to Starbucks. You are bunch of whiny hypocrites and they need to know there are more of us in support of them than disgusting trolls like you. At least I post my REAL name. Pathetic lot you are. Shameful.

Dave,

My response to you:

http://americanscumbags.blogspot.com/2011/12/tongue-lashing-1-whenever-i-raise-point.html?spref=tw

(The link above goes to a blog. It is NOT a spam link)

Dave,

FYI: I use an alias because I have personally seen cops and firefighters ruthlessly harass people who expressed the opinion that cops and firefighters are overpaid.

Claire, Safeway in Windemere is having a sale on Aluminum Foil today, your head may not be fully wrapped this morning.

Claire: You're upset with the size of the pension... but why generalize and lump in all firefighters? Do you feel we don't /need/ firefighters or are you just upset with their retirement plans?

Terry,

In my opinion, based on personal experience and (OBJECTIVE) facts, ALL cops and firefighters have the same personality traits as Kim Jong il (used lower case i in name because of font).

I have NEVER met a cop or firefighter that deserved my respect. In fact, I have met MANY cops and firefighters that deserve my contempt.

IF I had the RIGHT to do so, I would NOT pay taxes to pay for cops.

IF I had the RIGHT to do so, I would NOT pay taxes to pay for firefighters.

If I had the opportunity to do so, I would purchase firefighter services from a private business who competes in the marketplace based on quality and price.

Claire,
I'm sorry if you have had a bad experience with your public servants,and I respect your opinions. Yes, there are bad police and firefighters, just as there are bad teachers, clergymen etc. The bottom line is that there are bad people out there in every line of work. However, there are a greater number of good people in these jobs who truly believe in serving their communities, and caring for those in need. Yes, I am a firefighter, and feel lucky to be one.The reason I feel lucky, is not because of the pay and benefits, it's because over the 24 yrs I've been doing this I've had the pleasure of meeting people of every background, religion, ethnicity etc. and make a difference in their lives for the better or even saved their life.
I agree, the business of emergency services generates a lot of money. But you need to realize everything we do is mandated by either the county, the state, or the federal government. As a paramedic for example, we need to maintain our currency and proficiency through continuing education, just like a doctor, or a nurse. That's just one example, now imagine proficiency in dealing with hazerdous materials, technical rescue situations, airborn/bloodborn pathogens just to mention a few.
I realize you're using an alias, but if I knew your true identity, and for some reason I responded to your emergency, I would treat you as though I was responding on my mother, because I'm a professional and I for one do care.
Michael

Claire,
You sound like a very bitter person. You have NEVER met a cop or fireman that deserved your respect and generalize them all as Public Parasites. Wow, I truly feel sorry for you living your life with so much animosity. You have made a point of complaining that you have no choice about paying these taxes you so obviously are upset with. Well Claire, it turns out you do have CHOICES, there are several countries you can relocate to and you won't have to pay taxes you disagree with. Just to list a few are Bahrain, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and North Korea. Maybe a communist atmosphere would be more suited for you. Time to get some sleep dear I'm sure you have an Occupy Protest to attend in the morning...

I've had to read the comments from Claire over and over again to try to rationalize and make ANY sense out of her inflammatory comments. Comparing my husband, because he is one of the "parasites" that you are talking about, to Kim Jong Il is just plain ignorant. Let me tell you a little bit about my husband. He is one of the most compassionate individuals you will ever meet. Not only does he run into a burning building when it's on fire, but he will also respond to medical at any time of the day or night. That's what he's expected to do. Let me tell you about the kinds of things he has done that aren't part of the job. When he met someone during a call one day who had no way of getting to the polls to vote in an upcoming election, he drove to San Ramon from Manteca on his day off to drive the person to the polls. When we were on our family vacation and a car had rolled over on the freeway, he pulled over and ran to go help the person in the car while we waited for EMS and Fire to arrive on scene. Then there was the time when my mother was dying from a Cancer but he couldn't come home to comfort me because he was out on a call. I watched my mother take her last breath alone because he was out helping someone he didn't know. I can go on for hours. So I ask you - does this sound like someone who is delusional, tyrannical, greedy, psychopathic and everything else that you called him? If so, then take a good look at yourself first for making such remarks.

"You don't get a medal for doing your job."

Yes, I did serve in the U.S. Military. I received an Honorable Discharge.

There is a very good article that was posted in the Wall Street Journal that takes a look at the fall out over pension spiking. Please know that I for one believe that Fire Fighters are hard working and deserve to be compensated. What is happening in the state of CA is due to over compensation and spiking pensions. Because of this, firefighters are being cut and let go. There needs to be reform so that it is fair for everyone. Retiring at 50 with a pension far greater than your salary and equaling over a quarter million a year does not seem sustainable. We will all suffer if we don't address the problem. Here is the link to the article.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124804047828063059.html.html
or google Pension Calculation Draws Scrutiny. Also, very enlightening article in Vanity Fair that gives one firefighters perspective of what is happening with the Fire Fighters unions in CA. It is titled CA or Bust. http://www.vanityfair.com/business/features/2011/11/michael-lewis-201111

"Unsustainable" compensation and pension plans for public parasites (i.e. government employees):

I laugh hysterically when I hear a hypocritical public parasite, (many of whom are double-dippers raking in nearly $500,000 per year in combined salary and pension payments), say that their compensation and pension plans are "unsustainable," but these are the same public parasites who ruthlessly "negotiated" for these "unsustainable" compensation and pension plans and who also cry like petulant children when the taxpayers beg these public parasites to reform their "unsustainable" compensation and pension plans to save funds for vital public services.

Got mine!

Keeping mine!

Make the next generation pay for mine!

Don't care if the state, county, city/town is broke, PAY UP! Raise taxes! Borrow money to make pension payments!

Bring us your finest meats and cheeses!

Kiss our imported leather shoes and boots!

Wash our imported luxury vehicles!

Bow to us!

P.S.

The problem will only get WORSE in the future because there are THOUSANDS of state, county, city/town public parasites who are locked into the "unsustainable" pension plans and will retire in the next 10-25 years with astronomical pensions.

Firefighter retirement benefits are not paid by the "taxpayers," cities, counties or state. Benefits are deferred compensation, and are paid by the employee funded retirement systems (typically CALPERS or a 1937 act Retirement Fund which are not government agencies). These funds come from employee and employer contributions made while the employee was working, and the vast majority of benefits paid come from market growth and interest from the investment of those contributions. Out of every dollar that funds a firefigter's pension and health insurance plan, 100 cents comes from the workers because the "contributions" consist of money that employees chose, through negotiations, to take as deferred wages – as pensions when they retire – rather than take immediately in cash. PERS is the single largest investor in the stock market, and their investments have beaten the market even during the recent economic downturn.

This is a very controversial topic of discussion, given the recent, dramatic changes in our economy. There are not many private companies that offer lifetime pension anymore. I have two relatives in the airline industry (United Airlines mechanic, American Airlines pilot) who saw their pensions plummet from six figures to zilch. I'm sure they are shocked and confused. My brother has over 20 years working at the county, and according to him, his pension is safe. He can retire with full pension in just a few years. He says that government pensions are legally protected, as they are written into labor contracts. This is where I feel there is an unfair benefit afforded to public servants over their private counterparts. But, if times were good, I'm sure this would not be much of an issue.

Erik,

Your comments are hysterical. Thanks for the laughs.

Can you provide me with more laughs by sharing your brilliant thoughts on:

[1] Astronomical unfunded liabilities for public employee (e.g. pigs and hosers) pensions and retiree healthcare benefits. Also, the devastating effect that these astronomical unfunded liabilities are having on current budgets and services.

[2] Why VOLUNTEER firefighters effectively serve many communities, but, in the Bay Area (and elsewhere in California), taxpayers must pay $300,000 or more (total cost of employment) for EACH firefighter?

San Ramon resident Tom Lindberg wrote us a letter to the editor, voicing his opinion on Price's pension: http://danville.patch.com/articles/letter-to-the-editor-san-ramon-resident-takes-issue-with-fire-chief-s-pension