Kind of mixing up the apples and oranges here. EMT's, Firefighters and Cops are government employees and their pay is dictated by a whole other set of circumstances than those in the private sector. I think Rush makes more than 8 mil by the way. Many of these you speak of are in my opinion over paid but they get what the market will bear. Not much we can do about that. The way I see it the tax issue is an incremental one that I for one am tired of. Every year we are asked to give just a little more for one reason or another and many of us just say no to it all. Its not that we dont want fire and police, we need to prioritize and decide if we are to properly fund the things we need or spread it all around to things that aren't necessary. If I have to choose between a new park that we don't need or propery fund the FD or Police then I say to heck with the park. Unfortunatey our local leaders see it different. They funded a new park then next year they will ask for just a little more for services and we will be called misers for not giving it to them. Every year here its the same nonsense. It makes one wonder if we said yes to it all how high the taxes would be and where would it stop. How much is enough? Its unfortunate that essential services sometimes suffer but that is the fault or our political leaders who like to under fund things like schools, fire, police and give the money to other "programs" to guilt trip us into giving them more for the things they should have funded in the first place. I vote no on ALL tax increases, fees, bond issues for this reason.
Eric

 

We as an entire society. Not you Hoss... Sorry if you thought I meant you. We as a society will spend $150 to go to a ball game once a month to sit on an uncomfortable plastic seat and watch our team lose consistantly while making way up in the millions each to "play" yet we as a society would be furious if our property taxes went up by $50 a month to help pay a deserving wage to our cops, firefighters, and EMTs, the ones who put their lives on the line in their jobs helping others in crisis. Volunteer firefighters? How about volunteer atheletes play on the weekends and work during the week like the rest of us. I know it's not reality and it will never change but it sure seems like a lot of misguided appreciation in this country. I pay some gnappy headed drag queen tattooed drug addicted thug millions to "play" basketball while I sit and watch but if I get hurt driving home I'll pay someone the bare minimum or nothing to save my life? That's wrong.
BTW, "I" meaning anyone, not necessary me or you and not limited to basketball.

Whining? no... Whining is when someone is making far more than is necessary to live comfortably having all of life's necessities at hand and all of life's luxuries at will while crying and whining about paying their hired hands, who make their wealth possible (if not, fire 'em all and do it yourself), barely enough for life's necessities.

 

Eric, That's why I say it's not reality in our country and will not happen. It's just something I see as wrong. We as a society, not you Hoss, are wasteful, selfish and shallow.

 

Yeah , its a mess, we just work with the system we have I guess. Gives us something to !@#$% about anyway.
By the way how do you like that hemi? My brother has an 04 auto and he seems to like it, don't know what kind of mileage he gets.
Eric

 

The Hemi does a great job towing and empty. But it's thirsty and not long lasting as we all know. After three smooth running Cummins powered Rams, I got one with the dreaded driveline vibe. After almost two years and 44k miles of DC saying a TSB would be out soon, I decided to try the Hemi. Next truck will likely be another Cummins but with 6spd. The Hemi is a fine engine but the Cummins is addictive and I'm not over it yet.

 

Cool, glad to see you'll be back blowin smoke some day.
Eric

 

HOLY @##%$ Herb and I agree on something!!! The world really is going to come to an end!
Really in your neck of the woods it is hard to deal with unions because it is not a "right to work" state. I think whoever signed that little piece of legistlation should have been shot!

 

HID, to what you said about volunteer firefighters where I was borned and raised they use to joke about, if you didn't volunteer we'll burn your house down!
Hannibal, what you're saying about paying the firemen, policemen and EMT's I don't think anyone would object to paying these people more but I just think our city, county, and state goverments should budget these fine people a raise then try to figure out how they are going to pay for that new park their building. I for one am tired of them upping my property tax everytime they get a new hairbrained idea?