Okay, so that's not really news, is it? Of COURSE the General Assembly wants to spend more money. The current members honestly see that as their job. They seriously measure their success by how much money they spend, and on nothing else. If they spend MORE one year than the last, no matter on what, they consider themselves a success.

Once again, they're trying to use the taxpayers' money as a tool to buy some votes. They're trying to buy votes of policemen, firemen, and bleeding heart taxpayers. Under the guise of "safety," they want to spend at least $30 million more each year to PAY policemen and firemen NOT to work.

Sounds like a federal program, doesn't it? Currently, most policemen in North Carolina, when they retire, receive close to 100% of their previous pay. I'm not saying you're going to get rich as a policeman, and I certainly respect those who do serve in that job. However, the government wants to reduce the time of service from 30 years to 25 years to get that 100% benefit. Why? To buy those votes, plain and simple.

And yet again, if this passes, the legislature will pass on the costs to the counties -- forcing the counties to spend that money. This is the standard way that the government operates in North Carolina. Taxes WILL have to be raised to pay for this benefit. However, the legislators will say, with a straight face, "Gee, WE didn't raise taxes." At the same time, the county commissioners will say, "Gee, we were FORCED to raise taxes, we didn't have a choice."

And meanwhile, it's the taxpayer, once again, in the name of buying votes, that gets the shaft.

Posted by: Ogre at 12:04 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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