The Morning Report
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Wednesday, August 2, 2006 | Jeff Jordan’s Article, “How to Chase Away a Cop” is interesting to read and think about. As a cop who protects us, I value Jordan’s service and the time he has to put in to do his job.
But, Jordan’s target (the city of San Diego) is not the only culprit here, although it is “neck-deep” in the problem. The culprits are the four employee unions, including Jordan’s Police Officers Association (POA) that have approved and gone along with the city’s underfunding of the pension system for over 10 years.
If the POA had not agreed to what the city wanted (granting greater and greater benefits while not funding them), it would not have happened. So, officers like Jeff Jordan have been hung out to dry by the group that represents them.
If the cops want pay increases and other benefits, then they have to forgo the ridiculously high pensions officers like Jordan will receive when they retire. They can’t have their cake and eat it too, which is what they all want.
Most of us would love to have pensions of 100 percent or more of our highest one-year salary. Jordan, I’m sorry buddy, but you guys should have thought harder starting in 1996 when Mayor Golding, Jack McGrory, and then Mayor Murphy and Mike Uberraga were robbing the citizens of this city, by offering benefits that they were not paying for.
All four employee unions can thank their leadership for the mess we are ALL in.