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Where do most of your city taxes go? To pay for the police state!
180 Phoenix police, fire officials earn more than $100,000 each more than 90 percent of police operating budgets [costs] go to personnel [sarlaries] 87 police sergeants make more than $99,000 [that is over $50 an hour and does not include vacation and sick-leave buyout, take-home vehicle allowances] Last but least remember these highly paid cops spend most of their time arresting people for victimless drug war crimes! Two thirds of the people in prison are there for victimless drug war crimes. They didn't rob somebody, they didn't attack somebody, they didn't murder someone! All they did was smoke some weed or crack or maybe sell some weed or crack! 180 Phoenix police, fire officials earn more than $100,000 each by Michael Ferraresi - Jan. 15, 2010 07:10 AM The Arizona Republic As the top police officer in the city, Jack Harris and his firefighting cohort Bob Khan oversee more than 6,000 staffers assigned to the giant public-safety machines responsible for fighting crime and providing emergency services. The two highest-paid public-safety officials in the city are among 180 police and fire staffers paid more than $100,000 each, according to salary information provided to The Republic. With more than 90 percent of both police- and fire-operating budgets going to personnel and the fact that cuts may have to be made both this fiscal year and next, the chiefs said they could be forced to operate with fewer top-level commanders. The Police Department does not plan to fill the positions of four commanders scheduled to retire by May. Another commander and assistant chief are up for the Mesa police chief's position, and either position might not be filled if either candidate is selected for the Mesa post, officials said. Harris said police salaries are mostly negotiated through contracts and labor-management relationships. Changing the formulas of how everyone from police officers to commanders receives pay raises is difficult, but he said his executive staff earns its pay as part of one of the most nationally recognized police departments in the country. "The community should be proud (city leaders) are compensating their leadership fairly and getting that bang for their buck," Harris said. In addition, 87 police sergeants make base salaries of more than $99,000. Vacation and sick-leave buyout, take-home vehicle allowances and other benefits are not factored into base pay. Both the police and fire agencies could be forced to lay off first-responders in the event Phoenix requires its public-safety agencies to cut 10 percent or more of their budgets, officials said. The challenge is making cuts while maintaining staffing at an effective level and without adversely affecting response times or emergency services. "That's where the money is - salary and benefits," Khan said. "It almost leaves you nowhere to go but with personnel to make that work." |