RAch, why argue with the childish troll. Equates retired political flunkies with war heroes. Not worth the bother, he is part of the "gimme gimme crew" that raped and killed Schitneck. He is looking out for union business and probably on the clock. Disgusting that he is sent here to divert us. Just speak the truth, and keep exposing the graft. One day the feds will come back and clean their clocks again like they did with the crook M Hamilton. Maybe they will pick a few politicos up in the dragnet this time.

bottom line here is that MOST of these taxpaid folks couldn't make it in the private sector.
it appears that these taxpaid jobs are becoming the dumping ground for those who lack in personal initiative and couldn't get hired in the private sector.
this goes for ALL taxpaid positions.

the taxpayer is NOT getting there money's worth out of these dimwits!

Quoted from bumblethru

the taxpayer is NOT getting there money's worth out of these dimwits!

There is no value for 90% of the jobs.  Even suggesting the taxpayer isn't getting their money's worth is implying there was value to the job in the first place.  Paying for a postion the has ZERO value actually produces negative returns.  These jobs are liabilities not assets.

Could not make it in the private sector?  There are no policing/firefighting jobs in the private sector.  People chose these careers. As a rule, entry level police are more educated than average privates sector entry level worker.  2 years is the standard, while many have 4 year degrees.  Many came from there positions and certainly had other options.  Many are in excellent health, bright and pass background checks that many on this site might fail.

GB - childish troll.  I respect Rachel although I disagree with her on many issues.  You on the other hand are incapable of making any comment without being insulting and rarely do your posts not contain profanity. I disagree with many here, sometimes vehemently, but respect most posters.  You I have no respect for because you have no respect for yourself, otherwise you would not express yourself in such a vulgar, rude, and offensive manner.  


Half of the positions in Schenectady are related to public safety - should we abolish those jobs?    

Quoted from visitor

Could not make it in the private sector?  There are no policing/firefighting jobs in the private sector.  People chose these careers. As a rule, entry level police are more educated than average privates sector entry level worker.  2 years is the standard, while many have 4 year degrees.  Many came from there positions and certainly had other options.  Many are in excellent health, bright and pass background checks that many on this site might fail.

GB - childish troll.  I respect Rachel although I disagree with her on many issues.  You on the other hand are incapable of making any comment without being insulting and rarely do your posts not contain profanity. I disagree with many here, sometimes vehemently, but respect most posters.  You I have no respect for because you have no respect for yourself, otherwise you would not express yourself in such a vulgar, rude, and offensive manner.  


Half of the positions in Schenectady are related to public safety - should we abolish those jobs?    

Not saying the jobs shouldnt be puplic, just that they shouldnt be structured in a manner that the private sector cant even afford.   Wake up call.  Pension Plans dont work. We cant afford these lavish benefit plans and early retirements.   Guaranteed raises dont work.  We need a Pay for Performance structure.  Not guarantees regardless of success.  

Quoted from visitor

Could not make it in the private sector?  There are no policing/firefighting jobs in the private sector.  People chose these careers. As a rule, entry level police are more educated than average privates sector entry level worker.  2 years is the standard, while many have 4 year degrees.  Many came from there positions and certainly had other options.  Many are in excellent health, bright and pass background checks that many on this site might fail.

GB - childish troll.  I respect Rachel although I disagree with her on many issues.  You on the other hand are incapable of making any comment without being insulting and rarely do your posts not contain profanity. I disagree with many here, sometimes vehemently, but respect most posters.  You I have no respect for because you have no respect for yourself, otherwise you would not express yourself in such a vulgar, rude, and offensive manner.  


Half of the positions in Schenectady are related to public safety - should we abolish those jobs?    

Insulting, vulgar, rude, and offensive manner. you just described about 1/2 of the cops in the county in their demeanor towards the citizenry. The other half are decent, but I sure don't like the percentages. You are sure in the former group. Smell the coffee turdball.

Quoted from visitor

Half of the positions in Schenectady are related to public safety - should we abolish those jobs?    

Yeah. At least half of them, and 30% of their pay.  

Quoted from visitor

Half of the positions in Schenectady are related to public safety - should we abolish those jobs?    

Considering that Schenectady is the 13th worst city in the US, let me think...

No answer needed.

Schenectady is one of the most unsafe places in the US.

The public safety people must be proud.

Quoted from Libertarian4life

Considering that Schenectady is the 13th worst city in the US, let me think...

No answer needed.

Schenectady is one of the most unsafe places in the US.

The public safety people must be proud.

visitor will say they are understaffed but doesnt see that if they werent so greedy with the pay, bennys and retirement packages that they would be able to have more people on the staff.   I don't care if they have a 2 year or 4 year degree....they are still overpaid.  Alot of them are paid more than college professors, MBA graduates and engineers.  

Quoted from TakingItBack

visitor will say they are understaffed but doesnt see that if they werent so greedy with the pay, bennys and retirement packages that they would be able to have more people on the staff.   I don't care if they have a 2 year or 4 year degree....they are still overpaid.  Alot of them are paid more than college professors, MBA graduates and engineers.  

The fact is, the fire department, the police force and the city council could be staffed almost
entirely with volunteers, and the farthest Schenectady could fall is 12 spots further in the worst
places in the country.

Schenectady is number 13.

Your chances of being a victim of a crime is 1 in 20.

Quoted from Libertarian4life

Considering that Schenectady is the 13th worst city in the US, let me think...

No answer needed.

Schenectady is one of the most unsafe places in the US.

The public safety people must be proud.

When the majority don't live in the city it seems as if it is almost by design, let the scum live in the city as long as the surrounding areas where they live remain safe. I said it before these people have no motivation to fix the problems, at the end of the day they get to leave the warzone and get to go back to their nice white picket fenced in houses. Making these servants live in the city would help out a lot, they would actually have something to work for since they would be cleaning up their own backyards.

Quoted from visitor

Could not make it in the private sector?  There are no policing/firefighting jobs in the private sector.  People chose these careers. As a rule, entry level police are more educated than average privates sector entry level worker.  2 years is the standard, while many have 4 year degrees.  Many came from there positions and certainly had other options.  Many are in excellent health, bright and pass background checks that many on this site might fail.

    

No they couldn't make it in the private sector!! One needs to be submissive and willing to take orders and follow rules. Not happening.

Cops ain't what they use to be. Today there are too many cocky, hot headed, gun toting, power driven, above the law cops running around. And we, the taxpayers have no choice but to pay their salary and life long benefits. The taxpayers can not afford them anymore!!

Taking it Back - Absolutely agree that the pensions could and should have been structured differently, as well as the manner in which contracts are negotiated.  Had that been done, city would be less burdened and the for officers may have been even better off in retirement.

GB Once again you show how you do not belong on a  site like this. You criticize he half of the police force for behaving in the same manner as you do, and punctuate it with more childish name calling.  I'm embarrassed for you.

Perhaps, Mike Christine or Rachel could teach you how to behave like an adult when visiting sites like this.

Yes Lib - let's have completely volunteer police and fire department.

13th worse city in the country - right.

Quoted from visitor

Yes Lib - let's have completely volunteer police and fire department.

13th worse city in the country - right.

Just for fun, let's compare Schenectady to all cities within 50 miles:


Rank     Crime Index      City / Population
1.     3,686     Schenectady, NY / 66,135
2.     3,004     Albany, NY / 97,856
3.     2,980     Troy, NY / 50,129
4.     2,674     North Adams, MA / 13,708
5.     2,565     Stockbridge, MA
6.     2,184     Gloversville, NY / 15,665
7.     2,044     Chatham, NY / 1,770
8.     1,949     Pittsfield, MA / 44,737
9.     1,786     Hudson, NY / 6,713
10.     1,630     Adams, MA / 5,515
11.     1,508     Menands, NY / 3,990
12.     1,436     Amsterdam, NY / 18,620
13.     1,430     Rensselaer, NY / 9,392
14.     1,416     Johnstown, NY / 8,743
15.     1,364     Fort Plain, NY / 2,322
16.     1,293     South Glens Falls, NY / 3,518
17.     1,285     Catskill, NY / 4,081
18.     1,266     Bennington, VT / 9,074
19.     1,226     Cobleskill, NY / 4,678
20.     1,187     Corinth, NY / 2,559
21.     1,116     Nassau, NY / 1,133
22.     1,111     Watervliet, NY / 10,254
23.     1,083     Hudson Falls, NY / 7,281
24.     1,025     Hoosick Falls, NY / 3,501
25.     1,024     Windham, NY / 367
26.     1,020     Cohoes, NY / 16,168
27.     1,015     Ballston Spa, NY / 5,409
28.     988     Dolgeville, NY / 2,206
29.     979     Green Island, NY / 2,620
30.     966     Cambridge, NY / 1,870
31.     955     Lenox, MA / 1,675
32.     944     Dalton, MA
33.     927     Colonie, NY / 7,793
34.     914     Scotia, NY / 7,729
35.     892     Guilderland, NY
36.     865     Rotterdam, NY / 20,652
37.     864     Williamstown, MA / 4,325
38.     831     Lee, MA / 2,051
39.     819     Glens Falls, NY / 14,700
40.     808     Mechanicville, NY / 5,196
41.     794     East Greenbush, NY / 4,487
42.     782     Greenwich, NY / 1,777
43.     751     Saratoga Springs, NY / 26,586
44.     747     Coxsackie, NY / 2,813
45.     614     Niskayuna, NY / 4,859
46.     516     Ravena, NY / 3,268
47.     418     Schoharie, NY / 922
48.     414     Lanesboro, MA
49.     388     Coeymans, NY / 583
50.     282     Fort Edward, NY / 3,375
51.     258     Philmont, NY / 1,379
52.     254     Altamont, NY / 1,720
53.     240     Northville, NY / 1,099
54.     226     Hunter, NY / 502
55.     211     Cairo, NY / 1,402
56.     169     Cheshire, MA / 514
57.     141     Durham, NY
58.     127     Saint Johnsville, NY / 1,732
59.     111     Stillwater, NY / 1,738
60.     39     Germantown, NY / 845
61.     0     Athens, NY / 1,668
61.     0     Savoy, MA

Could a volunteer department in Schenectady do any worse?

Schenectady is the absolute worst for 50 miles in any direction.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Then we got:

All cities in NY State.

Ranked specifically by "violent crime rate"



New York cities ranked from worst to best for crime based on violent crime ranking.

Worst

379             Newburgh, NY
378             Buffalo, NY
377             Poughkeepsie, NY
376             Herkimer Village, NY
375             Rochester, NY
374             Niagara Falls, NY
373             Albany, NY
372             Schenectady, NY
371             Syracuse, NY
370             Mount Vernon, NY
369             Little Falls, NY
368             Chatham Village, NY
367             Troy, NY
366             Utica, NY
365             Spring Valley Village, NY
364             Ocean Beach Village, NY
363             Middletown, NY
362             Hempstead Village, NY
361             Jamestown, NY
360             Olean, NY
359             Ellenville Village, NY
358             Lyons Village, NY
357             Binghamton, NY
356             New York, NY
355             Amsterdam, NY
354             Hancock Village, NY
353             Monticello Village, NY
352             Watertown, NY
351             Lackawanna, NY
350             Liberty Village, NY
349             Wellsville Village, NY
348             Johnson City Village, NY
347             Albion Village, NY
346             Salamanca, NY
345             Greenwood Lake Village, NY
344             Addison Town and Village, NY
343             Freeport Village, NY
342             East Syracuse Village, NY
341             Yonkers, NY
340             Beacon, NY
339             Brewster, NY
338             Solvay Village, NY
337             Cohoes, NY
336             Medina Village, NY
335             Hudson, NY
334             Carthage Village, NY
333             Cortland, NY
332             Dryden Village, NY
331             Auburn, NY
330             Rensselaer City, NY
329             Gloversville, NY
328             Oswego City, NY
327             Elmira, NY
326             Hastings-on-Hudson Village, NY
325             Oneonta City, NY
324             Westhampton Beach Village, NY
323             Sidney Village, NY
322             Bath Village, NY
321             Gouverneur Village, NY
320             Dunkirk, NY
319             New Paltz Town and Village, NY
318             Cuba Town, NY
317             Watervliet, NY
316             Riverhead Town, NY
315             Coeymans Town, NY
314             Corning, NY
313             Whitesboro Village, NY
312             Tupper Lake Village, NY
311             Endicott Village, NY
310             Mechanicville, NY
309             Kingston, NY
308             Warsaw Village, NY
307             Philmont Village, NY
306             Ilion Village, NY
305             Walden Village, NY
304             Monroe Village, NY
303             Camden Village, NY
302             Cheektowaga Town, NY
301             Menands Village, NY
300             Port Jervis, NY
299             New Rochelle, NY
298             Brockport Village, NY
297             Hornell, NY
296             Sag Harbor Village, NY
295             Oneida, NY
294             Ellicott Town, NY
293             Walton Village, NY
292             Owego Village, NY
291             Port Chester Village, NY
290             Tonawanda Town, NY
289             Batavia, NY
288             Catskill Village, NY
287             Lockport, NY
286             West Carthage Village, NY
285             Norwich, NY
284             Malone Village, NY
283             Kenmore Village, NY
282             Greenwich Village, NY
281             Gates Town, NY
280             Peekskill, NY
279             Saranac Lake Village, NY
278             Cattaraugus Village, NY
277             Whitehall Village, NY
276             Ithaca, NY
275             Massena Village, NY
274             Deposit Village, NY
273             Ossining Village, NY
272             Fulton City, NY
271             Central Square Village, NY
270             Geneva, NY
269             Ogdensburg, NY
268             Coxsackie Village, NY
267             Alexandria Bay Village, NY
266             Ticonderoga Town, NY
265             Quogue Village, NY
264             Canandaigua, NY
263             Haverstraw Town, NY
262             Horseheads Village, NY
261             Depew Village, NY
260             Pulaski Village, NY
259             Irondequoit Town, NY
258             Southampton Town, NY
257             Vernon Village, NY
256             Allegany Village, NY
255             Fredonia Village, NY
254             East Rochester Village, NY
253             Evans Town, NY
252             Lowville Village, NY
251             Green Island Village, NY
250             Baldwinsville Village, NY
249             Hudson Falls Village, NY
248             White Plains, NY
247             South Glens Falls Village, NY
246             West Seneca Town, NY
245             Clyde Village, NY
244             Potsdam Village, NY
243             Greece Town, NY
242             Mount Morris Village, NY
241             Orangetown Town, NY
240             Rotterdam Town, NY
239             Nunda Town and Village, NY
238             Plattekill Town, NY
237             North Syracuse Village, NY
236             Canisteo Village, NY
235             Fort Edward Village, NY
234             Poughkeepsie Town, NY
233             Niagara Town, NY
232             Dewitt Town, NY
231             Clarkstown Town, NY
230             Fallsburg Town, NY
229             Mamaroneck Village, NY
228             Tonawanda, NY
227             Plattsburgh City, NY
226             Amherst Town, NY
225             Goshen Village, NY
224             Crawford Town, NY
223             Trumansburg Village, NY
222             Scotia Village, NY
221             Pelham Village, NY
220             Hoosick Falls Village, NY
219             Rome, NY
218             Westfield Village, NY
217             Granville Village, NY
216             Glens Falls, NY
215             Painted Post Village, NY
214             Greenburgh Town, NY
213             Middleport Village, NY
212             North Tonawanda, NY
211             Hunter Town, NY
210             New Windsor Town, NY
209             Friendship Town, NY
208             Arcade Village, NY
207             East Hampton Town, NY
206             Seneca Falls Village, NY
205             Elmsford Village, NY
204             Lynbrook Village, NY
203             Glen Cove, NY
202             Saugerties Village, NY
201             Ramapo Town, NY
200             Lancaster Town, NY
199             Cornwall Town, NY
198             Wallkill Town, NY
197             Akron Village, NY
196             Waterloo Village, NY
195             Watkins Glen Village, NY
194             Rhinebeck Village, NY
193             Shandaken Town, NY
192             Penn Yan Village, NY
191             Le Roy Village, NY
190             Manlius Town, NY
189             Clifton Springs Village, NY
188             Newburgh Town, NY
187             Bolton Town, NY
186             Lloyd Town, NY
185             Fairport Village, NY
184             Copake Town, NY
183             Cairo Town, NY
182             Brighton Town, NY
181             Old Brookville Village, NY
180             South Nyack Village, NY
179             Yorktown Town, NY
178             Liverpool Village, NY
177             North Greenbush Town, NY
176             Groton Village, NY
175             Saugerties Town, NY
174             Canton Village, NY
173             Malverne Village, NY
172             Perry Village, NY
171             Chittenango Village, NY
170             Hamburg Town, NY
169             Saratoga Springs, NY
168             Geneseo Village, NY
167             Kings Point Village, NY
166             Ogden Town, NY
165             Moravia Village, NY
164             Gowanda Village, NY
163             Mount Kisco Village, NY
162             East Greenbush Town, NY
161             Southampton Village, NY
160             Pelham Manor Village, NY
159             Guilderland Town, NY
158             Lake Placid Village, NY
157             Florida Village, NY
156             Silver Creek Village, NY
155             Johnstown, NY
154             Ulster Town, NY
153             Shawangunk Town, NY
152             Colonie Town, NY
151             Dansville Village, NY
150             Vestal Town, NY
149             Millbrook Village, NY
148             Amityville Village, NY
147             Blooming Grove Town, NY
146             Webster Town and Village, NY
145             Sherrill, NY
144             Port Dickinson Village, NY
143             New York Mills Village, NY
142             Bethlehem Town, NY
141             Rockville Centre Village, NY
140             Orchard Park Town, NY
139             Floral Park Village, NY
138             Fishkill Village, NY
137             Carroll Town, NY
136             Woodbury Town, NY
135             Moriah Town, NY
134             New Hartford Town and Village, NY
133             Mount Pleasant Town, NY
132             Old Westbury Village, NY
131             Chester Village, NY
130             Wappingers Falls Village, NY
129             Cambridge Village, NY
128             Brant Town, NY
127             Lakewood-Busti, NY
126             Hamburg Village, NY
125             Dobbs Ferry Village, NY
124             Ellicottville, NY
123             Schodack Town, NY
122             Windham Town, NY
121             Garden City Village, NY
120             Germantown Town, NY
119             Niskayuna Town, NY
118             Port Washington, NY
117             Washingtonville Village, NY
116             Rosendale Town, NY
115             Eastchester Town, NY
114             Geddes Town, NY
113             Deerpark Town, NY
112             Goshen Town, NY
111             Stony Point Town, NY
110             Fort Plain Village, NY
109             Rye, NY
108             Bronxville Village, NY
107             Macedon Town and Village, NY
106             Harriman Village, NY
105             Cobleskill Village, NY
104             Glenville Town, NY
103             Lewiston Town and Village, NY
102             Frankfort Town, NY
101             Ardsley Village, NY
100             Scarsdale Village, NY
99             Yorkville Village, NY
98             Long Beach, NY
97             Fishkill Town, NY
96             Delhi Village, NY
95             Suffern Village, NY
94             Lake Success Village, NY
93             Cicero Town, NY
92             Tarrytown Village, NY
91             Mamaroneck Town, NY
90             Avon Village, NY
89             Tuxedo Town, NY
88             Woodstock Town, NY
87             Bedford Town, NY
86             Homer Village, NY
85             Larchmont Village, NY
84             Camillus Town and Village, NY
83             East Aurora-Aurora Town, NY
82             Carmel Town, NY
81             Elmira Heights Village, NY
80             Hyde Park Town, NY
79             North Castle Town, NY
78             Maybrook Village, NY
77             Greenport Town, NY
76             Waverly Village, NY
75             Kent Town, NY
74             Alfred Village, NY
73             Chester Town, NY
72             Ballston Spa Village, NY
71             Ossining Town, NY
70             New Castle Town, NY
69             Irvington Village, NY
68             Northport Village, NY
67             Mount Hope Town, NY
66             Inlet Town, NY
65             Centre Island Village, NY
64             Glen Park Village, NY
63             Asharoken Village, NY
62             Tuxedo Park Village, NY
61             Cape Vincent Village, NY
60             Portville Village, NY
59             McGraw Village, NY
58             Schoharie Village, NY
57             Andover Village, NY
56             Independence Town, NY
55             Sodus Point Village, NY
54             Bolivar Village, NY
53             Dexter Village, NY
52             Northville Village, NY
51             Kensington Village, NY
50             Port Byron Village, NY
49             Shortsville Village, NY
48             Jordan Village, NY
47             East Hampton Village, NY
46             Oriskany Village, NY
45             Sherburne Village, NY
44             Sackets Harbor Village, NY
43             Huntington Bay Village, NY
42             Nissequogue Village, NY
41             Oxford Village, NY
40             Sodus Village, NY
39             Greene Village, NY
38             Adams Village, NY
37             Franklinville Village, NY
36             Altamont Village, NY
35             New Berlin Town, NY
34             Athens Village, NY
33             Wayland Village, NY
32             Youngstown Village, NY
31             Weedsport Village, NY
30             Boonville Village, NY
29             Amity Town and Belmont Village, NY
28             Caledonia Village, NY
27             Oyster Bay Cove Village, NY
26             Rouses Point Village, NY
25             Shelter Island Town, NY
24             Skaneateles Village, NY
23             Piermont Village, NY
22             Great Neck Estates Village, NY
21             Durham Town, NY
20             Pine Plains Town, NY
19             Sands Point Village, NY
18             Stockport Town, NY
17             Cazenovia Village, NY
16             Cornwall-on-Hudson Village, NY
15             Lloyd Harbor Village, NY
14             Cayuga Heights Village, NY
13             Hamilton Village, NY
12             Montgomery Village, NY
11             Tuckahoe Village, NY
10             Stillwater Town, NY
9             Pleasantville Village, NY
8             Eden Town, NY
7             Briarcliff Manor Village, NY
6             Kirkland Town, NY
5             Waterford Town and Village, NY
4             Highlands Town, NY
3             Whitestown Town, NY
2             Rye Brook Village, NY
1             Lewisboro Town, NY

Could a volunteer force do worse than 8th most violent crime
ridden city out of the 379 cities of New York State?

The fire and police are killing the taxpayers, while the crime rate
and the violent crime rate continues to set new worst records.

So I'll ask again, could a volunteer force do any worse?


Fire, police and retirees are over half of the entire Budget.