file photo by Boyd Loving
we have six to seven police officers retiring this year and are any of them being replaced soon. all across this town we lost so many workers in the last five years, and they come back and say the village don’t have the money to replace workers, but in the school ‘s they get over a 100,mill. this is not right. something needs to be done. because down the road ,o we are at the end of the road now. we are in big trouble as in work force.
They’re retiring this year because they get 65% of their final comp if they retire by 2016… it’s not because the Village hasn’t been hiring new officers, that’s BS. PFRS member’s special retirement benefit after 2016 will be 60% of final compensation, plus 1% of final compensation multiplied by the number of years of creditable service over 25 but not over 30, instead of the current benefit of 65% of final compensation plus 1% for each year of service over 25 but not over 30. That’s for anyone who didn’t have 20 years of service as of 2011, so it’s in their interest to retire now.
The town has know this for years and hasn’t done anything about it the people that were hired were just to replenish those who already left. Not including the 6 that are going now. The new village mgr. doesn’t want to hire anyone under this contract, because she wants to re-negotiate a better contract for the town but the result is overtime that is through the roof.
The sad thing is all the current employees will get bronze health care coverage from 2018 under ACA excise tax rules, but early retirees before then will keep their platinum coverage. Unions are pulling the wool over current guys eyes to protect the early retirees, disgusting
Why won’t the PBA negotiate a new contract? Taxpayers are getting killed in labor lawyer fees. Enough already, just agree to zero % pay increases after the 4+% you got over the past 5 years
Labor lawyer fees and OT. Police want more and more. Fire agreed to zero %, PBA too greedy
Yes 3:19 lets save the money for the new upgrades and performing arts center at the library.
Stock market down today ?
4:06, cops got 4%+ a year the past five years vs. less than 2% inflation. Time for some give back, don’t you think? We’re not living in a police state, so what’s wrong with a performing arts center?
You have no problems bashing cops fireman and teachers because their perks increase your property taxes but have no problem with a performing arts center in Ridgewood , numerous upgrades to the Library and the tax increase that will come from that ,not to mention the two new hires at Village Hall, parking garage and the BOED recent request for money for the schools. Very selective Charlie. That just goes to show you what kind of person you are. Check you medication I thing you have to increase the dosage when it hot or the stock market goes down
Let’s get a few things straight, everyone is entitled to negotiate a contract, the PBA is no different. The fire department realized they are expendable. That’s why they took 0% raises. The fire department does not respond to non emergency calls at dinner time or there after, or on Sundays because its a working day off.
The police respond 24 hrs. a day, on Sunday’s and on holidays, emergency or non emergency. The police department is entitled to a raise as is everyone person, union or non union worker. Gov. Christie has signed into law an increase in contributions from 8.5% to 10% towards their retirement without negotiations and forced increased contributions towards there medical without negotiations. The police department(Chief) has been accused of wrong doing for foreshadowing the up and coming retirements and hiring an extra officer to prevent the overtime and has since been cleared of wrong doing but the manager has still not hired sufficient amount of officers to prevent overtime in covering the retirements and future retirements. The police department may not receive a percentage raise, increasing their pay but they are entitled to attempt to negotiation a contract as working is, union or non union. Ultimately signing a contract, the union and the village save money by preventing arbitrates from getting involved. Settle and sign the contracts to prevent arbitrators from wasting our money within the 2% caps.
We will need way more than 6 new officers once the downtown becomes home to the apartment projects and Valley doubles its business.
10:44 said the fire department realized they are expendable. That’s BS. A paid fire department is the only thing keeping our insurance rates down and preventing us from turning in to Paramus. I don’t see why we need regular officers doing the extra duty work for Verizon and PSE&G, just hire some specials to save money. Cops get paid much more than fire and contribute less to their pensions and healthcare, you’ve got some nerve saying a professional dept is expendable.
Hey 10:44, where have you seen across the board raises for non union workers since 2008? Just asking. The RPD enjoyed 4.1% annual contracted wage increase from 2009 to 2015, PLUS step wage increases, plus accumulated sick leave and plus 10% longevity pay for the more tenured officers. During that period inflation in Bergen was 1.8% annualized. Sure everyone is entitled to negotiate a contract, the PBA is no different, but private sector workers also get fired without cause. Do you and your police department and union buddies get fired?
11:27 said Valley will double their footprint? and not pay for the additional Village services like police & fire needed to service that footprint? Why would any VM or Council allow that when Morristown just lost a case challenging their non-profit status?
the fire dept had to take a 0 % because they new they could be done. other towns don’t have a paid fire dep’t paramus ,fairlawn is just as big and no paid fire dep’t.
WELL IT’S TIME FOR THE POLICE TO TAKE IT 0 % FOR YOU IN 2015. U ALL MAKE GOOD MONEY . IT’S YOUR TIME.
The PBA is not negotiating in good faith. After annual wage increases more than twice the rate of inflation since 2009, they just want more and more. These labor lawyer bills are through the roof as a result, costing all of us tax payers over-time and money. Just settle at zero, you owe the taxpayers of Ridgewood for the past six years of 4%+ wage growth when inflation was under 2%, and you were only supposed to be getting 2% for most of those years anyway under the 2%property tax cap. It’s payback time.
the fire dept had to take a 0 % because they new they could be done. other towns don’t have a paid fire dep’t paramus ,fairlawn is just as big and no paid fire dep’t.
Said by a guy who wants other people to become volunteers so he can save a few dimes on his taxes, but don’t expect him to volunteer, he is not one of the little people.