Ridgewood says other reader comments have definite anti cop bias
From what I read I can see a definite anti cop bias. But overall the people posting vent about public employees in general. There is a vast majority of people who have a har-on for what the public workers make.
This gets inflamed when cops tell you what you can and cannot do or ticket you for what the public thinks are bull sh-t infractions. Reading post’s here and on the patch people write about pedestrian safety but I would bet if one of those people who posted got a ticket for failure to yield they would be the first to bash the cop’s as being useless and overpaid.
23 thoughts on “Ridgewood says other reader comments have definite anti cop bias”
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was this written by a cop?
Probable by a fireman.
It’s an opportunity for a coward to talk Sh*t about cops because they don’t have the balls to say it to their face.
I don’t see a sentiment against any particular groups of workers. However, there is definitely sentiment against unrealistic and unsustainable compensation and benefits. Obviously, this only applies where those conditions exists. If that happens to include the police department, that may explain why some readers mistakenly perceive an anti-police sentiment.
A citizen could find them self in a lot of trouble if they “talk Sh*t about cops” , as you say and sorry 125k for cop salary in Ridgewood is beyond Ridiculous
threats on the internet are not very bright #3
Keep in mind that much of the financial hardship that the town now faces has been forced on us by Trenton (see teacher tenure and other financial anchors that various unions have asked us to drag around). We’re paying for the long line of corrupt and inept governors that preceded Christie. We face a handful of tough decisions primarily because we can no longer afford everything that we’re used to having. Suggesting that the Police learn to operate on a smaller budget is not necessarily anti-cop, rather, just part of a discussion of how to choose between equally unattractive alternatives.
There is no reason not to include all personnel on the public payroll for pay and benefit cuts that have grown well beyond the private sector which includes the police . Just maybe if there were more of a police presence other than at various work sites there might be less bitching. By the way why not offer all this money at these work sites to firemen also?
Who says the private sector is the benchmark why not bring the private sector up to the public employee, OH wait the private sector may already be ahead.
Sorry! That argument is about 40 years out of date and simply is not correct today. According to statistics recently released by the government, total compensation for public sector workers is a MINIMUM of 20% more than that of their private sector counter-parts (not including retirement benefits).
Ok so bring the private sector up 20% don’t look to hurt your public employees. rivate sector it seems pretty correct to me .
Exactly how would you suggest that be done?
Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way. The private sector is made up of countless independent companies, whose employees are compensated according to fair market principles (what those markets will bear). Companies that provide excessive compensation to their employees must raise prices for their products or services to fund their compensation commitments. They will lose customers or go out of business, if prices increase above what customers can afford.
Public sector employees compensation is funded through taxation and is based on contractual terms negotiated with unions by a municipality’s representatives (the Village Manager in Ridgewood’s case) and approved by governing bodies (Village Council in Ridgewood’s case).
Ridgewood’s employee compensation/benefit levels have little relation to what is fair or appropriate. They rely exclusively on the ability, or lack thereof, of the Village Manager to negotiate with unions. Ridgewood is not even in line with its neighboring municipalities. Like the federal government, we have a spending problem, as a result of promises that were made over many years. These promises were made without the input or consent of the taxpayers, who must fund them and were unaffordable when they were made. Now that is becoming obvious painfully obvious and the problem is only getting worse.
Obviously, it is not possible to “bring the private sector up 20%”, even if that was appropriate. The correct (and only possible) solution is to reduce public sector compensation in areas where it has become excessive and bring it in line with fair compensation levels that are also affordable for taxpayers. Or, public employees must accept the loss of job security and pension benefits. They cannot continue to feed at the taxpayer trough and have the best of both worlds, which was never intended when fixed benefit plans were established decades ago. That is why such plans are increasingly rare in the private sector.
I’d gladly say many things to a cops face, but he’d quickly find a reason to detain me. This is a forum that allows you to voice your opinion.
I understand cities need more cops, but they without a doubt have a harder job than Ridgewood cops and make practically 1/3rd of the salary. I don’t see how that is justified. The worst thing we get in Ridgewood is some big bad marijuana dealer.
tell that to the postal employees
Public employee salary and benefits need to change. All employees – including the police.
And there is one over-the-top cop in town. And he loves to use the F-bomb when interviewing teens. He also used it when pulling over an adult neighbor for a traffic violation. “Power” goes to the head for some, they think that they are incapable of making mistakes.
When people ask me where I live and I say “Ridgewood” the first comment from them is always something to the effect about how nasty the parking cops are….no wonder why the CBD is dying.
A paterson or newark cop does not make a third of what a rwd cop makes. many cops who come from the cities to the “burbs” go back because they can’t stand the attitude of the people they are supposed to protect. The last one said you can keep the money these people need to wake up.
Who says it’s not appropriate to bring the private sector up 20% ceo’s get huge bonouses some based on stock price, cut back at the top bring the work force closer to management. I would like to see what the poster #12 does for a living and how much your total compensation was reduced. You stated fair market value for public sector wages fair according to who(m) you ? “Obviously” you could bring the private sector wage up first by doing away with ” right to work states” secondly bringing back manufacturing by regulating export work to foreign countries. One of the worst things that ever happened to the working man in this country was the nafta treaty. Prevent big corporations from profiteering from unregulated labor in communist, and hird world countries. That would be a start.
I don’t know about #12. But, I work in finance in an area that had nothing to do with the issues related to the financial crisis. My compensation is about where it was in 2007 (after a significant decline in 2008/09, through no fault of my own). I am lucky, however. Many of my colleagues lost their jobs. In the same period the typical Ridgewood employee saw a 20-28% increase in compensation.
There is a reason that the private sector is a more efficient allocator of capital…free market systems are self regulating, as #12 explained. You suggest, “doing away with right to work states, bringing back manufacturing by regulating export work to foreign countries (eliminating NAFTA) and preventing corporations from profiteering from unregulated labor third world countries”. Your union support is obvious. But, how you any of these suggestions address the fact that the compensation, pension and healthcare expenses for Ridgewood employees has exploded and is on an unsustainable path? According to the Tiger Team report these expenses will be over $55MM in 2021 and Ridgewood property taxes will increase 60% in by then. How will your suggestions prevent this?
You are assumuing, incorrectly, that the public sector is being properly compensated. If Ridgewood’s employees want to earn $100-200K a year, are they willing to give up their million dollar pensions and pay for their healthcare in retirement? If so, maybe we have something to discuss.
When those in the financial industry were reaping monster gain and bonuses the public employee eeked along doing the best he could now that their bubble burst they want everyone to suffer as well. I would like to compare standards of living and depth of financial security between those on the tiger team and those they whose financial status they are trying to diminish
You clearly have no idea what you are talking about.
#21 are you referring to#20 if so the finance as well as real estate industry did quite well in the 90’s their gains far out paced the public sector. So I wouldn’t be so quick to say he doesn’t know what he’s talkin about.
I have only encountered 2 polite police officers in my 20 years in town. Most have lousy, union-mentality attitudes. As for your plum salaries and pensions – you’re welcome.