Firemans wage must increase steadily more than payments of other public servants because of the everyday risk of their families Senator Schumer. Vote for the raise for the firefighters, and you will pay for it with increased rates for city services. John Grady. I dont know that the firefighters can justify their demands for a 10 percent increase, but I do know I personally am not going to accept threats and cheap political rhetoric from the city Kommisars as a basis for voting for the citys last best offer. Bill Parsons I have lived in Ponca City all my life and am proud to call it home. I am glad that we have elected officials, i.e. the entire city commission, who are not afraid to take a stand even when its a difficult one.
As a taxpayer, I applaud the city commission for their efforts to be fair to all city firefighters and policemen and to protect our city emergency fund reserves. Susan Ladner. There are various viewpoints in debates on firefighters wage increase as it appears from above citations. The core of debates is in increasing firemen wages demands and state unwillingness to increase firefighters payments. But eventually taxpayers point of view is decisive in disputes on public servants wages increase. That is why it is important for us to have a strong view on this problem. Speaking as a concerned citizen I have been reading a lot of the articles about the debate on the wage increase for the fireman and ambulance crew. I know personally how professional and dedicated these civil servants are and I consider it our privilege to be allowed to vote on a wage increase for them.
Most all firefighters hold down two jobs just to be able to support their families and I know a lot of people that this is common place, but the add in the paper made it look like they only worked a minimal amount of hours a week which is just not true. These men cannot just walk in the door and fill out an application for a job, they are tested for endurance and competence just to qualify to get on the list to be hired, if there is even an opening. They go through special training, schooling and fight grass and house fires for hours in unbearable heat and cold, go into burning buildings to rescue victims and never have a second thought as to put their lives on the line to save ours. I personally dont care how much they make indeed because whatever it is not enough for that brave people, how many of us would be willing to do what they do! They are required to fill out reports, restock fire trucks, clean the ambulances for the next call and it is not hours later that they do this it doesnt matter if it is 1 p.m. or 4 a.m. it has to be done as soon as they return to the station.
I have noticed a lot of emphases put on the union, what difference does that make especially after an arbitrator for the union has already ruled on a raise, the mayor and city council threw it out to the citizens to decide along with some misleading information to lead you to believe it is unnecessary, costly and a burden to the community. In reality higher wages for anyone generates more sales tax coming back to the city finances, all business owners know a percentage of all state sales tax comes back to a community to help finance it. As citizens I think we should consider the fact we are not being ask to vote on any sales tax increase, if you vote for a raise what we are looking at is an asset in the fact you or one of your loved ones should ever need an ambulance or have a fire you will have a professional, unselfish person to help. We always hope that we will never need this kind of help but if we do dont you want to the best! Keep in mind these men enter this profession because they have a desire to serve and protect, not for the glory, if they wanted that they would of run for mayor. Its hard to fight political propaganda but since they handed it over to us to decide we should do the right thing by helping give these dedicated workers the credit for what they do and give them a raise. Can we even imagine where we would be without them?
Bibliography:
“Early Chicago Fire Fighting,” Chicago History, Vol 11, No. 4, Fall-Winter 1973 “Fire Force To Take New Jobs,” Rock Island Argus, Sept.
17, 1998 “Fire Force is Waiting Raise From Citizens,” op. cit., Sept. 26, 1998.