Guess who the Police Union wants you to vote for?
Posted Under: Important Issues for Fort Lauderdale
The Police Union building, supporting Rogers and Roberts
If you live in the Northeast part of the City (District 1), or in the South/Southwest part of the City (District 4), you will be able to vote for your District Commissioner on Tuesday March 13th.
As usual, our City’s Police Union has been busy at work behind the scenes (and in front of their headquarters) trying to get “their boys” re-elected into office. Both Romney Rogers (District 4) and and Bruce Roberts (District 1) are essentially nothing more than “yes men” to our City’s Union bosses and do whatever the Unions tell them to do.
These two Commissioners have helped swell our City’s budget to an unsustainable size, and have gone along with raiding our City’s saving’s account to continue to pay out exhorbitant salaries and bonuses to our City’s already-overpaid police and fire staff.
If you drive by the headquarters of the Police Union building, located at 735 NE 3rd Avenue, you’ll see the Union’s support of these two Commissioners (who are contributing to our City’s spending addiction) with their signs posted out front.
So remember, if you vote for either Rogers or Roberts on March 13th, you are essentially allowing the Unions to continue to get their way in this City; more raises and benefits, an even larger unfunded pension liability, and an additional tax increase on us this fall to pay for all this.
Oh, and by the way, did you know that every day, 441 police cars leave Fort Lauderdale to spend the night in other Cities? That’s right, at the end of their shift, all police officers take their cars home. Over 80% of our officers don’t even live in Fort Lauderdale, so that means that 441 of our cars (that you and I are paying for) leave our City and grace the driveways overnight in Plantation, Parkland, etc.
Our City is not getting any benefit from this, yet you and I are still paying for all those costs associated with this little perk. And Romney Rogers and Bruce Roberts will insure that this wasteful use of City resources continues if they get re-elected.
So if this irritates you (and it should), make sure that you consider voting for the alternative to these two folks. If re-elected, they will do nothing to protect your interests, they are only interested in protecting those special interest groups that get them re-elected!
Earl Rynerson
Reader Comments
how did roberts ever get elected, after he lied to the people who live on the mile?
Most police officers are pro Obama too.
It’s been irritating me for years, I just wonder (if ever) when there will be a stop put to it.
Hello Earl,
The last time I wrote something that did not quite agree with your remark, it was removed within a day. Let’s see what happens this time.
First and foremost, I believe in most of what you post, this not being one. Bruce Roberts is aimed at reducing the costs of the City, which is not easy. We have a very good Police force that costs quite a bit of money and he is working to lower that cost as time goes on, the biggest of which is the retirement plan. You are aware of what is slowly being taken care of, no?
As a resident of Ft. Lauderdale for over 23 years, I want the best Police and Fire Department possible. It costs money.
Police and Firemen want the best income/insurance/retirement plan they can get. We want to keep the rookies that begin their careers here at least until they have returned what was invested by the City into them. Much longer if possible. This all costs money.
A police car that is taken home lasts longer than one that can be used in 2-3 shifts per day (24-7). Cost difference? More than likely. A police car taken home will be cared for by that officer in a way the station car will not.
Cost difference? More than likely. Officers who drive cars home off of City limits are supposed to pay for the gas when doing so. Do they? I do not know.
If so, there goes that argument. All neighborhoods like having police cars in driveways. Victoria Park has several from out of town. Everyone benefits.
I really do not know what the actual cost difference between keeping cars at the station and letting the officers take them home is, but when the other aspects are figured in, I am sure it is lowered if not removed.
Truthfully, the biggest spending problem is the retirement plan. That is something that could actually sink the City. It is, however, being worked on, slowly but surely. If you look into that and still believe what you say about Bruce Roberts, that is your choice.
Just make sure you put out all the facts, not just the ones that back up your argument. I have never believed that you are “one of those” and why I read all of your email! Thanks for keeping us up to date!
If 441 police cars leave our city everyday as you suggest and you have also stated police motorcycles are also leaving, how many vehicles (cars and motorcycles) does the police own? Is that 441 per shift or in total? If it is per shift the number is more like 100+ per day (rotated). Please explain.
Further wouldn’t the IRS require the officers to add this benefit to their 1040 tax return for the personal use time? I have asked you this before and I don’t think I got an answer.
Thank you