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View Full Version : FLORIDA SENATE MAJORITY OFFICE POLL ABOUT FLORIDA PENSIONS



04-17-2011, 09:21 AM
With the support and endorsement of Governor Scott, and Florida Senate President M. Haridopolos, they have posted a poll on FACE BOOK, asking this question "Do you think government employees should contribute to their retirement funds, similar to the private sector?" My vote is NO. Tax payers have never footed the bill for any part of my pension. My pension is delayed payment in exchange for the lower wages I accepted the past 20 years for the high risk I take every day on the job, while serving and protecting. On the "Tea Party in Action Page" they are encouraging everyone they know to vote yes to CUT Public Employee's pay yet It's wrong to take pay from hard workers in the name of "pension reform." No one minds paying their share or making sacrifices. Public employees have been doing it for years with no raises, only health ins. increases, while working short staffed. Our fight is the fact the GOP want to force contributions, in the middle of a recession. They are forcing us into a working poor class. If Gov. Scott and Sen. Haridopolos tell the TRUTH they would tell the general public and the private sector that Florida's Public Employee's accept lower wages in exchange for a pension, as part of a delayed compensation. So in reality, tax payers ZERO percent towards their retirement. Since the yes votes are not pouring in as planned and Gov.Scott won’t like the fact the MAJORITY are voting NO, are probably not even going to even use it. Unless of course, votes start to swing in their direction. The truth is that the poll is a waste of time and tax payers’ money. After all, someone from their office is using time and resources to post and track it and it’s tax payers that are footing the bill, as usual. Of course, we could all hope the Senate will do the right thing and stand up to Gov. Rick Scott and close the money gap by making big corporations pay taxes, instead of us little people. If they live up to what's written on their page about fighting to protect Florida families, then they will also include public employees, in that promise. Then by doing so they will also vote No, to their own poll! You can access the face book page by typing in FLORIDA SENATE MAJORITY OFFICE or via this address https://www.facebook.com/FlSenateGOP
On the left hand side of their page is a Questions (1) tab under the Florida Senate Logo. Click on the question tab and you will be presented with the poll.

04-17-2011, 10:06 AM
I want you to know I appreciate your response Mr. Haridopolos, However, saying “We can no longer shoulder 100 percent of the burden” is not only untruthful but also designed to deceive the general public into actually believing tax payers pay are funding my retirement in the first place. That poll on face book clearly shows there is no huge majority public screaming for reform like the GOP claims. Further, it shows most do not agree with the reform. We have said it before, we will say it again, we already contribute into our own pensions, by virtue of accepting lower wages, in exchange for a pension. Your reform is nothing more than a TAX and most of us are unable to afford it and it's a breech in our original agreement. I know you are aware and hear the Public Employee’s concerns. Were just wondering why you’re not listening? Can't you answer the question everyone is asking? Why aren't big corporations being taxed? Why take from those that are struggling already to make ends meet. Your requiring us to pay what you claim is a "meager" contribution, will impact employee's families in the form of a PAY CUT. Why would you advocate and allow the State of Florida to break a contract and promise to current public employees anyway? I often can't sleep at night. I lie awake and wonder how in the world the "little people" always get the shaft...then I remember what Abraham Lincoln described so long ago. “I see in the near future a crisis approaching that unnerves me and causes me to Tremble for the safety of my country; corporations have been enthroned, an era of Corruption in High Places will follow, and the Money Power of the Country will Endeavor to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of the People, until The wealth is aggregated in a few hands, and the Republic is destroyed." The only way to turn this thing into a Win Win and close that money gap...tax corporate America, not public employees. During that closed session ahead, You’re obligated to protect ALL Florida Families and that includes the thousands of Public Employees who are in fact tax payers and Florida Voters.
Dawn Hayes ____________________________________
From: HARIDOPOLOS.MIKE.WEB [HARIDOPOLOS.MIKE.WEB@flsenate.gov]
Sent: Friday, April 15, 2011 4:30 PM
To: Hayes,Dawn
Subject: RE: Pension Reform
Unfortunately, we find ourselves in the position of no longer being able to shoulder 100 percent of the burden.

04-17-2011, 10:20 AM
Apparently, I am making the Senate Majority Mad. Good... :evil: I told them It's not personal, it's business. Rick Scott is familiar with that term. I am in the fight of my life, to keep that pension promise. Lower wages in exchange for delayed compensation, means tax payers have never funded 100 percent of my retierment. They paid ZERO towards it, I paid 100 percent. Bring it on Tallahassee. If there is one thing I have learned after 23 as a public servant, it's how to fight. Yes, if I had any, they would in fact Clank! :devil:

04-17-2011, 06:41 PM
What Kind of People actually expect high risk employees to put their life on the line for little more than minimum wage? Who expects teachers to scrape by, while paying their student loans they accumulated, to earn a degree just to teach our kids. Who expects someone to save their family in a burning building about to collaspe without just compensation for the risk they take. It pathetic there is even a poll or consideration to cut the pay of hard working employees. The pension benifit is the only draw to obtain and retain quality people to serve and protect. Why is Govenor Scott permitted to give a 20K dollar raise to his "special staff" all because he needs to retain the very best and "his staff work very hard and need to be compensated" The general public and the private sector need all Police, Firefighters, EMT, Teachers and other public employees to be the BEST. I am certain they all work much harder than anyone working for Govenor Scott, which by the way, your tax dollars are paying for too! If public servants made 140k a year like Rick Scott's secretary, I'll bet they would not mind that Tax you claim is fair and just!

04-17-2011, 07:54 PM
The Tea Party and Public Employees need to Stand United! Lets not let the goverment continue to spew lies crafted to pit us against one another. We should all be on the same page. It's very unethical to lie to the private sector employees and tell them public employees are free loading off the tax payers by claiming they have never paid a dime into their own pensions. Public Employees in Florida have always paid 100% into their own pension, by virtue of the lower wages in exchange for the meger pension they will recieve if they ever even make it to retirement. Executive staff may be draining the funds, but not the line workers. I agree Vote NO on this Poll and join in the fight against the real reasons there is a gap in the State Budget.....BIG MONEY BAG COMPANIES, THAT PAY ZERO TAXES. :evil:

04-20-2011, 10:41 PM
It’s worrisome when a leader no longer operates or is guided by a sense of what is right or wrong. It appears the conscience of many leaders today have literally been cauterized and rendered insensitive. Power and Greed appear to be a common denominator behind a seared conscience which is synonymous with corruption. Did you know 261 members of Congress are millionaires? That's 44 % of the body, compared to about 1% of Americans overall, yet unemployment is at an all-time low. This information was provided by CBS News. If you’re so inclined to read more information, the article was titled “Numbers Of millionaires in Congress.” Let’s hope Florida is not lost and seared Consciences do not finish her off. :(

04-24-2011, 12:21 AM
The politicians claim that their 100 dollar a year health insurance is "just a way to make their job worthwhile" yet they refuse to accept that same claim from Police, Firefighters, and Teachers about their pension benefits. Rick Scott stated “We can no longer shoulder 100 percent of my burden” regarding pension and made false claims tax payers foot 100 percent of their pensions. Based on this theory, politicians are doing the same thing by basically getting free health insurance. The truth, all public employees pay their own pension by way of accepting lower wages in exchange for the delayed compensation of a pension. And of course because legislators make very little their low healthcare cost is part of their defined benefit. What is infuriating is all of the Governor’s rhetoric, designed to deceive the general public and pit one another against each other. Is it a divide and conquer technique? He is spreading lies about public employee’s retirement in order to tax them, yet the same situation exits in his own backyard. Suddenly, it’s different? The tax being placed on the public employees in the guise of a pension reform is really just to offset economic woes. A poll on face book under the "Florida Senate Majority Office" being endorsed by Rick Scott, clearly shows there is no huge majority public screaming for pension reform. Many understand the balance between pay and benefits as it’s similar for those in private sector employment. This poll shows most do not agree with pension reform. Many public employees made comments about this poll being unethical, and are saying they are unable to afford a cut in pay and it's a breach of employment contracts. Tax payers are all wondering why Scott is not answering the real question everyone is asking. Why aren't big corporations being taxed? Why take from those that are struggling already to make ends meet and have not had raises in years? Why push hard working Floridians further into the working poor class? On one hand he claim is he is only asking for "meager" contribution from public employees to the tune of 5% of their annual income despite the fact they already make low wages and have had no raises. On the other hand, he expects the public to understand that he gave large raises to his key employees, because “they work so hard and there is a need to attract the very best people” and “low health care is a way to make the job worthwhile.” These are his claims for people that work in an OFFICE, yet he does not agree to those same standards for people that put their life on the line every day? Employers of Firefighters, Police, Teachers and other public employees need to attract the very best people and feel their staff all work very hard also. Perhaps it's that sense of entitlement and unfair mentality that has made him the most disliked Governor Florida has ever seen and why there is a movement to have him recalled! :evil:

04-24-2011, 12:26 AM
Hey Gov. Scott, I'll tell ya what, give all public employee's the same "perk" as the legislators regarding the cost of health care and we will be happy to pay that 5 percent tax your calling pension reform...Heck with only a 100 buck for the entire year, I'll even pay yours! Dawn :devil: