Reply #10: Agree for the most part.

[No Elephants]

However, I don't know if a dignified retirement requires making more per year than you made while employed, after accounting for changes in cost of living.

If it is all their money, though, they deserve every penny--and probably more, given the risks first responders take with their lives and health.

Unfortunately, public sector employees often negotiated away salary increases for benefits, like good health care coverage and good pensions. And, now that it is time to cash in, cities, towns and states are saying "We're broke."

The fruits of the "starve the beast" doctrines and the refusal of people to accept that goods and services cost money and costs increase.