laura1957
TUG Member
Anyone who doesn't believe that NY cops and firemen are the biggest pension scammers on the planet it asleep at the wheel.
Look up "heart presumption" sometime--this law (yes, it's the law) assumes that any heart problem whatsoever that arises for one of these uniformed guys is a direct result of the job. This means that the pension now goes un-taxed forever.
It doesn't matter what the person did to their body--piles of the proverbial doughnuts, packs of cigs, too much time at the local pub vs. the gym, etc.
The padding of police and fire pensions is as well documented as Donald Trump's hair. Plus the fact that the police and fire depts of NYC in particular are multi-generational. Fathers teach their sons around the dinner table how to maximize their pensions and create the next generation of pigs at the public trough.
Having said that, indeed there are heros in uniforms. But the percentage of these vs the shortimers who scam the pension system is laughably small.
I would say that is backwards - the scammers are in the minority just like they are in almost ANY profession, you just hear about them more.