Question: Have you, or a loved one, had your car stolen by a fire by chance? Were you mugged by Fire recently? Ok, seriously now, where did Fire touch you? Did Fire rape you? If you’re answering no for the most part and have just been robbed, mugged, raped and stabbed by humans while living in the city, then all together, this should be good news.
The St. Louis city Police Department will not have to lay off any officers this year! But, in an unrelated item, the Fire Department will have to lay off 30 firemen.
We’ll get to the firemen in a second, but this seriously is good news about the police. Especially considering that it was only a few weeks ago that Chief Isom was scaring everyone by saying that they might have to lay off five dozen…as in 60…officers this year. How they managed to go from 60 to zero, we don’t know, but that kinda math is fine by us! Yea! High fives! Oh…wait…chill. The Fire Department guys are looking at us. Stay cool.
Thirty St. Louis firefighters are being laid-off. In addition, another 24 positions are being cut through attrition. The layoffs will be based on seniority.
Both sides are blaming the other for not reaching an agreement. The mayor’s office claims no other city department is seeing the amount of pension increases that the fire department has. And, it claims the union is not willing to meet city officials “half-way” to reach an agreement.
A representative with [firefighters’ union] Local 73, says the mayor’s office is lying to the public and that firefighters have worked in “good faith” trying to cut pension costs.
In summary St. Louisans: You’re screwed on fire protection, so maybe just not plug in that extra heater or ac window unit later this year. We will be protected by the police just as well as we have been for the last year…eh crap. Ok so the crime will still suck, but any future sudden snow this spring should melt quickly with all these extra fires around town.
That’s how we roll. Always looking on the bright side.