Palm Beach County perk goes far: Cars, gas

To the person that posted above me....it actually makes sense, and I'm all for it. If I have an accident (which I have in PBC), I received the services of an off-duty deputy and didn't need to wait an hour...its was great. It DOES deter crime in my neighborhood, and prevents the south Florida rif-raff from breaking into my home and vehicles. If you're so bitter about it, go pick up an application and get into law enforcement. South Florida is out of control with crime, and my heart goes out to anyone that puts on that uniform. Next time your home gets broken into, think of who you call. Just put it this way, whenever we hear gunfire....we call 911, and we run away from it. They are the only people in the WORLD that run towards it, and they are regular people just like us with families to think of. For that, they deserve every benefit they can get. And on top of it, I have gotten tickets before...mostly because I've deserved them. At the time, it may seem cumbersome to fight it or pay, but in the long run its only to protect myself and my family. I fully support everyone who puts on the green uniform, and if my tax money goes to them....then I'm happy. Let the county do away with rent assistance for people that contribute nothing to society.

Futhermore, I have never read a newspaper that bashes law enforcement more in my life. Sun-Sentinel needs something else to write about. It seems that everytime a cop does something wrong, this cracker-jack newspaper is all over it giving law enforcement a bad name. I am from the northeast, and none of this crime happens up there. I love living down here, but it is a different world. These individuals need our support for the job they do. Just think of how many of them that have gotten seriously injured or killed within the past three years. If criminals are willing to hurt them, what makes you think that they actually give a damn about you or your children? We need to stand behind them and stop labeling them as crooks. Anyone that thinks this way about them should be ashamed of themselves....or just flat out move to podunk Iowa where there isn't as serious of crime

And yeah, keep editing out my words Sun Sentinel....I said "C.R.A.C.K.E.R. Jack newspaper.....this is absolute circus of a publication....the writers can't even spell, nor put a grammatically correct sentence together. Its a wonder why no one buys this stupid newspaper anymore

Time to review everything. Do you pay property taxes? It all has to get analyzed. No one wants to cut a nickel from the budget. Let them quit crying and make some long needed cuts.

I drive by a palm beach sheriff's cruiser everyday on my way to work, by E. Commercial Blvd - in Ft. Laud.

I also appreciate having 2 local cruisers parked pretty much 24/7 within 4 houses of mine in coral springs.

Here's a solution - raise the contribution to $150mth to cover gas if living in county - they'll still take the free car. Maintenance and gas savings are more then $150/mth. And revoke or charge more for officers living out of county.

This is just another example of government ripping off the public.

End all pensions and save billions of dollars.

Make all workers with government workers pay $0.75 per mile driven. This is what it costs to own a car.

Are the workers getting a 1099 tax form on this benefit? If not they are ripping off the taxpayers by not paying federal income taxes on the personal benefits.

Government is just killing the taxpayers.

Price is no object as long as it is not the greedy pigs governments employee that the money is coming from.

Government is wasting money and raising taxes and fees where ever they can.

People are losing their jobs, their homes, and everything. Government employees kick the helpless while they are down.

Firemen take 4 mpg trucks to shop at publix for hours on end. They leave the truck on idle so the AC works. Just a big waste of taxpayers money. The more they spend the more they get. It is a messed up system that needs to change.

The DOW went way down friday, taxpayers lost money in their 401k's , but the taxpayers made up all loses that the government employees took. Defined pensions never lose money, only taxpayers lose money.

Supporter wrote:

To the person that posted above me....it actually makes sense, and I'm all for it. If I have an accident (which I have in PBC), I received the services of an off-duty deputy and didn't need to wait an hour...its was great. It DOES deter crime in my neighborhood, and prevents the south Florida rif-raff from breaking into my home and vehicles. If you're so bitter about it, go pick up an application and get into law enforcement. South Florida is out of control with crime, and my heart goes out to anyone that puts on that uniform. Next time your home gets broken into, think of who you call. Just put it this way, whenever we hear gunfire....we call 911, and we run away from it. They are the only people in the WORLD that run towards it, and they are regular people just like us with families to think of. For that, they deserve every benefit they can get. And on top of it, I have gotten tickets before...mostly because I've deserved them. At the time, it may seem cumbersome to fight it or pay, but in the long run its only to protect myself and my family. I fully support everyone who puts on the green uniform, and if my tax money goes to them....then I'm happy. Let the county do away with rent assistance for people that contribute nothing to society.

I agree with your post but what happens when it is the police car that they break in to like they did and stole stuff out of my patrol car!!

$50 Contribution...Thats rich!

Whats that buy a 1/2 tank of gas?
It's no wonder they drive like gas is free, for them...IT IS!

Must be nice to have a free gas guzzling Crown Vic that you can floor from light to light while everyone else is paying for it...And don't tell me the cops don't...I see it everyday during my 120 commute of which just little old me picks up the entire tab...

This is a typical waste of the taxpayers money...No wonder I have to pay $10k in property taxes...I'm paying for someone else's car!

The best part was the county showing all the budget cuts to every program under the sun, but their pay and crap like this was left untouched...They all need to be replaced!

I agree it is good to keep police cars in the community or where officers live it would deter crime.

BUT..the reality is the cars are probley used for personal use. I have seen police in there off duty cloths, with there wifes, or kids in the cars, and the public should NOT have to pay for that.

Could not agree more.

U Suck wrote:

$50 Contribution...Thats rich!
Whats that buy a 1/2 tank of gas?
It's no wonder they drive like gas is free, for them...IT IS!
Must be nice to have a free gas guzzling Crown Vic that you can floor from light to light while everyone else is paying for it...And don't tell me the cops don't...I see it everyday during my 120 commute of which just little old me picks up the entire tab...
This is a typical waste of the taxpayers money...No wonder I have to pay $10k in property taxes...I'm paying for someone else's car!
The best part was the county showing all the budget cuts to every program under the sun, but their pay and crap like this was left untouched...They all need to be replaced!

You have no clue. SOME police officers use there postion to have a lisence to break the law, beat citizens, harass people..

I have no problem with the officers who do there jobs and i respect them.

This newspaper does not make the news up about bad officers, they just tell the public what is going on in our cities.

You have no clue as to what your taking about, and maybe you need to take your blinders off.

Supporter wrote:

Futhermore, I have never read a newspaper that bashes law enforcement more in my life. Sun-Sentinel needs something else to write about. It seems that everytime a cop does something wrong, this cracker-jack newspaper is all over it giving law enforcement a bad name. I am from the northeast, and none of this crime happens up there. I love living down here, but it is a different world. These individuals need our support for the job they do. Just think of how many of them that have gotten seriously injured or killed within the past three years. If criminals are willing to hurt them, what makes you think that they actually give a damn about you or your children? We need to stand behind them and stop labeling them as crooks. Anyone that thinks this way about them should be ashamed of themselves....or just flat out move to podunk Iowa where there isn't as serious of crime

One of my condo owner neighbors is a PBSO deputy. His cruiser is always parked here (does he ever go to work???) but having it on site has never deterred any crimes and, as far as I know, the guy has never pitched in to try to deal with our crime problem.

Like others have beens saying, a lot fewer county employees should be getting a free car benefit and the ones that do should be 1099'ed for it.

Channa wrote:

I agree it is good to keep police cars in the community or where officers live it would deter crime.
BUT..the reality is the cars are probley used for personal use. I have seen police in there off duty cloths, with there wifes, or kids in the cars, and the public should NOT have to pay for that.

You people need to stop flapping those lips about law enforcement sucking your tax money dry. None of you can do the job what these deputies and officers have to face everyday. Unless you are willing to face a criminal who wants nothing but to kill you or you are willing to go after a criminal who is shooting at you, than talk all you want. At the end of the day, you are still a little bitch who cry about everything like a little girl and these deputies and officers will still put a smile on their faces for saving you sorry asses.

Chemdawg wrote:

I drive by a palm beach sheriff's cruiser everyday on my way to work, by E. Commercial Blvd - in Ft. Laud.
I also appreciate having 2 local cruisers parked pretty much 24/7 within 4 houses of mine in coral springs.
Here's a solution - raise the contribution to $150mth to cover gas if living in county - they'll still take the free car. Maintenance and gas savings are more then $150/mth. And revoke or charge more for officers living out of county.

sounds better ,after all>>> the more police cars seen on the street the less crime

Call Dutch for the answer to this problem.

GTW

When reporting on government employees and operations, these articles always focus on developing a negative view of the situation rather than a fair assessment. They inflame the public rather than educate the public.
Is a car really a perk, or is it an important part of the employees job?
Is it more cost effective to allow taking the car home? Does it lead to higher productivity?
How do these employees pay compare to the private sector?
Government does serve a purpose, and as we continue to cut taxes, decrease services and restrict programs, and squeeze employee salaries and "perks", we will pay the price with increased crimes, decreased health services, and a buyer-be-ware environment.
Beware of what you ask for, as you may not like what you get - your life depends on it!