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Post by dennyf on Oct 16, 2016 20:53:37 GMT -5
If anyone is interested - and they should be, BOTH Senate bills (SB 1166 and 1168) to allow our wildlife agencies to set their own license fees for a three year period, should be moving in the House starting tomorrow or Tuesday. If you favor the idea of funding the agencies at the levels they deserve, then notify your Representative you want them to pass both bills. They have already passed in the Senate by a wide margin.
Also on the schedule, is the bill to allow PGC to approve semi auto rifles for certain species, primarily predators and varmints.
And that onerous attempt at undermining legitimate wildlife management by PGC - HB 2083, may also move to the floor of the House. That one needs to go down in flames.
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Post by Dutch on Oct 16, 2016 21:19:41 GMT -5
To many examples nationwide where wildlife is managed by legislatures, and hunters have lost. I sure don't want it, but, our agency has become far to arrogant and something needs done.
They have brought some of this on themselves.
I know how my legislator will vote on this stuff, and it won't be in favor of hunters, I'm sure.
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Post by ridgecommander on Oct 17, 2016 7:21:31 GMT -5
Hoping 737 moves. My Rep supports that bill. Neutral to opposes license fee increases due to most of it going to unsustainable pension obligations.
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Post by dennyf on Oct 17, 2016 8:22:58 GMT -5
Who is responsible for employee benefits and salaries, including pensions - PGC or the Commonwealth of PA, which is the entity that sets those packages?
Agreed that public employee pensions are out of kilter, but the crucial issue is sustaining the work of the agencies, neither one of which has any control over pensions.
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Post by Dutch on Oct 17, 2016 8:45:33 GMT -5
The pensions need fixed, but they won't.
Gutless legislators
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Post by fleroo on Oct 17, 2016 8:53:41 GMT -5
Pension can be reformed quite easily, using the "grandfather" process. That way you aren't whizzing on any current employees or retirees. It can easily be fair. My company "froze" traditional pension (trad being you receive the monthly pension benefit upon retirement). WE, employees had no say. The company had to do it to keep the bottom line in order. We all understood it.
This craziness of state workers, being able to go out in the mid-late 40's, especially when their military time is included in as service, is CRAZY. NEVER have that malarkey in the private sector.
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Post by ridgecommander on Oct 17, 2016 9:18:15 GMT -5
Who is responsible for employee benefits and salaries, including pensions - PGC or the Commonwealth of PA, which is the entity that sets those packages? The state. Which is why I oppose the state allowing an agency to increase fees, when the majority of those fees will be going to shore up unsustainable pensions. I lay no blame on the PGC for wanting an increase. I lay blame squarely on Harrisburg for refusing to address the real issues and instead just sticking it to the citizens of this state. At some point, tough decisions need to be made. I do not support singling out one agency or entity over another. No fees should be increased nor taxes raised on any citizen in this commonwealth until our broken pension system is fixed and sustainable. |
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Post by ridgecommander on Oct 17, 2016 9:20:46 GMT -5
This craziness of state workers, being able to go out in the mid-late 40's, especially when their military time is included in as service, is CRAZY. NEVER have that malarkey in the private sector. Yep. Craziness it is. Especially when supervisors have these employees working double shifts the year before they retire at 50 years old. Then they try to justify these benefits as the jobs being "stressful" and "dangerous". State, county, local etc...... All are guilty and it is nothing more than fraud at the expense of taxpayers. |
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Post by fleroo on Oct 17, 2016 9:53:14 GMT -5
I'm wit ya on that.
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Post by robinpa on Oct 17, 2016 15:15:31 GMT -5
Finally received a reply from my district legislator his view is 1166--NO , 1168--no and 2083--yes
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Post by redarrow on Oct 17, 2016 15:40:04 GMT -5
Is it law enforcement employees who can retire in their mid to late 40s? I know a prison guard who did retire a couple months shy of his 50th birthday-he said it was at a reduced sum. Who are the others?
I keep hearing that everyone's pension should be tied to the market through programs like 401Ks, etc. Counting on market performance for the majority of retirement income for the vast majority of Americans sounds like a very big risk to take.
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Post by Dutch on Oct 17, 2016 16:19:28 GMT -5
Is it law enforcement employees who can retire in their mid to late 40s? I know a prison guard who did retire a couple months shy of his 50th birthday-he said it was at a reduced sum. Who are the others? I keep hearing that everyone's pension should be tied to the market through programs like 401Ks, etc. Counting on market performance for the majority of retirement income for the vast majority of Americans sounds like a very big risk to take. Pension plans invest in the market, so, those with pensions ARE tied to the market. MOST Americans have no pensions. We exist on 401K's. Some have matches. Those on 401K's ARE tied to the market, directly. Large corporations are phasing out pensions for new hires. My brother worked for a company that ended it's pension, and paid out to the employees. 401K's after that. Why should government employees have better plans than us underlings? Talk about an elite class? |
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Post by Dutch on Oct 17, 2016 16:20:47 GMT -5
Is it law enforcement employees who can retire in their mid to late 40s? I know a prison guard who did retire a couple months shy of his 50th birthday-he said it was at a reduced sum. Who are the others? I keep hearing that everyone's pension should be tied to the market through programs like 401Ks, etc. Counting on market performance for the majority of retirement income for the vast majority of Americans sounds like a very big risk to take. State Police at 20 or 25 years, I believe. Teachers, 35 for full. WCO's 35 for full, I think. |
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Post by ridgecommander on Oct 17, 2016 16:42:28 GMT -5
I keep hearing that everyone's pension should be tied to the market through programs like 401Ks, etc. Counting on market performance for the majority of retirement income for the vast majority of Americans sounds like a very big risk to take. And bankrupting schools, public entities, local, county, state govt while running up debt is not a big risk to take all so these public employees can get better retirement perks than private sector workers? |
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Post by dennyf on Oct 17, 2016 16:45:29 GMT -5
PGC WCOs are probably the only LEOs in the state that do not have an "early out" like most others do?
While it probably sounds like a plum assignment to be a cop, prison guard, etc and be able to retire in one's mid 50s, do we really want LEOs on the job that are nearing the end of their physical ability to deal sucessfully with those that cannot behave and pose a threat?
So the gist here is, that because the state couldn't keep public employee pensions funded properly and they've become a major burden for taxpayers, we should now let Game and Fish head on down the tubes due to insolvency and eventually be folded into another state agency.
Which means they will eventually just become another bureaucracy directly under the control of the Governor, like most everything else already is. There will far more political influence vs sound wildlife management, than there already is.
My opinion, that's another "cut your nose off to spite your face" solution, to a problem that is not the fault of either wildlife agency.
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Post by Dutch on Oct 17, 2016 17:28:20 GMT -5
Finally received a reply from my district legislator his view is 1166--NO , 1168--no and 2083--yes 2083 is the most dangerous piece of legislation for hunters. It will set a precedent with the legislators. Suppose they don't want a bobcat season? Gone. Bear season? Gone. Trapping? GONE Be damned careful what u wish for! |
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Post by Dutch on Oct 17, 2016 18:05:05 GMT -5
After the incident where some idiots put M-80's under the shell of a snapper and blew it up, some folks wanted a cruelty to wild animals bill.
Guess what? How is an arrow looked upon by the majority of the public, or a bullet?
Cruelty, right???
One of my brother's Herp friends was all gung ho over that bill. Not sure if he still is or not. And he is a hunter. Go figger....
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Post by timberdoodle on Oct 17, 2016 18:14:25 GMT -5
Just look at NJ... Fish & Game had to sue Lisa Jackson the head of DEP under the Corzine administration to get a bear season which was lawful but Corzine & Jackson didn't want one. Fish & Game prevailed after several years delay and the bear season went ahead. The following year Corzine & Jackson again halted the season and once again Fish &Game began suit . But then the election ran those clowns out of business, Corazine went on to lose billions and Jackson went to work for Obama. Christe (Yuk) won election and the bear season has been going on ever since ( 8 years anyways) at least until the next election
Oh yeah...give the power to the politicians
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Post by robinpa on Oct 17, 2016 18:44:14 GMT -5
Finally received a reply from my district legislator his view is 1166--NO , 1168--no and 2083--yes 2083 is the most dangerous piece of legislation for hunters. It will set a precedent with the legislators. Suppose they don't want a bobcat season? Gone. Bear season? Gone. Trapping? GONE Be damned careful what u wish for! What i wish for is really not very important , its what our elected officials want thats important , " just sayn" |
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Post by Dutch on Oct 17, 2016 18:47:45 GMT -5
The elected officials are being swayed by the ill educated.
Like I said, be careful. It will be a slippery slope in the future.
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Post by Dutch on Oct 17, 2016 18:49:46 GMT -5
Just look at NJ... Fish & Game had to sue Lisa Jackson the head of DEP under the Corzine administration to get a bear season which was lawful but Corzine & Jackson didn't want one. Fish & Game prevailed after several years delay and the bear season went ahead. The following year Corzine & Jackson again halted the season and once again Fish &Game began suit . But then the election ran those clowns out of business, Corazine went on to lose billions and Jackson went to work for Obama. Christe (Yuk) won election and the bear season has been going on ever since ( 8 years anyways) at least until the next election Oh yeah...give the power to the politicians After the killing of that bear that walked on it's hind legs in Joisey, I'm thinking the bear season is in jeopardy. The bear season was closed in Florida this year. Anti's got er dun. Dem bears are to warm and cuddly to shoot, right? |
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Post by ridgecommander on Oct 17, 2016 19:04:33 GMT -5
PGC WCOs are probably the only LEOs in the state that do not have an "early out" like most others do? So since others have a bad benefit that is bankrupting the state, we have to make sure everyone has it? Every state agency should go down the tubes then maybe the problem would get addressed? Every state agency is a burden on taxpayers at this point in time. At some point Denny, we cannot keep kicking the bucket down the road. When do you take a stand? Never? |
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Post by redarrow on Oct 17, 2016 19:05:38 GMT -5
I keep hearing that everyone's pension should be tied to the market through programs like 401Ks, etc. Counting on market performance for the majority of retirement income for the vast majority of Americans sounds like a very big risk to take. And bankrupting schools, public entities, local, county, state govt while running up debt is not a big risk to take all so these public employees can get better retirement perks than private sector workers? I guess you're right there ridge. --Though nowhere did I say that public employees should have it any better than all the poorly treated private sector employees.--If the market crashes and does not bounce back, at least the misery and poverty for those at retirement age will be shared and all can wallow in the same pile of failed promises and expectations, heaven forbid somebody have a pension at times of record and near-record profits. Put 10-15% of every dollar you earn and save/invest for you own retirement. Anything extra will just be some gravy for your potatoes. I have always saved some of every paycheck on my own for my retirement. I guess if we all end up getting screwed by a sustained market crash, we can pretend we have been invited to an orgy and try to enjoy it. coffeespit |
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Post by robinpa on Oct 17, 2016 19:52:02 GMT -5
The elected officials are being swayed by the ill educated. Like I said, be careful. It will be a slippery slope in the future. Let it slide , no support or respect left for the pgc from myself and many,many others. |
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Post by Dutch on Oct 17, 2016 20:03:04 GMT -5
This is about the future of hunting.
I absolutely despise the PGC, BUT, I see the real danger here. You just need look at other states that have lost hunting or trapping.
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