San Francisco - sad ......

Irvrobinson

Irvrobinson

Audioholic Spartan
Oregon is just as bad with that PERS thing.
 
highfigh

highfigh

Seriously, I have no life.
and you wonder why Big cities can't control their budgets !

Milwaukee County had a pension plan where people had an option to defer their retirement and when they actually stop working, receive a lump sum and a partially reduced pension. Here's an excerpt from the link-

" "Drop" refers to Deferred Retirement Option Program. Employees who stay on after they are eligible to retire can receive both a lump-sum payout and a (somewhat reduced) monthly retirement benefit. Employees, upon leaving, reach "back" to a prior date when they could have retired. They get a lump sum equal to the total of the monthly pension benefits from that date up until their actual quitting date. The concept was not new in 2001, but Milwaukee County's plan was distinguished because it did not limit the number of years a worker could "drop back." In fact, retirees are routinely dropping back five years or more, with some reaching back 10 or more years.

That has allowed many workers to get lump-sum payments well into six figures.

Former deputy district attorney Jon Reddin, at age 63, collected the largest to date: $976,000, on top of monthly pension checks of $6,070 each."

Ironically, also from the link-

"July 13-14, 1998: Milwaukee County Human Resources Director Gary Dobbert attends conference session in San Francisco and gets detailed briefing on "backdrop" lump-sum pension programs."


The estimated cost to the county is around $900 Million.
 
M

Midwesthonky

Audioholic General
Milwaukee County had a pension plan where people had an option to defer their retirement and when they actually stop working, receive a lump sum and a partially reduced pension. Here's an excerpt from the link-

" "Drop" refers to Deferred Retirement Option Program. Employees who stay on after they are eligible to retire can receive both a lump-sum payout and a (somewhat reduced) monthly retirement benefit. Employees, upon leaving, reach "back" to a prior date when they could have retired. They get a lump sum equal to the total of the monthly pension benefits from that date up until their actual quitting date. The concept was not new in 2001, but Milwaukee County's plan was distinguished because it did not limit the number of years a worker could "drop back." In fact, retirees are routinely dropping back five years or more, with some reaching back 10 or more years.

That has allowed many workers to get lump-sum payments well into six figures.

Former deputy district attorney Jon Reddin, at age 63, collected the largest to date: $976,000, on top of monthly pension checks of $6,070 each."

Ironically, also from the link-

"July 13-14, 1998: Milwaukee County Human Resources Director Gary Dobbert attends conference session in San Francisco and gets detailed briefing on "backdrop" lump-sum pension programs."


The estimated cost to the county is around $900 Million.

Oh yeah, now they are talking about raising the sales tax from 5.6% to 7% to pay for it. I think the pensions are something like 30% of the budget or more. If I was offered the deal, I'd take it. But now the people are paying for the back-office deals done by past politicians to get the union support.
 
highfigh

highfigh

Seriously, I have no life.
Oh yeah, now they are talking about raising the sales tax from 5.6% to 7% to pay for it. I think the pensions are something like 30% of the budget or more. If I was offered the deal, I'd take it. But now the people are paying for the back-office deals done by past politicians to get the union support.
I think the increase the board wants is more like .5%. Either way, I don't plan to stay much longer.
 
M

Midwesthonky

Audioholic General
I think the increase the board wants is more like .5%. Either way, I don't plan to stay much longer.
Not sure how you can afford to stay. Sales tax in Waukesha County is 5.1% and if the hike goes though, you'll be paying an extra 1% in tax on every purchase. I know people already who shop outside of MKE county for every major purchase to save a few $.
 
Mikado463

Mikado463

Audioholic Spartan
Not sure how you can afford to stay. Sales tax in Waukesha County is 5.1% and if the hike goes though, you'll be paying an extra 1% in tax on every purchase. I know people already who shop outside of MKE county for every major purchase to save a few $.
5.1% ...... peanuts ! unless of course you have state tax on top of that ?

Living in SE Pa we cross into Delaware for our large ticket items .... zero tax !
 
Irvrobinson

Irvrobinson

Audioholic Spartan
The optimum place for retirees to live is in southwest Washington state. No income tax in Washington, and you shop by driving over a bridge into Oregon, where there's no sales tax.
 
panteragstk

panteragstk

Audioholic Warlord
5.1% ...... peanuts ! unless of course you have state tax on top of that ?

Living in SE Pa we cross into Delaware for our large ticket items .... zero tax !
No kidding. We're at 8.25% right now, but no state income tax. Apparently there's a vote on whether or not to implement state income tax here, but I doubt it'll pass.
 
highfigh

highfigh

Seriously, I have no life.
Not sure how you can afford to stay. Sales tax in Waukesha County is 5.1% and if the hike goes though, you'll be paying an extra 1% in tax on every purchase. I know people already who shop outside of MKE county for every major purchase to save a few $.
You need to realize that compared with many places in the US, the sales tax here is very low. The problem is that the property and income taxes aren't. I can manage what and how much I buy, but I can't fix the other two.
 
M

Midwesthonky

Audioholic General
You need to realize that compared with many places in the US, the sales tax here is very low. The problem is that the property and income taxes aren't. I can manage what and how much I buy, but I can't fix the other two.
I get it. I live in the county to the west. My home value is more than double a family member's located in Milwaukee County. But my taxes are less in total. Add in the wheel tax and other taxes and it's getting mighty expensive. I have a business in Milwaukee County and the property taxes are brutal.
 
Mikado463

Mikado463

Audioholic Spartan
The optimum place for retirees to live is in southwest Washington state. No income tax in Washington, and you shop by driving over a bridge into Oregon, where there's no sales tax.
trouble with that Irv is my grandkids are in Delaware ......
 
highfigh

highfigh

Seriously, I have no life.
I get it. I live in the county to the west. My home value is more than double a family member's located in Milwaukee County. But my taxes are less in total. Add in the wheel tax and other taxes and it's getting mighty expensive. I have a business in Milwaukee County and the property taxes are brutal.
The peace of mind in that county is worth the drive, IMO. If I had known how far Milwaukee would fall in the time since I bought my house, I would never have bought in the county. I'm in a burb that abuts the border and we're constantly getting nailed by the idiots. I occasionally listen to a police scanner app and a few nights ago, I heard a call that someone had fired close to a dozen rounds in Fox Point and only a few minutes later, heard a call about shots fired about 100 yards from my front door.

MKE needs a complete flush.
 
M

Midwesthonky

Audioholic General
The peace of mind in that county is worth the drive, IMO. If I had known how far Milwaukee would fall in the time since I bought my house, I would never have bought in the county. I'm in a burb that abuts the border and we're constantly getting nailed by the idiots. I occasionally listen to a police scanner app and a few nights ago, I heard a call that someone had fired close to a dozen rounds in Fox Point and only a few minutes later, heard a call about shots fired about 100 yards from my front door.

MKE needs a complete flush.
My business is in Greenfield. Greenfield police have been great to work with but a lot has changed for them in the last 10 years. A lot more car chases, a lot more drug issues, and a lot more gun violence issues. One I talked couldn't confirm anything officially, but you oculd see it in his expression when I asked about crime moving south into West Allis and into Greenfield.

Waukesha County isn't perfect either as there are pockets of stupidity. But overall, it has a lot less shooting. But even the problems are migrating out of the hood. A friend was about to yell at a car for throwing their fast food trash out onto the road. Right up until someone in the car flashed a gun. They were not from New Berlin.

Sad because there are people working to improve the rough areas. I did some work up off Capital Drive and I was surprised at all the work done to improve that area. Definitely a lot better than 10 years ago. Still wouldn't go there after dark though.
 
Mikado463

Mikado463

Audioholic Spartan
My business is in Greenfield. Greenfield police have been great to work with but a lot has changed for them in the last 10 years. A lot more car chases, a lot more drug issues, and a lot more gun violence issues. One I talked couldn't confirm anything officially, but you oculd see it in his expression when I asked about crime moving south into West Allis and into Greenfield.

Waukesha County isn't perfect either as there are pockets of stupidity. But overall, it has a lot less shooting. But even the problems are migrating out of the hood. A friend was about to yell at a car for throwing their fast food trash out onto the road. Right up until someone in the car flashed a gun. They were not from New Berlin.

Sad because there are people working to improve the rough areas. I did some work up off Capital Drive and I was surprised at all the work done to improve that area. Definitely a lot better than 10 years ago. Still wouldn't go there after dark though.
truly sad, it's a shame we can't eliminate not only the trash thrown out the window but also the 'trash' that still resides within the vehicle.........
 
highfigh

highfigh

Seriously, I have no life.
My business is in Greenfield. Greenfield police have been great to work with but a lot has changed for them in the last 10 years. A lot more car chases, a lot more drug issues, and a lot more gun violence issues. One I talked couldn't confirm anything officially, but you oculd see it in his expression when I asked about crime moving south into West Allis and into Greenfield.

Waukesha County isn't perfect either as there are pockets of stupidity. But overall, it has a lot less shooting. But even the problems are migrating out of the hood. A friend was about to yell at a car for throwing their fast food trash out onto the road. Right up until someone in the car flashed a gun. They were not from New Berlin.

Sad because there are people working to improve the rough areas. I did some work up off Capital Drive and I was surprised at all the work done to improve that area. Definitely a lot better than 10 years ago. Still wouldn't go there after dark though.
Where on Capitol Dr? If it was anywhere East of 60th St, it's pretty dicey all the way into Shorewood.

The incident with the gun- I hope you called the PD- that's aggravated assault and it's a felony.

What kind of business?
 
M

Midwesthonky

Audioholic General
Where on Capitol Dr? If it was anywhere East of 60th St, it's pretty dicey all the way into Shorewood.

The incident with the gun- I hope you called the PD- that's aggravated assault and it's a felony.

What kind of business?

I was west of 60th. I know east of 60th is dicey. I had a supplier east of 60th and I stopped using them because why travel there when I can use a supplier in Sussex where I don't have to worry? When your facility is surrounded by chain link fencing and topped with razor wire, you may want to consider relocation.

As for business, I do millwork for commercial customers. I do some standard work for a catalog retailer so I just make the various SKU's and drop it at their dock. Another customer I make their display cases for the North American showrooms. Again, I drop it at their dock and they add their product. Other stuff is custom reception desks, etc. I'm small, but it pays bills and I have a lot of flexibility.
 
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