Utica Common Council approves firefighters retirement enhancement

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Utica Common Council approves firefighters retirement enhancement


Story Created: Jul 2, 2008 at 7:17 PM EDT

Story Updated: Jul 2, 2008 at 11:19 PM EDT

UTICA - The Utica Common Council decided to enhance city firefighters' retirement package. The final vote was eight to two with one council member saying that the city cannot afford to bump it up; the head of the firefighters' union says the city cannot afford to lose experienced firefighters.

The vote decided to now add 1/60 of their annual pay to the pension of all firefighters for every year on the job past their 20th.  Firefighters agreed on a 2% raise for each of four years, down from a negotiated 4%, in order to help pay for the enhanced retirement.

Right now, firefighters can retire after 20 years at 50% of the average of their last three years' pay.

City attorney said that Councilwoman Teresa Wojnas, whose husband is a firefighter, was able to take part in this vote.

Thursday, Jul 3 at 5:42 PM Utica Getting Worse wrote ...

I bet we will be looking for higher taxes in the near future. How can we afford all this now Mr. Mayor

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Wednesday, Jul 2 at 10:55 PM My idea is better wrote ...

Get rid of Viscera.

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Wednesday, Jul 2 at 10:49 PM non residents wrote ...

Especially when a good number of the recipients don't pay city taxes as they live in the surrounding communities!

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Wednesday, Jul 2 at 10:22 PM I got an idea.... wrote ...

Cross train the firemen to be police and put them on the burglary task force. Thank you Mr Viscera for realizing the City cant afford this.

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