The Great and General Court of the Commonwealth passed the budget last night. See this post for details. The Standard Times had this article and the Boston Globe had this one
One correction from yesterday's post, ...
...the local option meals tax is .75%, not 75 cents.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
State budget passes
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7 comments:
Bill said...
As it pertains to the Quinn Bill, monetary incentive to police officers who have or obtain a college degree in law enforcement, it appears that the legislatures have not lost their erectile mentality toward police officers.
I chose to be a police officer. I don't need your state money. Dartmouth tax payers agreed to pay for half the cost of the Quinn Bill and the state the other half. The Massachusetts police Association never offered or lobbied for this Bill. It was a monetary incentive, thought up by the legislators, so that a better educated/ caliber of police officer, shall apply for the position.
As the Quinn Bill applies to law enforcement, allow me to explain a little about how law enforcement and a college degree became dysfunctional.
In my 23 years of law enforcement, I’ve seen more than you’ll ever know. I’ve taken knifes, clubs, guns, drugs and violent people out of cars. Teens and otherwise. I’ve seen drunk, drugged, and distracted drivers of all ages who’ve been dangerous to everyone on the road. I’ve been in more fights than I can count with those drivers and passengers. I've picked up dead bodies off the roadways. Drivers, passengers, pedestrians and otherwise. I’ve seen almost every kind of death you can think of. My college education never came in play.
Yes. I may have talked brusquely to your dear child. Or gotten you out of the car. Asked you to take your hands out of your pockets or something similar. But you may want to consider that one of those “kids” I dealt with in our lovely area came the closest to killing me in all the years I worked. He had a loaded 357 magnum hidden under the shirt he asked me to let him put on Thank God, I refused. Gee. Looking back on that…I guess my college education made a difference.
I’ve also seen the faces of toddlers and children who were lost and whom my co-workers and I were privileged to place back in the arms of a crying mother. I’ve seen the bleeding I was able to stop, the heart I was able to get a chance to re-start and the crime victims my comrades and I were able to protect. I’ve got the faces in my mind of people whose lives my partners and I saved. Yes. I have my success stories…and my failures. Thank God for my college education.
And I’ve seen the nights when I can’t go to sleep or get back to because of the faces and the “what if” factor in every case. And if you never see one thousandth this munch, then law enforcement has done it’s job…and after all…if cops had a rabid need to be over paid, we’d have become firemen. Trust me. I’ve taken that long walk to the front door to tell the parent, spouse, child or relative that their loved one isn’t ever coming home. I’ve borne the verbal agony and even threats because these poor people can’t stand the grief. I’ve seen husbands beat wives and vice versa. Parents beat children and vice that versa as well. I’ve seen the results when people kill each other.
I’ve seen crimes you’ve never dreamed of and won’t ever see. Please take my college incentive and donate it to some child in need of a new school book or pair of shoes. Alpha males/females college educated police officers have never begged for the Quinn Bill.
Because we are protectors of life, I ask that any state money saved by cutting back on the Quinn Bill, be directed to pregnant females in hope that they will not have an abortion. How can we put a price on life? I'll bet you a hundred to one that state money for abortions was not cut from the state budget
This, same post is shown on another issue related to same. subject.
Bill, your response to the state Quinn Bill is straight on. For the sole purpose of encouraging police officers to obtain a college degree, the state law makers optioned to provide additional money toward police salaries. The state giveth and the state taketh away.
I've just finished taking the state civil service police test for cities and towns. I'm 22 years of age and have a BS in law enforcement, plus several credits toward a masters. Like yourself, I'm not interested in the Quinn Bill or any other type of state hand out. As it relates to job opportunity, my concern is that I'm on an equal status as anyone with a high school diploma. The state entrance exam for police officers will not allow additional points for advanced education. As it relates to appointments, the city or town shall choose according to the highest test score, which is set by the state department of civil service.
Thanks for the input on how it is in the real world of police work I'll hang on to my degree, knowledge is a great thing to have but true experience is worth more.
on a side note......the Dartmouth Democratic Town Committee is sponsoring a Summer Food Drive that will benefit the COA food Pantry. Drop-offs are the VFW post on Cross Rd , Burgo Basketball complex on Slocum and of course the COA...the food drive is going to start July 1st and finish up July 31st....the summer months is when pantries need the most help...please drop by one of the locations and help us reach our goal of 1,000 canned goods. thank you---Ray Medeiros Jr.
To the first poster...You drive so many points home. Thank you
Thank you for risking your life, leaving your family on holidays, nights, and weekends for us. I for one appreciate your service. Thank You.
Your information is wrong. The police union DID lobby to keep that bill. Who are you trying to kid?
4:28 P.M. Post
Your reading comprehension skills are in need of improvement. Please read the original post and try to
understand the word usage. Reading and understanding is most important.
The posting is made in reference to the enactment of the Quinn Bill, not the discontinuation of funding.
Please try again, make the attempt to comprehend.
Bill
While reading your post, I've became sick to my stomach. I'm not an alpha male, but if I was, I'm not sure I could deal with all that death and destruction. I've never had an encounter with the police, but I did witness a tragic car accident. This was an intersection accident where one driver failed to stop at the stop sign and proceeded through the intersection and smashed into another car killing one child and it's mother. Other passengers were trapped inside the car while smoke was coming from the engine. I ran to the car but unable to act, the mutilation of human parts and blood caused an emotional freeze. My wife called 911.
Two police officers arrived and quickly began handling the injured passengers. One officer began giving instructions. More police arrived, along with two ambulance. The medics provided medical attention, officers took care of the traffic, while the others where involved with helping the injured.
I was so emotionally traumatized, that my doctor had me see a psychologist.
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