Crooked? Or just plain stupid? *edited

The City of Memphis sent a letter to the city employees on June 30th, 2011. In this letter it was stated that the $10,000 death benefit given to a designated beneficiary if an employee dies will remain. They said the projected cost is $130,000 in fiscal year 2012. That would mean that 13 employees would have to die for the $130,000 to be required (simple math, 130,000 divided by 10,000).

Remember that the $10,000 is intended to offset funeral costs. So for the family surviving the employee, that $10,000 is helpful, but already spent on funeral arrangements.

Seemingly recognizing that a funeral is expensive and additonal help would be needed by the family, an additional $5,000 traditionally has been given to the beneficiary as short-term income. The City stated in their letter that this benefit is being cut, as it would cost the city $500,000 in fiscal year 2012. Let's look at this: If the projected employee deaths are only 13, and each of those 13 beneficiaries of the deceased were given 5,000, that equals how much? $65,000. So, um, where is the 500,000 coming from? Apparently, somebody can't work with numbers. Ladies and gentlemen, it's not hard to see that either A) there has been a gross miscalculation on the part of the City of Memphis, or B) somebody is lying to the city employees, and lining their pockets with "projected funds".

Now, let me ask you this: out of those 13 projected deaths of City of Memphis employees, which professions are more likely to see losses? Office workers? Nope. It's the police officers and firefighters. Not only is this death benefit being cut, but a 4.6% pay cut is looming as of July 1st. So, for my husband, he can rest easy knowing paying his bills monthly is going to get harder, and if he dies his wife and children will not receive help from the city and department he works for. That's a real daily motivator. I know my husband is a good man, and loves his work and is honest. But is every officer on the department going to continue in honesty when they can't pay the bills at home? When their honor is at stake, and their memory is freshly imbued in their personal financial crisis, what choices will they make? When you are in need, and that squad car comes roaring up, who is going to come into your home and help you? I can bet you aren't looking forward to a stressed, overworked, underpaid police officer who just doesn't give a damn anymore.

Thanks, again, City of Memphis. You obviously don't want to show appreciation to your first responders. When your city is further overrun by miscreants, and crime rates again skyrocket, please refer back to this post if you're confused about how that happened.

EDIT: It has been brought to my attention that the $500,000 could be including death benefit to retirees. However, I then wonder why the 10,000 benefit does not include them...and also the city's letter did not mention retirees at all.