NJ city of Camden disbanding the police dept.

[GostHacked]

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/08/24/camden-nj-to-reboot-police-department-by-new-year/#ixzz24e3FPNvM?test=latestnews

Crime-ridden Camden, New Jersey - often referred to as the most dangerous city in the United States—is getting rid of its police department.

In the latest example of a cash-strapped municipality taking drastic measures to deal with swollen public sector liabilities and shrinking budgets, the city plans to disband its 460-member police department and replace it with a non-union “Metro Division” of the Camden County Police. Backers of the plan say it will save millions of dollars for taxpayers while ensuring public safety, but police unions say it is simply a way to get out of collective bargaining with the men and women in blue.

“This is definitely a form of union-busting," Camden Fraternal Order of Police President John Williamson told FoxNews.com. “This method is unproven and untested, to put your faith in an agency that doesn’t even [yet] exist.”

I am not sure how this is going to save the city any money, since someone has to end up paying for the police services regardless of who runs it and how it is run. Union busting is mentioned in the article, but I simply can't see it as just a ploy to bust up the union.

I don't think this is going to turn out to be a good idea. One to watch.

[Shady]

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/08/24/camden-nj-to-reboot-police-department-by-new-year/#ixzz24e3FPNvM?test=latestnews

I am not sure how this is going to save the city any money, since someone has to end up paying for the police services regardless of who runs it and how it is run. Union busting is mentioned in the article, but I simply can't see it as just a ploy to bust up the union.

I don't think this is going to turn out to be a good idea. One to watch.

This situation is similar to the one that was faced in Newark. The mayor of Newark asked for a pay freeze, so that no police officers would have to be laid off. The police union refused. Therefore, 163 officers were laid off for the forseeable future.

[punked]

Welcome to Christies NJ where they have unemployment higher then Michigan and tax cuts all around.

[GostHacked]

Welcome to Christies NJ where they have unemployment higher then Michigan and tax cuts all around.

I'd like to know if this is trend or a couple of one offs.

[Shady]

I'd like to know if this is trend or a couple of one offs.

Cities and states confronting out of control public costs is definitely a trend. Recently Scranton Pennsylvania relegated almost all of it's city workers to minimum wage, because they too were on the brink of bankruptcy.

[punked]

I'd like to know if this is trend or a couple of one offs.

Kurgman has a couple articles about the NJ comeback you might be interested in.

http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/08/25/comebacks/#postComment

[punked]

Cities and states confronting out of control public costs is definitely a trend. Recently Scranton Pennsylvania relegated almost all of it's city workers to minimum wage, because they too were on the brink of bankruptcy.

Yah Scranton there is an example. I lived in Scranton btw a city that died 50 years ago. The electric city was a mining town that boomed for a long long time on coal and textiles. After the 50s their industries died off and people having been moving away ever sense. It is like Sydney Cape Breton in a lot of ways. Their problems are demographics.

[Shady]

Kurgman has a couple articles about the NJ comeback you might be interested in.

http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/08/25/comebacks/#postComment

Oh yes, Paul "deficits don't matter" Krugman. Ask Greece if deficits don't matter!

[punked]

Oh yes, Paul "deficits don't matter" Krugman. Ask Greece if deficits don't matter!

You probably don't know this but people ask him that all the time and he answers that questions with REAL DATA.

[Argus]

Cities and states confronting out of control public costs is definitely a trend. Recently Scranton Pennsylvania relegated almost all of it's city workers to minimum wage, because they too were on the brink of bankruptcy.

Big deficit? Big bills? I know! Cut taxes! That always solves the problem!

Uhm, well it has in the past... right?

[socialist]

Welcome to Christies NJ where they have unemployment higher then Michigan and tax cuts all around.

chris christie gets no respect from me. it's no surprise the state is going to hell and is broke. look how rude he was against a public school teacher. the guy has an axe to grind with teachers. here is the proof.