Third of three editorials Former Largo police officer David Paulsen was at the helm of his 33-foot sailboat two years ago, braving stormy seas for the annual Clearwater to Key West regatta. Too injured to work but fit enough to sail, Paulsen had some help on the boat that day. His crew included a police captain and two other officers. The only time police and firefighters get upset about pension claims, it seems, is when the money might go to someone they don't like. So when Tampa's fire chief, William Austin, applied for a disability pension because of chronic heart problems, he was met with an unusually hostile reception, even though his case wasn't that unusual.
Heart disease is presumed to be job-related for pension purposes under state law.
One retired firefighter said it was insulting for a fire chief to get the same benefits as those on the front lines. But other chiefs had gotten similar pensions, including the late Fred Anderson, who continued getting checks even after going to prison for taking bribes as a county commissioner. The abuse of the pension system will end more quickly if the people it is there to help demand change. If they can't muster a little old-fashioned shame, they ought to consider the financial implications of fraud, abuse and even generosity. After all, taxpayers aren't the only ones who contribute to these plans.