Some Metro workers double, triple salaries with overtime

You are exactly right. It is because of the shortages across the board in all of these positions that overtime is available. One of the reasons for the shortages is the media just trying to cause trouble by reporting stories with no merit. Why would anybody want to take a job to be raked through the coals just for working hard.

Overtime is a necessary evil for all companies and the city is no exception, but everyone knows that the departments are terribly understaffed. However, if Mayor Jer would kindly reduce the salary of his sidekicks, or better yet his own -- there would be more money in the budget. Nobody throws a fit that the Deputy Mayor is paid over $100,000 per year, police, fire and EMS put their lives on the line every day and they are paid half of a Mayor puppet. That is a shame! I do not blame anyone for pulling OT and beefing up their retirement.

Looks like all of our OT went to traffic.

Some of the things the story doesn't say is that because of critical shortages Mr. Profit, employees are often forced to work extra shifts. Forget tucking your kids into be. Forget having a home life. It is exciting news for little dougie profit because it involves taxpayer money. The overtime that is worked that isn't force is voluntary, and if ashift needs to be filled would you rather have NOBODY there to handle the prisoners or to fight the fires or to ride the ambulances??? Let's not forget that the Police traffic overtime was paid for by a federal grant, not by taxpayer dollars. It really all boils down to Jerry not filling the positions in the first place. He did the exact same thing the last time he was in here screwing up things.

I wish I could get some overtime.

Up to a certain point, yes, but if the individual is dog tired (and he should be with those hours) - then what?

And I'm aware of one guy that did this, and as soon as he retired - he got divorce papers served on him, and all that income counted against him for child support and distribution.

What I wonder is, if some pay and/or benefit reductions were made to some of the city's top-brass (like no take-home SUV gas-guzzlers to the deputy mayors -- who already make enough money on their salaries to afford those kinds of cars and their now stark gas prices), and if salaries / wages and benefits were increased for lower-level city employees -- like police, corrections, fire and EMS -- would it be possible that overtime was not mandatory or necessary? Is it possible that the city could have a sufficient number of personnel in all fields so that overtime could be optional, and that if optional overtime was taken that more crime, especially homicides, would be decreased and that the overall mortality rate might fall? Heaven forbid someone could get police, fire or EMS response in all of the merged Louisville Metro within five minutes, or that there be one corrections officer for every 10 inmates and not one for every 50.

Naw, that would be in an excuse for a major city, wouldn't it? Afterall, those public parks are worth every penny of that multi-million dollar expansion project, and those Westend / Portland crack-dealing kids and their families who are parasites of society in the form of welfare without a legitimate disability and legitimate job and paying taxes deserve every penny of that $200k they were offered, don't they?

It's rather sad that Louisville government is as ridiculous as it is. Louisville combines so many conveniences of a major city and at the same time cuts so many disadvantages of a major city, that if funding was more adequetely placed in better areas Louisville could be a near-utopia in comparison to other cities of similar or larger size.

once again pay us enough where we do not have to slave away, no one is upset that the chief makes over 100,000.00 with out overtime. or the mayor or the 6 deputy mayors. get the people in here for ot will not be avaibale and use to like we did in the past to address crime and give extra attention to areas. and let also not forget that ot is figured into the budget also. and alot of ot comes from outside sources not city taxes.

Jerry's next trick is to cut the number of fire stations and use Quints so he can cut the number of firefighters. The only problem with that plan is that you can't fool the insurance industry. Cutting service levels results in higher insurance rates for homes and businesses. They keep close tabs on how good your fire protection is. Next he'll probably have Corrections furlough all of their inmates. The guy has never had any idea how to run a City. His only qualification is knowing how to get ignorant people to vote for him.

How about doing a study or report on the amount of taxpayer dollars that go the undeserving peoplpe that draw welfare, food stamps, and free public housing just because they DON'T want to work. How much of our taxpayer money goes for that? Guarantee it's alot more than the overtime money that hard-working, dedicated, deserving public servants get. As for the mayor and his deputies, I think they need a cut in pay. In no way does a mayor need to make $90k/year or his six deputies $100+k/year. We could reduce alot of costs if they weren't so overpayed. But you don't see a study or report on that. I'm surprised that Jerry or the chief hasn't taken away the take-home car rights for police officers. But he would never do that to his cronies in his office.

Does it matter how much there payed?!!!???!!!!!!!! they are protecting your life!!! there the ones putting there life on the line every day!! they should have a base pay of 100,000... what would you value your life AT? i HOPE ITS NOT CHEAP! POLICE,FIRE,EMS,CORRECTIONS SHOULD HAVE THE HIGHEST PAY IN AMERICA!! THERE THE REAL HOMETOWN HEROS! DONT THEY DESERVE IT? YES INDEED