Buffalo News' piece on residency

 
The Buffalo News conducted a study of Buffalo Police Officers and their residency. What they found was not a surprise to anybody...

-With some 3,000 city workers, Buffalo's total payroll in 2011 was $183 million. Almost 30 percent of the employees lived in the suburbs, taking with them about 40 percent of city salaries - or $73 million - a Buffalo News analysis found. The biggest chunk of that money - $41 million - was paid to Buffalo police officers.

-While the median income of all city employees living in Buffalo is $45,000, the median income of police officers living outside of Buffalo is about $86,000 - more in line with median household incomes of Clarence ($83,281) and Orchard Park ($73,917) than Buffalo's $30,043.

The average person finds the practice of "pension padding" repulsive. The people at the top should look at what is happening in other areas of the country with entire municipalities declaring bankruptcy. It's only a matter of time before it happens here. Nonsense like this will only last so long.  

Interesting, that Amherst is able to force their newly hired town workers to live in Amherst, but Buffalo cannot. I think the gap in pay between Buffalo Police Officers and the citizens they serve is one day going to explode. The people I know could care less who lives on our street. But, if you don't live on our street, please remember you are a guest. Some very interesting comments underneath the Buffalo News piece.

Please take part in my poll on the right sidebar of this page: Do you think Buffalo Police and Firefighters should live in Buffalo?
Buffalo's top earners raise issue of residency