From The Washington Post

The city council there, realizing there isn’t enough money to pay the city’s pension debts, voted for a less generous plan in December. In response, at least 250 police officers and firefighters quit their jobs, and the city is having trouble finding replacements.

“I can’t justify me putting my life on the line, and not knowing if my family would be taken care of,” a firefighter named Joseph Vaughn told Martin.

A stable pension is an important reason that many people go into public service. But these pensions are in the red across the country, and if local governments want to continue to function, they’ll need to find more money, whether to close the gap or to raise pay instead. Otherwise, not only will we all be less safe, but local government won’t be able to adequately fulfill its other crucial responsibilities either.