I am sorely disappointed in the way this lawsuit has turned out. Let’s say a first responder (city police or fireman) has been working with the city since 1990. In 1991 the city started taking out the money (their supplemental pay) that was given to him by the people of Louisiana, via an amendment that was voted on by the people of this state. This means that by the time this lawsuit started, the city was acquiring roughly $23,400 from this first responder. In the nine years of this lawsuit, the city was acquiring roughly $32,400. This means the city has been taking out roughly $55,800 since 1991. If a first responder has been working with the city longer than 1990, then the city was acquiring more than the $55,800. Joey Durel stated that he had to keep the residents of the city-parish in mind, which is true. However, my question to Mr. Durel is what has the city been doing with these first responders’ money all this time? There are 600 first responders in this settlement. If you take out, say 35 percent for the lawyer’s fees, and then divide the rest of the money between the rest of the first responders, they are left with about $8,125, before taxes. The city has walked away with about $47,675 of this first responder’s money since 1991.
I do not see the justice in this settlement, and I am very disappointed in the city administration as well as the lawyer who represented the first responders.
One final note. Those that are a part of this lawsuit are still to this day having their supplemental pay taken out of their checks!