From: Volunteer Fuel Reimbursement Act

[JFLYNN 681]

Thanks Chris and you other guys who received my comments in the vain in which they were intended. I'm not at all surprised by others who make these type things a personal issue, and then, instead of defending their position, attack an individual or group.

As I've said before, I am not anti-volunteer. I have many friends and acquaintances who are volunteer Firefighters. What I am is anti-hypocrisy. I am a taxpayer in NYS and a proud member of the fire service and I will always call a spade a spade.

So, no one has "made" this a career vs. volly issue. Some things just are, like when volunteer firefighter groups lobby against safe staffing and training standards which are being proposed for career firefighters, or when legislation like this gas credit is proposed which will only benefit volunteer firefighters and will hurt career firefighters by taking a lot of money out of the state tax coffers, thus increasing our taxes and / or diminishing support provided to our departments / communities.

Or the many other programs and incentives which cost NYS money but benefit only volunteer firefighters. I don't like that these things happen, and I will speak out to change them, but that doesn't mean that I dislike or disrespect someone just because he or she is a member of a volunteer fire department.

All of this is why I pro-actively sign most of my posts, "qtip"...

P.S. For the record, Ladd12erff, I have learned quite a bit about you from former co-workers and, based on your posts, I haven't been a bit surprised at what I have learned...