Letters | No windfall for workers

How dare our "Good Mayor" rant and rave about his windfall while people like me are worrying about just surviving till the next pay week. I am a Philadelphia police officer, I've been on the job since 1996. In 2003 I was in the processing of arresting a known drug dealer in a school zone. (One of Mayor Street's pet peeves). An altercation took place. I was injured. At the time I thought I broke my finger. To make a long story short, I'm STILL on limited duty, after four long painful surgeries and years. The city is in the process of putting me out on a regulation 32.

I was just informed I will be out on disability by the end of January. I will not be receiving a big windfall or a big pension.

I planned on working 25 years, getting both of my children through college and THEN retiring. But everyone knows that being a cop is a dangerous job. I took that risk and lost. I love my job. I only wish I had another 14 years to put in. I would gladly walk a beat to finish my career. I now have RSD (a nerve disorder) I'm on medication for pain, I can't use my left hand properly, I lost the use of 75% of my hand.

Am I celebrating receiving and raving about receiving 75% of my pay for the rest of my life? No, I'm worrying about keeping my daughter in Catholic high school and my son in a state college. I'm worrying about looking for another job just to survive and get health benefits. Oh, I didn't tell you, when a cop goes out on disability we only get five years' medical coverage.

So, thank you to John Street and Joan Krajewski, for telling all the working-class people about all the money they will be receiving and going back to work for the city the next day. You should both be so proud of yourselves throwing your windfalls into the faces of the people who voted you into office and are still living, and will continue to live paycheck to paycheck with no windfall at the end of the tunnel.

Donna Muldoon

Philadelphia