Dallas Pension Chairman: Cool It on ‘inflammatory' Messages to Lawmaker Working on Rescue Bill

Dallas Police and Fire Pension Board Chairman Sam Friar called on active and retired police and firefighters this week to quit sending "inflammatory" messages to the state representative who is working on a bill to save the failing retirement fund.In an email to police and fire association leaders, Friar wrote that he was personally "being blamed for encouraging your organizations to send out inflammatory letters and emails" to House Pensions Committee Chariman Dan Flynn, R-Van. Friar had been encouraging people to contact lawmakers, but only to express support for changes in the bill to benefit them.Some apparently did more than that, and Flynn wasn't happy."I am being told that the chairman is so upset that he is threatening to go with the city's ideas regarding his bill," Friar said in his email.The pension crisis has been an emotional roller coaster for active police and firefighters, some of whom have resorted to personal attacks on pension board trustees and especially Mayor Mike Rawlings.  Continue reading...