For decades, Pennsylvania’s police officers and firefighters have answered the call without hesitation. They ran toward danger while others fled from it. They worked holidays, overnight shifts, and long hours away from their families to keep our communities safe. Yet for many retired first responders across the Commonwealth, the retirement benefits they earned through years of sacrifice have steadily lost value because they have not kept pace with inflation.
That is why PA should seriously consider providing cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for retired police officers and firefighters. The last time police officers and firefighters received a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) was in 2002 — over two decades ago.
A pension is not a gift. It is a promise made in exchange for years of difficult and dangerous public service. Unfortunately, inflation has eroded the purchasing power of many retirees’ pensions to the point where some are struggling to meet everyday expenses. A retired firefighter or police officer who left service 20 years ago may be receiving the same monthly pension check today that they received when they first retired, despite dramatic increases in the cost of housing, food, utilities, insurance, and healthcare.
For retirees living on fixed incomes, this is not simply an accounting issue. It is a quality-of-life issue. Additionally, about half of municipal police officers do not qualify for or receive Social Security benefits. Police officers and firefighters often retire earlier than workers in other professions because of the physical and mental demands of their careers. Years of responding to emergencies, exposure to trauma, and the physical wear and tear of the job can make continuing in service impossible. Many retirees face increasing medical costs as they age, yet their pensions remain frozen while inflation continues to rise. Providing COLAs would help ensure these retirees can maintain financial stability and independence.
At the end of the day, the question is simple: should the pensions earned by retired police officers and firefighters continue to lose value year after year while the cost of living rises around them?
There are also broader public policy reasons to support COLAs. Competitive retirement benefits are an important recruitment and retention tool for public safety agencies already struggling to attract qualified candidates. Young men and women considering careers in law enforcement or firefighting want confidence that if they dedicate their lives to serving the public, the retirement security they earn will still have value decades later. How we treat retirees sends a message to active employees about whether the Commonwealth honors its commitments.
Critics often point to the cost of COLAs and the financial challenges facing pension systems. Those concerns deserve serious consideration. PA, like many states, has faced significant pension funding pressures over the years. Any proposal must be fiscally responsible and carefully structured to protect taxpayers and municipal budgets.
But fiscal responsibility and fairness to retirees do not have to be mutually exclusive.
Reasonable, targeted COLAs can be designed to assist older retirees who have experienced the greatest loss of purchasing power while still maintaining long-term fiscal discipline.
At the end of the day, the question is simple: should the pensions earned by retired police officers and firefighters continue to lose value year after year while the cost of living rises around them?
PA’s first responders upheld their commitment to our communities throughout their careers. The Commonwealth should uphold its commitment to them in retirement.
Pennsylvania Senator Joe Picozzi represents the 5th District in Northeast Philadelphia.
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