Inflation doubles every 30 years right? So 250k in 1999, is almost 500k in 2029. 500k shouldnt seem outlandish, if 250k wasnt.
(I believe 1999-2025 is ~92% so 250=480.)
(I believe 1999-2025 is ~92% so 250=480.)
Is that the rule of thumb? I never knew. I guess you only really notice it big-time on large-ticket items that are purchased infrequently like fire trucks. Maybe a car or something, but I never buy brand new cars, so that's probably another reason I haven't been in tune with the degree of inflation.
Whether or not that's a good rule of thumb depends on how much you believe in putting economists and "neoliberals" in charge :)
Namely, a new Republican administration dropping chaos-bombs on the US economy and trying to seize direct control of the banking-infrastructure, which in turn would put Trump's little hands onto the levers for interest-rates.
1995-2005 $2.10
1965-1995 $4.84
1935-1965 $2.30
1985-2015 $2.20
1980-1990 $1.59
1970-1980 $2.12
1960-1970 $1.31
Funding for Firefighters in the US is usually on the county level. The vast majority of counties in the US are poor as dirt, and can't pay for anything.
Don't ever use an "average" to look at the US. From education to sewers to courts to elections to the DMV to land zoning, the US is 50 different countries. They do wildly different things, have wildly different results, and generally are hard to compare.
Then add the Rural/Urban divide and things become even more bleak. Rural fire departments are usually partially or mostly volunteer forces.
So while Urban fire departments probably pay alright (ignoring that the job is "Run into that burning building and maybe die"), do not mistake that for "Firefighters (in general) get paid well"
No, they said 500k would also be outlandish. But the commenter correctly caught that 500k would in fact be exactly the same price, inflation adjusted. This makes a big difference.