Recently an out-of-town visitor to the Free Lance paused in
conversation and asked if they shouldn’t move their car to avoid a
parking ticket. We told them not to worry, the parking enforcers
were laid off years ago. It was a budget thing.
Recently an out-of-town visitor to the Free Lance paused in conversation and asked if they shouldn’t move their car to avoid a parking ticket. We told them not to worry, the parking enforcers were laid off years ago. It was a budget thing.
Rarely does a week go by without a story in this newspaper that mentions the financial woes of the City of Hollister. We are told there is a $3 million budget deficit. The city is considering an attempt to propose a 1-cent sales tax increase for the November ballot. City officials warn that a budget shortfall could mean services will be cut and citizens will suffer. Our parks could become shaggy, our public programs reduced, safety programs eliminated.
So forgive us for being a bit stunned when the city agreed to increase the amount it will pay into the pensions of local firefighters. It was done because, well, the city did it for the police last year – so fair is fair – and a “Memorandum of Understanding” was made to the firefighters’ union some three years ago promising the increase.
The move will cost the city nearly $200,000 in fiscal year 2006-2007. The move will increase pensions from 2 percent of highest salary to 3 percent upon retirement at age 50. This is commonly known as “3 at 50.” What it means is that a firefighter with 20 years of service who retires at 50 will receive 60 percent of his or her highest pay.
We’re not here to dispute increasing the pension. Although the topic is certainly up for debate. Hollister is blessed with smoothly running police and fire departments. We are not begrudging city employees anything.
But we are here to tell the city it doesn’t play well with residents to threaten to cut services for parks and recreation, street maintenance, and public safety if a sales-tax increase isan’t approved, then turn and increase pensions because, well, it was done for police last year, and an understanding was arranged three years ago.
Although it should be mentioned that one councilmember stated that the increase in police pensions caught him off guard, so he wanted additional time to study the firefighters’ increase before giving it the rubber stamp.
Keep in mind that should the city need a boost to balance the budget, it can dip into a $6.5 million to $7 million reserve fund.
Basically, forgive us if we are not in the mood for a mixed message. Don’t intimate cuts to public safety services and quality of life services and then increase your percentage paid to retirement funds. Don’t warn of up to 20 percent reductions in services to citizens in coming years and then help sweeten the pot for employees.
The pension increase may be deserved and mandated. But its timing could also lead to an even hotter debate when it comes time to push hard for that sales tax increase. We know times are tough. At least we’ve been persuaded to think we do.
We need you to know the timing – beyond your control or not – in approving a pension increase is not beneficial to your cause. A sales-tax increase may have just become a harder sell for Hollister.
