I could understand saying no to the general employee groups if there was no money and the city was operating with a deficit. But that is not the case. The City is not in dire financial straits nor did they seem financially concerned to renegotiate the 3 percent per year raises these past 3 years for the Police and Fire union employees . But they diss the largest non-uniformed employee group in the city for a second straight year. Interesting.
There used to be an executive order that adjusted the mayor and city council salaries commensurate with the CPI in June of the previous year. I wonder if the mayor and council salaries got a cost of living adjustment these past two years or will get a cost of living in 2011? How about the salaries of the city council and their staff? Maybe the Argus Leader needs to dig a little deeper on just who has had cost of living adjustments these past two years and who is going to get salary adjustments in 2011 besides that 3 percent increase for Fire employees.
Money for everything else but nothing for the people who do all the work. Just tell me that the directors, mayor, and city council and council staff aren't getting cost of living increases either. Everyone should be subject to the same salary treatment.
What's good for the goose is good for the gander.
Well, you are correct in the fact that the AFSME people deserved a raise. So did the police who just opted to work for the next year with no raise. Fire negotiated it's contract in better times and got a three year 3% per year increase in wages. The fire contract is done at the end of 2011. I'm also not sure about your comment that the AFSME people do all the work but I do agree that they do work as do the police and fire personnel.
ReplyDeleteThe item that maybe should be looked at to free up some money for the deserving workers of the city is the deferred compensation that is paid to the confidential, mid-management and management personnel. In addition to a full pension the classes I just mentioned get a second pension of matching funds from the city up to 4%. This cost the taxpayers of Sioux Falls around $700,000 last year alone. How many other jobs in the city/country pay two full pensions to the management personnel? As a recipient of the additional pension (deferred compensation) yourself I am sure you won't agree with me on this issue but maybe the taxpayers of Sioux Falls will.
Another point is that there may be some with the city that will retire with three pensions. The current fire chief is an example of that. He retired and will receive his full fire pension, will receive the second pension of the 4% deferred compensation and after returning to the employ of the city as Fire Chief after retiring is soon eligible for his full AFSME pension. Fair to the taxpayers?? I think not..