Category Archives: Firefighter and Police Union Compensation and Pensions

Firefighter and police union salaries, benefits, and pensions are by far the most excessive of all government employees because their unions are the most politically active to campaign hire their own bosses who will determine their compensation and pension increases. The firefighter and police unions have been pushing cities, counties, and the state towards bankruptcy, and they already bankrupted the city of Vallejo, California.

Rich Fireman Named in Shoplifting by Paul Teetor – LA Weekly

Posted on May 26, 2011 by Mike

Rich Fireman Named in Shoplifting

In El Segundo, where firefighters make $210,000 a year, anger spills over

By Paul Teetor
published: Thursday, May 26 2011

Firefighter Michael Archambault is presumed innocent until proven guilty. But the bizarre shoplifting arrest of the El Segundo firefighter, wealthy enough to own a home in exclusive Rolling Hills Estates, has sparked a furious battle.

The hero-turns-heel allegations have made Archambault a metaphor for the El Segundo firefighters’ union, its members’ staggering $210,000 average compensation in a town so sleepy that fires are rare, and the union’s push to merge with the Los Angeles County Fire Department in order to preserve its outsized pay scale.

“Everything about this shoplifting case illustrates what we’ve been saying for years: These public safety unions have invaded our little town and taken over the political system to enrich themselves,” says Michael Robbins, a former El Segundo councilman turned civic watchdog.

“The police and fire unions have developed an incredible sense of entitlement, a feeling that they are royalty and we are just here to fund their grossly inflated salaries and lavish lifestyles. Look at the facts.”


PHOTO BY TED SOQUI
Michael Robbins, former El Segundo councilman turned civic watchdog, is fighting City Hall.

Archambault, 52, was arrested on April 12 by Torrance police after he allegedly stole $375 in electronics from a Costco in Torrance. He owns a $1 million ranch-style rambler in Rolling Hills Estates, one of the priciest suburbs in the United States.

El Segundo City Councilwoman Suzanne Fuentes says Archambault typifies the strange problem that residents of this small, middle-class L.A. suburb are confronting: “Only one of 50 members of the El Segundo firefighters’ union actually lives in this city. Yet they’re trying to control our little Mayberry-by-the-sea.”

Archambault earned $208,000 in total compensation last year. According to his arrest report, he was spotted by loss-prevention officers at the Costco at 2751 Skypark Drive in Torrance as he surreptitiously opened a box containing a trash can and stuffed it with a Belkin router, a Motorola modem, earbuds, ink cartridges and a Waterpik Water Flosser.

The fireman then allegedly purchased the trash can for $47.99 — with the electronics hidden inside. He was detained outside the store and handed over to Torrance police. A few hours later he posted $1,000 bail.

No longer blue-collar, El Segundo firefighters — who require only a GED to enter the 10-week firefighter academy program — are among L.A. County’s richest citizens.

Their total annual compensation averages $210,000 in a low-crime town of 16,000 residents, which averages fewer than two structure fires a year. Essentially, they are very well paid paramedics. More than 90 percent of their calls are for medical transports. … Continue reading →

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Could Firefighter’s Arrest be the Result of a Culture of Entitlement?

Posted on May 25, 2011 by Mike

CULTURE OF ENTITLEMENT

El Segundo firefighters and police officers have developed a culture of entitlement that has been fomented by their unions since at least the early 1990’s, if not earlier. This sense of entitlement appears even stronger among the firefighters than the police officers, although both the firefighters and police officers feel entitled to wildly excessive and unsustainable salaries, benefits, and pensions unheard of in the real world of the private sector, all on the backs of the overburdened taxpayers.

The firefighter and police unions aggressively campaign for the City Council candidates who will give them the largest salary, benefits, and pension increases in their union contracts, no matter how excessive and unsustainable, and they aggressively campaign against the candidates who support fiscal responsibility.

The El Segundo Firefighters Association (the firefighter union) has even used fear and intimidation to pressure voters into supporting their endorsed candidates. They sent out a Senior Scare Letter to elderly voters, threatening them with “the possibility of our paramedics not being available when you need them” if the three candidates they endorsed were not elected! Continue reading →

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We Already Have Mutual Aid – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Michael D. Robbins

Posted on March 21, 2011 by Mike

We Already Have Mutual Aid

The March 13 emergency response to the helicopter crash into Raytheon Building E-1 in El Segundo proves two significant points. First, it proves our existing Fire Department mutual aid system works exceptionally well. El Segundo Fire Chief Kevin Smith answered questions during a press conference attended by ABC, KTLA, and FOX television news, and myself.

Chief Smith stated that 70 firefighters responded to this incident, including mutual aid from the L.A. County Fire Department and all South Bay fire departments, including Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach, and Torrance.

Second, the quick and effective emergency response by 70 firefighters proves that Measure P, the firefighter union’s initiative, is absolutely unnecessary because we already have effective mutual aid. It shows how deceptive the firefighters’ claims are. It debunks their fundamental ballot argument claim that Measure P will “put 72 firefighters on call” (including out-of-town stations). Interestingly, Chief Smith signed the ballot argument for Measure P … Continue reading →

Posted in El Segundo, El Segundo Election Coverage, El Segundo Herald Letters, El Segundo News, Firefighter and Police Union Compensation and Pensions, Government Employee Compensation and Pensions, Letters to the Editor, Measure P - Firefighters Union Initiative | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on We Already Have Mutual Aid – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Michael D. Robbins

Firefighters Broke Their Promises – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Illeen Joscha

Posted on February 24, 2011 by Mike

Firefighters Broke Their Promises

The firefighters convinced voters to sign their initiative petition by promising that signing it would not make it law, but would only get it on the ballot so the people could vote on it. The firefighters also promised their initiative would save tax money and preserve our fire department.

But once voters trusted the firefighters and signed their petition, the firefighters broke their promises. They tried to have their initiative become law without letting people vote on it. At the Feb. 15 City Council meeting, Bryan Partlow, a firefighters’ union member and representative, and Scott Houston, a former and likely future City Council candidate, read similar prepared statements. They demanded the City Council enact Measure P, the firefighters’ union initiative, as an ordinance without letting the people vote on it, citing the signatures as justification. … Continue reading →

Posted in El Segundo, El Segundo Herald Letters, El Segundo News, Firefighter and Police Union Compensation and Pensions, Firefighter Union Corruption, Government Employee Compensation and Pensions, Letters to the Editor, Measure P - Firefighters Union Initiative | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Firefighters Broke Their Promises – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Illeen Joscha

Council Votes Save Money and Lives – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Michael D. Robbins

Posted on February 24, 2011 by Mike

Council Votes Save Money and Lives

I want to thank City Council members Bill Fisher, Suzanne Fuentes, and Carl Jacobson for voting on February 15 to put the firefighter union’s Punitive Initiative, Measure P, on the latest possible ballot – in April 2012. Their votes will save taxpayer money by avoiding an unnecessary special election, and much more tax money indirectly. But more importantly, their votes may save lives – especially the lives of our seniors.

The latest election date postpones the time residents will permanently lose their City-operated paramedic transport service, and be forced to use out-of-town ambulance companies with increased hospital transport times and fees, if enough voters are misled into approving the Punitive Initiative.

The union’s Punitive Initiative cuts emergency services to lock-in and pay for their wildly excessive and unsustainable employee salaries, benefits, and pensions. The latest election date can save $90 million over ten years in excess “special compensation” and pension contributions by giving the City Council more time to implement real and superior alternatives that save twice as much money without cutting our emergency services.

I was disheartened when, after I explained these facts, the firefighter union and Council candidate Scott Houston urged the Council to enact the initiative without any election … Continue reading →

Posted in El Segundo, El Segundo Election Coverage, El Segundo Herald Letters, El Segundo News, Firefighter and Police Union Compensation and Pensions, Firefighter Union Corruption, Government Employee Compensation and Pensions, Letters to the Editor, Measure P - Firefighters Union Initiative | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Council Votes Save Money and Lives – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Michael D. Robbins

Ted Lieu’s campaign mailer featured 36 deceptive government employee union endorsements and 38 counterfeit badges

Posted on February 15, 2011 by Mike

by Michael D. Robbins
Director, Public Safety Project, PublicSafetyProject.org

February 15, 2011

El Segundo voters received a campaign mailer for Ted Lieu, a soft-on-crime, tax-and-spend leftist politician running for state senate in the extremely gerrymandered California Senate District 28 (CA SD 28). The campaign mailer featured 36 deceptive government employee union endorsements made to look like legitimate public safety endorsements, and 38 counterfeit badges which are actually government employee union logos.

Soft-on-crime, tax-and-spend politicians frequently use the cover of deceptive government employee union endorsements to masquerade as tough-on-crime, fiscally conservative politicians.


Front side of Ted Lieu’s campaign mailer featuring 36 deceptive government employee union endorsements and 38 counterfeit badges which are actually union logos.


Back side of Ted Lieu’s campaign mailer featuring 36 deceptive government employee union endorsements and 38 counterfeit badges which are actually union logos.

Ted Lieu, a California state legislator representing the extremely gerrymandered California Assembly District 53 (CA AD 53), ran for election in a special primary election to fill the vacancy created in CA SD 28 Senate District (CA 28th SD) by the death of Democrat State Senator Jenny Oropeza from Long Beach. … Continue reading →

Posted in California, El Segundo, El Segundo News, Firefighter and Police Union Compensation and Pensions, Firefighter Union Corruption, Government Employee Compensation and Pensions, Police Union Corruption | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Ted Lieu’s campaign mailer featured 36 deceptive government employee union endorsements and 38 counterfeit badges

Fix the City – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Marc Rener

Posted on February 10, 2011 by Mike

Fix the City

Mayor Busch is so concerned about the current trash contract and the $123,000 that, he professes, “could” have been saved. Quit looking for spare change in the “city’s sofa cushions.” I would like to point out the fact that this mayor and others have continually skirted “other” serious costs to the city of El Segundo.

1) $197,000 a year: The parking structure (paid with 1.1 million taxpayers dollars), and a 34 year contract for parking places that still has over 25 years left to go. Reason? For a financial political payment to a politician.

2) Over 3 million dollars a year to the fire fighters union, not in wages, but special compensation, like the one that is continually paid year after year, even after retirement, just because at one time, in their past life, they received a diploma. Reason? Payment again for political support.

3) Over $225,000 a year, this is a “starting wage and benefits” for a person hired off the street as a director, who’s “qualifications” were to instruct the city to pay $80,000 dollars to hire a outside company to do a job “she” did not have time nor the “expertise” to do. … Continue reading →

Posted in El Segundo, El Segundo Herald Letters, El Segundo Tax and Fee Increases, Firefighter and Police Union Compensation and Pensions, Government Employee Compensation and Pensions, Letters to the Editor | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Fix the City – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Marc Rener

Time for Real Compensation Reform – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Richard Arabian

Posted on February 10, 2011 by Mike

Time for Real Compensation Reform

El Segundo voters have now soundly rejected both the Business Utility Tax Increase and Trash Fee Proposal, sending a strong and clear message to Council and unions-get our labor expenses permanently under control. Residents/ taxpayers expect and deserve public services, especially fire and police, to be provided at realistic costs, not those unions demand. We don’t support salary/benefit arrangements placing a number of employees in the top five percent income bracket nationwide, nor bloated staffing levels. We don’t wish to pay the employee share of CalPERS retirement contributions or “special pay” supplements, further spiking total compensation. Pandering to union agendas, for whatever reason, must stop now.

Strong economy or weak, budget surplus or deficit, competent management should never pay over market for labor. Why are we conspicuously above even the union-inflated salary and per capita staffing ranges of surrounding cities with which we compete? … Continue reading →

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Taxpayers Getting Fleeced – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Mary Olinick

Posted on February 10, 2011 by Mike

Taxpayers Getting Fleeced

I recently received a mailer for Ted Lieu, candidate for State Senate. On that flyer were 37 public employee union endorsements by local and state unions. There was not a single tax payer or government watchdog association. Why would anyone be foolish enough to think this man is running to represent the voters?

The flyer, in essence, is telling us that he doesn’t give a fig for us and that the unions will elect him, that they financed him and that he is beholden only to those unions. Does anyone wonder why such excessive salaries are paid to government workers? Why some public employees are retiring with multi-million dollar pensions? Are we dumb enough to believe that children’s education will not be cut while public employee pensions will remain unscathed? … Continue reading →

Posted in El Segundo, El Segundo Election Coverage, El Segundo Herald Letters, Firefighter and Police Union Compensation and Pensions, Firefighter Union Corruption, Government Employee Compensation and Pensions, Letters to the Editor, Police Union Corruption, Political Corruption, Union Corruption | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Taxpayers Getting Fleeced – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Mary Olinick

Proposal for City Fire Dept to County – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Art Lavalle

Posted on February 10, 2011 by Mike

Proposal for City Fire Dept to County

The county fire department transfer proposal requires that the city of El Segundo pay off all accrued vacation and sick leave of the city fire personnel before they are transferred to the county.

According to the “Daily Breeze” there were two El Segundo city officials that were paid a combined total of $321,000 in accrued vacation and sick leave during 2009. How much do you think it will cost the city to pay off the accrued time for all members of the fire department?

Last week I stated that in ten years the city would get back run down equipment from the county. I was incorrect: In ten years the city will not get any equipment returned. All city fire vehicles and equipment become the property of the county. … Continue reading →

Posted in El Segundo, El Segundo Election Coverage, El Segundo Herald Letters, Firefighter and Police Union Compensation and Pensions, Government Employee Compensation and Pensions, Letters to the Editor, Measure P - Firefighters Union Initiative | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Proposal for City Fire Dept to County – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Art Lavalle