The following letter to the editor was published in the El Segundo Herald newspaper (HeraldPublications.com) on Thursday, February 10, 2011 in the Letters section on page 3. The El Segundo Herald has a strict 250-word limit.
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? This provides us with substantially more justification to significantly reduce both categories under new contracts to be “negotiated” this year. Council must decide, here and now, whether it represents resident/taxpayer or union interests and act accordingly.
It can’t do both-the priorities are diametrically opposed. Properly managed, we may easily retain our local FD rather than going County, as the savings projected with the latter stem primarily from staffing reductions based upon real requirements.
And we don’t need high-dollar consultants to show us the way. The Council must simply possess the ability and resolve to control the situation. Next time some specifics for getting things done.
Richard Arabian
El Segundo Police Officers' Association (ESPOA) Exposed