Firefighters Union Empty Threats – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Michael D. Robbins

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 6. The El Segundo Herald has a strict 250-word limit.

Firefighters Union Empty Threats

The firefighters union used misinformation, deception, and intimidation to collect petition signatures. As one resident put it, “How do you say ‘no’ to firefighters who show up at your door wearing their association tee-shirts? They know where you live, and they can delay or deny emergency service when you need it.”

Two firefighter union members showed up at the January 18 City Council meeting, demanding their fire department takeover initiative go on a special election ballot. They are not entitled to a special election, because their petition did not contain required language requesting a special election. They threatened to circulate a new petition with the required language if their demands were not met.

This is an empty threat. Too many residents already know about the wildly excessive and unsustainable compensation and pensions the firefighter and police unions received from City Council members whose campaigns they supported.

If the City Council puts their initiative on any ballot, it should be the April 2012 municipal election ballot, to help preserve our local fire department and save taxpayer money. The later election date will give the City Council time to reign in the wildly excessive and unsustainable firefighter and police compensation and pensions, and to create a two-tier system for new employees with a reduced and sustainable pension formula.

Also, if the firefighters win the election, after spending up to $100,000 or more campaigning, their compensation and pensions will get locked-in at a lower cost to the taxpayers.

Michael D. Robbins

Note by Michael D. Robbins:

City Attorney Mark Hensley explained at a City Council meeting that the firefighters’ union could not legally go back to the voters with a new initiative petition calling for a special election, because the state Elections Code limits initiatives to no more than one on the same subject within a specified time period. I believe that period was one year.