7:15 PM, 2/19/09--Scroll to bottom for new story on cop pink slips in El Monte
UNION BOSS OF UNION THAT SUPPORTED KATRINA FOLEY DOESN'T WANT PAY CUTS FOR MEMBERS
Costa Mesa Police Association President Allen Rieckhof, shown at left in this 1996 DP photo along with officer Scott Dibble, has apparently answered the City Council's call to open up the union's contract with the City, because of our tough economic times, by telling the Daily Pilot that he wants to see "solid numbers before we talk to our membership and open up contracts.” LINK
Unfortunately, the bad economic times are hitting us right now, and the solid numbers that Rieckhof wants to see, rather than the presently available reasonable projections, won't be available until September or October.
It seems that the only two reasonable options on the table are pay cuts or layoffs. And if the unions (there are actually four of them representing different City employees), won't cut salaries, the Council may be forced to order layoffs.
If the numbers are as grim as we've been hearing--a projected $11--$20 million budget deficit in Costa Mesa--something is going to have to be done very, very soon.
Of course, Katrina Foley is already making sounds as though she wants to raise taxes or fees on citizens.
This is to be expected since Foley is a tax and spend liberal and, as mentioned above, she got the endorsement of the police union (also the firefighter's union) in the last election--an endorsement that didn't mean much in actual police officer votes, because more than 75% of Costa Mesa's police officers don't live in Costa Mesa and can't vote here.
Rieckhof told the Daily Pilot on September 11, 2008 "[Katrina Foley] is a supporter of law enforcement...She's always receptive of our concerns at the department. She's pro law enforcement."
Remember the above when you hear Foley trying to squeeze more fees and tax money out of the ordinary citizens of Costa Mesa.
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MEANWHILE...COPS IN REDLANDS VOLUNTEER TO HELP WITH THAT CITY'S BUDGET BY ACCEPTING FURLOUGHS JUST LIKE ALL OTHER CITY EMPLOYEES
This is a very good article. Be sure to read through to the end.
There are clues in the article on Redlands that show just how bad things are in Costa Mesa and how smart Redlands is to move fast to fix their budget shortfall in that city.
Consider. Redlands has about half the population of Costa Mesa (60,000 v. 112,000), and its projected budget deficit is only aproximately $4-million, while Costa Mesa's is around $20-million.
To be in a comparable hole with Costa Mesa, Redlands would have to have a budget deficit of $10-million.
To be in a comparable hole with Costa Mesa, Redlands would have to have a budget deficit of $10-million.
So, Redlands is not as bad off as Costa Mesa, yet they have already taken major steps to fix things.
Come on Costa Mesa City Council, get moving to fix things here.
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OKC COP PULLS OVER MOTORIST FOR ANTI-OBAMA SIGN
Guy also gets visit from Secret Service. LINK
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EL MONTE GIVES PINK SLIPS TO 17 COPS
Cop union won't take pay cuts so.... Other employees avoid pink slips by agreeing to pay cuts. Link
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Those are our opinions. Thanks for reading them.
