Pleasanton Council meets tonight to consider firefighters' contract Around Town, posted by Editor, Pleasanton Weekly Online, on Aug 28, 2012 at 9:33 am
The Pleasanton City Council will hold a special meeting starting at 6:30 p.m. tonight to consider and possibly ratify a new labor contract with firefighters in the Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department. The meeting will be held in the City Council chambers in the Pleasanton Civic Center, 200 Old Bernal Ave.
Read the full story here Web Link posted Tuesday, August 28, 2012, 7:45 AM
Posted by P-Town, a resident of the Mohr Park neighborhood, on Aug 28, 2012 at 9:33 am
Dear Firefighters. I know you are all called "Hero's" since 911 hit us. But your fellow countrymen are hurting. We all need to accept cuts for our cities to thrive.
Posted by GX, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on Aug 28, 2012 at 6:10 pm
Given all the other professions below are more dangerous than being a fireman, do they deserve the same pensions where they make more in retirement than they do working?
Note fire doesn't make even the top 10 according to BLS.
If this is the case, who do you suggest pay for all this? Just curious.
Posted by Jack, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on Aug 28, 2012 at 6:38 pm
GX,
I agree with you, but police are already overpaid (at the very least their pensions are unsustainable). Don't encourage them to ask for more pay/benefits.
Posted by woggut, a resident of the Pleasanton Valley neighborhood, on Aug 28, 2012 at 6:39 pm woggut is a member (registered user) of PleasantonWeekly.com
The average cost per employee for firefighters is $232,000 and the average cost per city employee is $184,000 based on the data in the Proposed 2011-12/2012-13 Operating Budget on the city web site. The same report says the 2010 median household income is $109,000. That's family, not individual median income. So the average city employee compensation is 2x the average working resident. And that excludes the underfunded pension liability, which will be made up by taxes in the future.
About half of the city positions do not require education beyond high school. The pay for an Army E-4 with 4 years of service is under $30,000. In many states the firefighters in smaller cities are volunteers.
I respect the firefighters, but there has to be a reasonability check. The police officers are getting a raw deal relative to fire, and when they work odd shifts they are actually on the streets not on call in a fire house.
Here's the average cost by department based on total employee costs divided by employees excluding overtime.
Posted by All volunteers rise up!, a resident of the Birdland neighborhood, on Aug 29, 2012 at 9:59 am
I think all city workers should be volunteers. Everyone who lives in Pleasanton should take a gardening shift and mow the sports park, and other public places, suck up leaves from the curb, carry a gun and patrol the neighborhoods, apply first aid and rescue when needed. Oh yeah...do that and work at a paying job to pay for all the other necessities of life. Don't call in sick for your volunteer shift however because I don't want to have to cover for you.
Stop making city employees and teachers the enemy! They are NOT the enemy.
Posted by Terry, a resident of the Highland Oaks neighborhood, on Aug 29, 2012 at 11:46 am
If we pay a $1,000,000 to each retiree, it would not be enough. It is human nature to want more, plus the union feels they need nore money. It takes a strong leader to say no more, we cannot afford it !!
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