voiceofsandiego.org: Letters... Why No Raise for Fire-Rescue?

Tuesday, May 15, 2007 | Anyone who knows me would hardly label me as being "speechless" on any given issue, but that is where I found myself this morning. Let's see if I got this right: The folks at SEDC are looking for a 30 percent raise, and the staff at CCDC is looking for a 3 percent raise. And Mayor Sanders is inclined to give it to them. And the professionals at San Diego Fire-Rescue? Zero percent. Nothing. Can someone please explain that to me?

Easy. The mayor's policy makers don't care about you.

Posted by Ray | reply to this comment
May 15, 2007 2:23 am

The answer is simple. It is very easy to leave CCDC or SEDC and go to the private sector and make more money. It is not that simple for FD personnel to do the same and the city knows it. The bottom line is this city cares nothing about its public safety employees until there is a significant catastrophic event.

Posted by Jim | reply to this comment
May 15, 2007 2:27 am

I can help you out here, those over copensated Gov employees at CCDC and SEDC are HIGHLY over paid and should NEVER have had a raise. Never. The Mayor should have given NO ONE a raise (except maybe police). He loses credibility big time when he pulls stunts like this. But, as over paid as the SEDC and CCDC are, they are not as over paid as SDFD, who are basically high school graduates, with on the job training, making in the 85th -98th percentile nationwide. That cannot continue, and for JF and my other SDFD buddies who say that does not matter-I challenge you to find any job in the private sector that pays half of what you make at SDFD with a HS diploma. No excuse for giving raises to anyone, especially when they already are making 6 figure incomes. SDPD notwithstanding.

Posted by Billy Bob Henry | reply to this comment
May 15, 2007 2:58 am

C’mon Billy Bob, I’m sure you will post your usual about why you can’t retire at age 50 from either the PD or the FD; they are the reason for the pension meltdown; and why do so many of them make $250,000 a year. Got anything “new” to add to that BBH? Actually, I think the real reason is that the folks over at SEDC and CCDC can go on strike but PD and FD can not! However, in reality the real reason this is a topic of discussion is that for many years the San Diego City Council has made promises and commitments that they have no idea of how to fund other than robbing Peter to pay Paul. Using under the radar movement of funds from one department to another, and just hoping they don’t get caught doing it. San Diego is, and has been for a long time, under funded! Drat, BBH posted before I could!

Posted by Howiek | reply to this comment
May 15, 2007 3:36 am

I will make a prediction: Soon other Fire Departments in the SoCal region will realize, "Hey, if we waive the academy requirement and hire laterals at our pay level that matches their experience, we can hire a bunch of seasoned smoke-eaters and save millions on academy, training and hiring expenses." And then all the SDFD guys who wish they could leave, will be able to. And trust me, they will leave. The SDFD ranks will be decimated, the Mayor will declare it an emergency, and the raises will come. Just a prediction.

Posted by D | reply to this comment
May 15, 2007 6:16 am

Simple Robert. City employees = loss of only 7K potential votes (and shrinking because of hiring freeze/outsourcing). Non support from the employees associations, employees are a liability for the City. No campaign contributions. CCDC/SEDC = campaign contributions, job offers after term ends, fundraisers, dinners, public support, positive spin letters to media, big bottom line. Did you read todays article in UT re SDFD and PD off duty save the two teens from the car wreck and fire? When they are off duty they are still working...for free!

Posted by Gene | reply to this comment
May 15, 2007 6:19 am

Why not use that money to pay down other long term obligations or to invest in infrastructure for the rest of the city. $1 saved is $1 earned.

Posted by A.D. | reply to this comment
May 15, 2007 7:42 am

Gene-you are correct that this CCDC and SEDC baloney is 100% wrong-sends a HORRIBLE messege, and the Mayor was, well, I don't know what he was thinking......but I do know this-you cannot have 2 standards-the old double standard. When this City is going down the tubes financially-you suck it up-everyone should be treated the same. Now, as for the SDPD and FD being "off duty" but still working-come on. Any half way decent person would help another in need-you know that. A.D> is 100% CORRECT-that money should go to DEBT SERVICE> all of it.

Posted by Billy Bob Henry | reply to this comment
May 15, 2007 8:55 am

A.D.: Now there's an idea! Use the money instead to pay down debt, or fix or upgrade some infrastructure! Better that than a 30% raise right now for ANYONE working for a cash-strapped city. A 3% raise? Okay, I could justify that in the name of competing with the private sector. But 30%??? No way in 'heck' is now the right time for that! Besides, anyone who goes to work for the government or a government agency knows they will not make what someone in the private sector does...

Posted by Robert E. Lee | reply to this comment
May 15, 2007 10:10 am

D, actually other SoCal departments have realized it.There are currently at least 50 SDFD employees in the hiring process for other agencies.Since SDFD is about 1/3 the size of SDPD, that's about like losing 150 police officers.

Posted by JF | reply to this comment
May 15, 2007 10:33 am

BBH, Have you by chance read the job announcement for firefighters?Unlike a lawyer, who doesn't need a diploma at all, a high school diploma is NOT the MQ for firefighter.You need at least some college.There was an individual here a month or so ago on Cafe San Diego who stated that a journey level carpenter makes about $37/hr in private industry.That's more per hour than a fire captain makes.Jeez, it's like listening to my brother Daral and my other brother Daral.

Posted by JF | reply to this comment
May 15, 2007 10:39 am

BBH wrote, "Any half way decent person would help another in need" Maybe, but would they in this day and age?I spoke with a half dozen MDs the other day.Very few said they would stop to help someone.Further, if you were severely injured and trapped in a burning car, who would you want to stop?An off-duty firefighter / paramedic or a college educated podiatrist with an MBA and a JD? Even it if wasn't burning, you'd still want the medic.

Posted by JF | reply to this comment
May 15, 2007 8:31 pm

Someday, hopefully, someone in city government will learn and adopt the concept of being 'proactive', not 'reactive', after the crisis has already struck. I see in the news over the past couple of days of a major wildfire on Santa Catalina Island, out in the middle of the friggin' ocean, of all places!!! If it can happen there, it sure as 'heck' can happen here, a la 2003. Then, once again, the firefighters will be the heroes, being showered with accolades. But, if I was one of those FFs, I'd raise my middle finger, and say, well, you know... When some of us (me) say that public safety is the top duty of government, we actually mean it and stand behind what we say.

Posted by Robert E. Lee | reply to this comment
May 15, 2007 9:17 pm

Can someone please enlighten me, what doea a 30% raise really mean? What are the current salaries and what are they getting bumped too? BBH- re "any half way decent person would have stopped" It is true we get many good samaritans that assist on scenes and cops can get a jaded view of society. I agree any halfway decent person would have stopped, from perspective I can't say half of SD IS halfway decent!

Posted by Gene | reply to this comment
May 15, 2007 9:23 pm

JF-I will tell you RIGHT NOW-no "journyman" carpentar is making ANYWHERE near $37 an hour. Illegal immigration has decimated certain industires-contructi is one of the BIGGEST to lose. Average construction worker today is making $10/hour-and if you have ever been to a building site anytime during the last 20 years you would see it is all hispanic........That $37/hour is a total lie. On a "prevailing wage" job, a carpentar might make $25-30 an hour-but those jobs accout for LESS than 20% of all construction jobs-involving usually governemnt buildings only.............Wou I personally stop to help a person in a burnign car??? Are you kidding me??? Yes I would, 99% of all MD's I know would, 99% of anyone I know would. If anyone (Gene) thinks that only a minority would stop, and the majority would not help out-you are living in the wrong country-this is America, and the majority would help.

Posted by Billy Bob Henry | reply to this comment
May 16, 2007 2:48 am

BBH, when's the last time you hired someone to do construction?I just finished a small project around here and was happy to pay $45/hr for the quality of work I got.And even happier to pay $25/hr to the helper, so that I didn't have to pay the expensive guy to do tasks that the cheap guy could do.So let's take the burning part out of the equation.I go to traffic accidents every day.I rarely see a good samaritan at scene helping.Again, almost every nurse and MD I've ever spoken to about the subject has stated that they will not EVER stop.

Posted by JF | reply to this comment
May 16, 2007 5:03 am

Robert E Lee, you may see some small acts of frustration on the part of firefighters, and rightfully so.What you won't see is a lessening of service to the public.We understand that it is not Joe Citizen who put us in this spot.We understand that firefighters still have a close to 90% approval rating in this city, regardless of what a vocal minority says.Heck, even Hedgecock recently said that we do a good job.So, being told where to stick it by Sanders hurts, but the only way the citizens will see the wrath is when firefighters leave.The sad part is that the citizens don't know just how thin their FD is... I see it time and again, "It won't happen to me!"

Posted by JF | reply to this comment
May 16, 2007 5:12 am

BBH- I usually don't agree with you, (but I enjoy your posts!), I DO admit that I do agree with you some of the time...and on the subject of Americans being good samaritans, I HOPE you are the one who is right! Frequently, from my perspective, if there is one good samaritan trying to help there are 20 to 50 standing around gawking, not wanting to be a witness or assist. They are just there for the event. I can't say I blame them though, so frequently ones good intentions are misinterpreted.

Posted by Gene | reply to this comment
May 16, 2007 5:26 am

Hey, if some public company is dumb enough to hire Nancy Graham at 300K, per year, send a limousine, and give her a "Nancy Graham Day," at city council. And, then, unload any stock in that company quick (or a least short the position). Seriously folks, these people aren't that valuable. Finally, there is no way the Mayor can justify these raises. When he starts down that path, he sounds like he is the re-incarnation of Sue Golding. It's time to change things at City Hall---the Sanders experience is Deja Vu, all over again.

Posted by Dale Peterson | reply to this comment
May 16, 2007 5:27 am

Dale,I think you may be a bit too late in your time period.Sanders seems to me to be more of a Pete Wilson clone.In fact, Wilson and Sanders were recently seen together with Wilson giving Sanders "advice".Remember how Wilson gave his famous "Let them eat sunshine" speech?Remember how the FD went on strike when Wilson was mayor?Obviously, that's not going to happen now, but the treatment of employees is the same.

Posted by JF | reply to this comment
May 16, 2007 10:04 am

Why No Raise for Fire-Rescue?

By Robert E. Lee, Normal Heights