Posted on 06/08/2012 7:18:22 AM PDT by doug from upland
Upland unions do not agree to compensation cuts Sandra Emerson, Staff Writer Created: 06/05/2012 04:12:51 PM PDT
UPLAND - The city will proceed with making $3.3 million in cuts to next year's budget as its seven employee groups have not agreed to cuts in compensation.
During a special meeting on May 23, the council agreed to borrow $1 million in water funds to pay legal fees as well as cut city departments by $2.3 million in order to fill the gap.
As a result, some police personnel will be laid off and there will be cuts to city services across the board.
The council asked the city's seven employee groups to decide by June 1 to agree to salary freezes and one of two options: a 10 percent cut in pay or to pay the employee share of their pensions in order to avoid the layoffs and cuts in services.
The groups were not able to reach an agreement, so city staff is moving forward on preparing the budget with the cuts approved by the council, said City Manager Stephen Dunn.
"We had gotten direction on how to cut the budget, which includes layoffs. We're proceeding with that," Dunn said. "The only way to avoid that would be for the groups to come out and take the concessions."
A salary freeze would save the city $400,000.
If all employees pay the employee portion of their pensions, the city would save $1.96 million or if they agree to a 10 percent salary reduction, the city would save $2.07 million city-wide and $1.7 million in the general fund.
The fire union said the deadline was too soon for them to reach an agreement, Dunn said.
The Police Officers Association has offered concessions that are being evaluated, Dunn said.
The City Council will discuss the Police Officers Association, Police Management Association, Police Captains Association and the Upland Professional Fire Fighters' contracts in closed session on Monday.
The city's six executive employees, including the city manager, agreed on Tuesday to pay the employee portion of their pension, which is about $75,000 a year, Dunn said.
The police and fire chiefs pay 9 percent, while the rest of the department heads pay 7 percent.
The city's Finance and Economic Development Committee will review the budget at a future meeting and make a recommendation to the council.
If cities really wanted to get things going, they would start trimming from the top, then sit back and hear the squealing.
I'll bet there are thousands of unemployed ex-military citizens who could be brought up to speed in a reasonable amount of time who would love to have those jobs and benefits.
Considering that there about a thousand cities named “Upland” where is this one?
The “administrative” fat never gets cut. They’ve been there too long and have too many cozy connections to be vulnerable. But they are exactly the reason that government is so wasteful.
It’s the same thing when school boards need to make cuts; it’s the classroom teachers who get the axe, not the administrators. Back in the 1960’s my elementary school, K-6, had four classrooms for each grade, one librarian, one music teacher, one art teacher and one gym teacher. The total support staff was a principal, vice-principal, a nurse and a secretary.
Go to any elementary school today and you would find many more in the administrative positions, but they don’t get cut.
Dillinger robbed banks because that's where the money was.
If politicians wish to cut fat, they need to go where the fat is.
The one right next to Rancho Cucamonga!
Same state as Rio Linda
Same state as Rio Linda
SoCal, near Ontario, Rancho Cucamonga, and Claremont, CA
Ah sorry, I forgot to notice that you were the poster.
Thanks!
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